invasive species Archives | ACRES Land TrustACRES Land Trust

Herbarium provides a glimpse into the past

December 16, 2020 Featured, History, Nature & Wildlife, News, Uncategorized 1 Comment

ACRES protects more than land. We also work to protect the history of our land donors. Their stories and artifacts provide a glimpse into the past, an explanation of who they were and how they cared for and loved the land before ACRES. Join local journalist Kevin Kilbane as he uncovers the story of a ...

Oak Farm & Detering Partnership: Learning Land Protection through Meaningful Work

June 2, 2020 Field Notes, Land Management, Volunteering, Your Stories 3 Comments

In a nonprofit partnership, students and staff at Oak Farm Montessori School, near Avilla, Indiana, have partnered with ACRES for the last few years. Our first collaboration, students growing seedlings for ACRES in the school’s greenhouse, quickly blossomed into more, led by Brett Bloom. by Brett Bloom I am the Ecoliteracy Coordinator at Oak Farm ...

ACRES Land Trust seeking summer land management internship applicants

February 13, 2020 Blog, Land Management No Comments

UPDATE April 1, 2020: an additional spot is now open with no restrictions on county of residency. Huntertown, Ind., February 13, 2020 – ACRES Land Trust is seeking applications for two summer land management internships. For ten years, ACRES interns have helped care for the organization’s ever-increasing number of permanently protected places. 2020 Land Management ...

Fighting for the Forest: Volunteers battle autumn olive on the Tom and Jane Dustin Nature Preserve

October 24, 2019 Blog, Field Notes, Land Management, Volunteering No Comments

Did you know that autumn olive was once planted by many conservationists, including Tom and Jane, to provide wildlife habitat? Today, this invasive shrub is a prime target for removal on ACRES preserves and on managed land across the U.S. Why? Because its beautiful brush (with sweetsmelling spring blooms, signature silver-backed leaves and red berries) ...

A tale of two disturbances: surprises in land management

August 21, 2019 Blog, Land Management No Comments

To keep pace with our growing acreage, ACRES has invested more time and resources in managing, restoring and enhancing land. In late winter and early spring, we put our new forestry mulcher to work shredding acres of non-native invasive autumn olive. The forestry mulcher, a barrel-like roller attachment for a skid steer, crunches up the ...

Non-native invasive species: Successes in progress

October 29, 2018 Land Management No Comments

Part of being responsible stewards of the land is ensuring native species have the resources to flourish. Sometimes, that means breaking out the tools and combatting non-native plants that invade the area, choking out native life. Director of Land Management Casey Jones and crew give us an update on two non-native invasive species projects going ...

Eating (non-native, invasive) greens: ACRES to purchase forestry mulcher

August 28, 2018 Land Management 2 Comments

ACRES will soon purchase a forestry mulcher, pictured above, to “chew” or shred through dense patches of nonnative invasive shrubs and brush, instead of using hand tools to tackle these sometimes overwhelming jobs. How overwhelming? Watch this video to see a forestry mulcher in action, “eating” dense patches of overgrown Autumn Olive amid a tree planting on the Tom and Jane Dustin ...

Managing land with spirit: Happy trails, summer interns!

August 18, 2018 Land Management No Comments

The land management crew was quieter this week, having said goodbye to our team of ever-laughing, occasionally-singing, summer interns. The team disbanded, cheerfully* returning to classrooms across the state, having gained experience they’ll not soon forget. “I think one of my most favorite things from the internship was getting to work with Purdue Fort Wayne ...

Autumn Olive Project Update | A bold goal and call for help

May 23, 2018 Land Management, Volunteering 2 Comments

Are you looking for a rewarding service project on the land? ACRES is putting out a new call for help. Last year, volunteers started the process of completely removing Autumn Olive from the Tom and Jane Dustin Nature Preserve. It was a bold goal, and the work continues. With many hands, we can beat this ...

Protecting Biodiversity: Managing Invasive Species

July 25, 2017 Blog, Land Management, Volunteering No Comments

“Biodiversity that should be there, and has potential to be there, is lost when a non-native species takes a foothold.” While some people can walk through the woods, take in the lush, green views, and be at peace, Casey Jones, ACRES’ director of land management, isn’t one of them. His trained eye goes straight to ...

In all weather: Workday volunteers share laughter, hard work & satisfaction

February 1, 2017 Blog, Land Management No Comments

In below-freezing temperatures, this past Saturday, January 28, ACRES volunteers showed up and dug in for our Preserve Workday. Eight volunteers gathered with staff members on the Tom and Jane Dustin Nature Preserve near Huntertown to fight the non-native invasive Vinca plant, commonly known as Periwinkle. The vine-like plant is a tenacious ground-cover, hence its ...

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