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The Power of Nature: A Monthly Mental Health Ritual

We all have our go-to self-care routines, whether it’s curling up with a good book or finding comfort in our favorite meal. But have you ever considered nature as a tool for improving your mental health? For Monica Sweigert and her friend, Tina, spending time outdoors has become a monthly ritual that has profoundly impacted ...

  • 05/01/2023
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Volunteer Spotlight: Larry and Delilah Watson

Volunteer preserve steward Larry Watson of Wabash, Indiana, describes his service as a “win-win.” Helping to care for ACRES properties and keep the trails clear for visitors is a way for him to give back while spending time in nature. He stewards Seven Pillars Nature Preserve, Kokiwanee and Hanging Rock National Natural Landmark. “I was ...

  • 04/03/2023
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ACRES Member Q&A with Shondell Hobbs

What made you want to support ACRES?I always thought there were no good places to hike here in northern Indiana, but a few years ago, I found out we had some waterfalls in the area. I visited my first ACRES property, Kokiwanee, and then a few weeks later went to Hathaway Preserve at Ross Run. ...

  • 01/20/2022
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Brothers document rare dragonflies on ACRES preserves

ACRES nature preserves provide researchers and citizen scientists with opportunities to study the natural world around us. By allowing scientists to work on ACRES properties, we gain knowledge from their findings that makes us better-informed stewards of the land. Each day, these protected places serve as a setting for learning and discovery. In the coming ...

  • 09/24/2021
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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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What is a Fen? The Nature of ACRES’ “Springy Places”

“Springy places” the early pioneers called them…probably because the pioneers frequently encountered springs of water emanating from these wet landscapes, or maybe because walking on these bouncy wetlands put a spring in their step. These globally rare ecosystems are also known as “fens” or “prairie fens.” Prairie fens are found in the glaciated regions of the upper Midwest: predominantly in Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Illinois, Minnesota, Wisconsin, ...

  • 05/22/2017
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Kokiwanee, 1941 farmland to nature preserve

In my recent Letter from the Executive Director, I write about how land can produce a wide variety of products. I make the claim that when compared to nature; we are unimaginative when it comes to deciding what land should produce. To illustrate this point, let’s explore the recent history of Kokiwanee – a 140-acre nature ...

  • 02/22/2017
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Letter from the Executive Director

Dear Friends, Land can produce a seemingly unlimited diversity of plants. Consider a small garden plot. On the same piece of land, sweet corn, green beans, tomatoes, turnips, peppers, radishes, eggplant, and a host of other vegetables or flowers can be grown. Whatever the gardener’s whims, the land accommodates. What seems to me even more ...

  • 02/22/2017
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In all weather: Workday volunteers share laughter, hard work & satisfaction

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 ...

  • 02/01/2017
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ACRES’ Wabash winter fun

Frozen waterfalls, more than 60 Bald Eagles and a short “sugar bush” season make ACRES Land Trust’s Wabash County nature preserves a northeast Indiana outdoor destination right now. “Believe it or not, it’s a great time to visit a nearby preserve or venture into a new one,” said Jason Kissel, executive director and caretaker of ...

  • 02/22/2015
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