Jason Kissel Archives | ACRES Land Trust

Meet ACRES new board president

ACRES Land Trust’s new board president brings a wealth of experience and a track record in service to her new role. Members of ACRES board of directors have elected Dawn Ritchie to serve as board president in 2021. Dawn joined ACRES in 1995 and has served on the board for five years. She is Greenways ...

01/15/2021
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Herbarium provides a glimpse into the past

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 ...

12/16/2020
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160-year-old barn finds new home

HUNTERTOWN – A 160-year-old barn in northwest Allen County is finding a new home in DeKalb County, where it will stand as a tribute to the area’s agricultural heritage. ACRES Land Trust acquired the barn as part of a bequest from the late Dr. Frederick Mackel. The land is part of the 34-acre Mackel Nature ...

11/09/2020
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Take a (virtual) wildflower hike with us!

Spring has arrived, bringing beautiful woodland wildflowers with it. To celebrate the season, ACRES invites you to take a virtual hike with us! Retired professor and botanist Dr. Dave Hicks is joined by Jason Kissel on the trails of Kokiwanee. Hike along with them to learn more about the many species of spring flowers thriving ...

05/06/2020
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In appreciation of not knowing: Letter from the Executive Director

Dear Land Lovers, As many of you know, trees are my primary draw to nature. But I’m also fascinated by many other aspects of nature, including bogs. While my interest in trees continues to lead me to learn all I can about them, my interest in bogs takes me in a different direction: I like ...

11/12/2019
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Summer growth: mimicking our land’s peak performance

Dear Friends, We Midwesterners have a reputation of being hard workers. I think this is partly because we mimic the land we live on. We follow the lead of the plants and animals around us. Your preserve visits this summer immerse you in green — surrounded with plants operating at peak performance. On a preserve, ...

08/14/2019
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Nearly 60 years: celebrating land today

Dear friends, Each day is a victory for ACRES. Life thrives on 7,000+ acres of land because our members, and members before them, chose to acquire each of these acres. And it is a choice. People choose whether or not to support ACRES, ACRES staff and board choose whether or not to acquire each acre, ...

06/06/2019
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A tale of two regions: how different cultures value land

Recently, ACRES Land Trust Executive Director Jason Kissel vacationed with his family along the Canadian Atlantic Coast. His trip included jaunts in and around New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island. Jason was so moved traversing the coastline and meeting various folks, he penned the following narrative to capture those experiences for our readers. May ...

09/05/2018
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The Many Reasons Why People Support ACRES

Our executive director Jason Kissel has been in awe of land for several decades. He traces his love of natural areas back to when he was just a kid, watching his dad work with the U.S. Forest Service. Below, Jason shares his experiences with ACRES and the main threads in the stories of several of ...

07/25/2018
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A Mighty Oak Emerges: A Planned Gift by David and Tracy Fox Establishes the “Acorn Society”

When David and Tracy Fox, the first members of the Acorn Society, talk about being forward-thinking people, they really mean forward. They’re thinking a good century out. So it’s no surprise they became life members of ACRES in 2014, and no surprise they decided they wanted to do more. “We have seen so much growth ...

02/21/2018
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