Acquisition – Cedar Creek Corridor

Mackel family adds to Cedar Creek legacy

The late Dr. Frederick O. and Elfrieda Mackel expanded a neighborly legacy of preserving the Cedar Creek Corridor through ACRES Land Trust.

The Mackels originally purchased land overlooking Cedar Creek in 1956, moving there from Fort Wayne so their four children could grow up exploring fields, creeks and woodlands.

The Mackels’ neighbors and friends, Jim and Pat Barrett and Tom and Jane Dustin, helped found ACRES Land Trust. The Barretts’ land became the James M. and Patricia D. Barrett Oak Hill Nature Preserve. The Dustins’ land is now the Tom and Jane Dustin Nature Preserve, their former home the ACRES office.

“As soon as we realized the Barretts and Dustins were about knowing and protecting the land, we had a deep respect for them,” Jerry Mackel, Frederick and Elfrieda’s eldest son, said. “With the wetlands and Fort Wayne building out and out, gifting our land to ACRES was a no-brainer. We felt it vital to protect the land around us.”

The Mackels’ property became the Mackel Nature Preserve along Cedar Creek. But the family was far from finished.

Jerry Mackel eventually bought adjacent property and gave ACRES a conservation easement on it. He also helped ACRES acquire Little Cedar Creek Wildlife Sanctuary: 19 acres of streams, wildflowers and a floodplain forest.

Now, Frederick Mackel’s bequest adds six acres, plus the Mackel house and barn, to the original Mackel preserve, bringing its total to 34 permanently protected acres.

The Mackel Nature Preserve once contained the water-powered Stoner’s Mill, which operated from 1834 to 1910 near the confluence of Little Cedar and Cedar creeks.

Today, Jerry Mackel says, intact rural areas are about quality of life. “I like ACRES’ network of preserves, where I can go to a different preserve every week and recharge my batteries.”

ACRES Land Trust owns 1,045 acres in the Cedar Creek Corridor, a 20-mile stretch of the creek from Auburn to the St. Joseph River near Leo-Cedarville. The trust holds conservation easements on another 31 acres in the area, and its partners own an additional 431 acres in the Cedar Creek Corridor. With help from ACRES, Cedar Creek in 1976 became one of only three rivers in the state designated under the Indiana Natural, Scenic and Recreational Rivers Act.

The Cedar Creek Corridor is home to vegetation including the yellow lady’s slipper orchid, tall meadow rue and Allen County’s only documented populations of Indian paintbrush and yellow puccoon. Bobcats, turkeys, river otters, bald eagles and great blue herons, among other species, live there as well.

ACRES members protect 7,000 acres of natural and working land in the tristate area, forever, including a 1,000 acres of the Cedar Creek Corridor. Connect with ACRES Land Trust at 260-637-2273, acreslandtrust.org or on Facebook at facebook.com/ACRES.LT

ACRES acquires land appraised at $3 million, reaches 1,000…

ACRES Land Trust recently completely acquisition of 193 acres of Cedar Creek land appraised at $3 million, leveraging a matching award from Indiana’s Bicentennial Nature Trust. With the latest acquisitions, ACRES now permanently protects over 1,000 acres of the largest natural feature extending through Allen and DeKalb Counties. In total, the local nonprofit recently reached 7,000 acres protected and managed.

ACRES acquired its newest land in the Cedar Creek corridor on four properties, primarily farmland adjacent to existing preserves. ACRES will continue to farm the land for a few years, using the income to protect and manage its holdings. The nonprofit will then restore the properties, planting native hardwood trees and shrubs, thus expanding the forested corridor.

Cedar Creek is one of only three rivers in Indiana designated under the Indiana Natural, Scenic, and Recreational Rivers Act, a designation ACRES Land Trust helped the waterway earn in 1976. ACRES began acquiring Cedar Creek land for permanent protection in 1984. Today, the nonprofit protects 32 properties, including additions to 17 total preserves within the twenty-mile stretch of the creek from Auburn to its terminus into the St. Joseph River in Leo-Cedarville.

For the recent project, ACRES leveraged a unique $1 million matching award from Indiana’s Bicentennial Nature Trust (BNT) for landscape-based conservation. BNT awarded only a handful of such awards beyond the fund’s typical matching support for land acquisition of up to $300,000. Larger-scale landscape-based conservation projects increase protection for land, plants and animals, including rare, threatened and endangered species.

Former Hoosier governor, Mitch Daniels created BNT in honor of the state’s 200^th Anniversary in 2016, allocating $20 million, matched by $10 million in support from Lilly Endowment, Inc. The Trust paid homage to the state’s 1916 Centennial celebration that saw the creation of the State Park System. BNT supported more than 200 projects statewide, celebrating and protecting Hoosier’s love for the land.

The North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA), a bargain sale discount on one of the properties and an 84-acre Cedar Creek land donation by Joan Garman of Leo-Cedarville honoring her late husband’s family’s legacy provided a portion of the match. The Cairn Foundation, The Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo, ME Raker Foundation, and many individual donors invested additional funding to help ACRES protect this land.

About the Cedar Creek Corridor

The Cedar Creek Corridor’s unique topography features a tunnel valley—a sudden, surprisingly deep, gorge-like canyon cut by glacial meltwater into an otherwise relatively flat Indiana landscape. This area is so unusual it was considered for a state park site in the early 1900s.

In 1976, with help from ACRES Land Trust, Cedar Creek became one of only three rivers in the state designated under the Indiana Natural, Scenic, and Recreational Rivers Act.

The corridor is home to vegetation unique in this area such as the yellow lady’s-slipper orchid, gray beardtongue, tall meadow rue, and Allen County’s only documented populations of painted cup (Indian paintbrush) and yellow puccoon.

Cedar Creek’s wildlife includes bobcats, mink and river otters, as well as Pileated Woodpeckers, Bald Eagles, Great Blue Herons, Green Herons, and Yellow-crowned Night Herons.

Cedar Creek runs into the St. Joseph River, ultimately providing drinking water to the 264,000 residents of Fort Wayne and surrounding communities.

While phenomenal, the use of this BNT priority match funding merely ends an incredible phase for the land trust. With continued support, ACRES will continue acquiring and adding to protection of the corridor.

Cedar Creek Corridor gains new ACRES preserve

Joan Garman honors husband, donates 84 acres of forest, wetlands and farm ground

Terry Garman always knew the 84 acres of vibrant woods, wetland and farmland his parents, Ray and Dorothy Garman, purchased in the Cedar Creek Corridor in the ’40s and ’50s was special and worth preserving.

Through the years, he made careful farming and land decisions mindful that his property was a rarity bucking the development boom along the scenic corridor. Terry Garman turned to conservation farming methods and advice to preserve nature and his parents’ legacy.

In 1995, Terry retired as a physical education teacher from Highland Terrace Elementary School in New Haven, having served both Fort Wayne Community and East Allen County Schools for 33 years. Terry Garman died in September 2013 after coping with Parkinson’s disease for 18 years. He was 71.

“When I moved here, I thought I’d died and gone to heaven,” says Joan Garman of the 84-acres she donated to ACRES Land Trust for permanent protection in honor of late husband Terry Garman.

In December, Joan Garman continued his conservation ethic by donating their land to ACRES Land Trust in memory of her late husband’s vision and his family’s history and work on the land.

“The Dorothy and Ray Garman Nature Preserve provides examples of many of the natural systems and working lands that stretch through the Cedar Creek Corridor,” says a grateful Jason Kissel, executive director of the local nonprofit land trust. “It’s our privilege, thanks to our members, to promise to protect this place forever,” says Kissel, of the Huntertown-based ACRES, which maintains more than 6,000 acres of forests, wetlands, prairies, cropland, critters and native plants in northern Indiana, Michigan and Ohio.

“I just feel right about this decision,” says Joan. The twosome eloped to Hicksville in 1978 after Terry promised to buy her a horse if she’d marry him — an offer she couldn’t refuse. “When I moved here, I thought I’d died and gone to heaven. I didn’t know ‘beans from apple butter’ about farming, but we did everything together. If Terry was out on the tractor, I was riding on the fender.”

In 1989, the Garmans built their A-frame home, planting a former hay-field with trees and flowers: daffodil bulbs, hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of them, perennials and annuals, too. “You can never have too many flowers!” says Joan.

The Garmans were a poster couple of enthusiasm and energy for a Parkview Physicians Group wellness program, says cardiologist Mark O’Shaughnessy, an avid ACRES board member. The couple remained active, Joan powering the wheelchair long into the challenges of Terry’s rapidly progressing Parkinson’s.

Joan is semi-retired, having worked as a speech therapist for 28 years. Following Terry’s diagnosis at the age of 35, she retired early so they could spend time and work the farm together, until he could no longer operate the tractor. Today, she is a part-time activity assistant for The Cedars retirement community, returning to the land for sustenance each day.

Butterflies, wood thrush, bluebirds and bees swoop through the wetlands among the native buttonbush and berry bushes. Joan attracts and raises monarch butterflies, sharing chrysalis and caterpillars with children of all ages. The property is rife with milkweed, mainstay to monarchs.

About 62 acres of the property gently roll in agricultural fields. In 2010, four busloads of farmers with Natural Resources Conservation Services traveled to witness first-hand land nurtured with Garman purpose and love. It was a proud moment for Terry Garman.

Cedar Creek Ecosystem

Cedar Creek is one of only three rivers in the state to be designated an Indiana Scenic River under the 1973 State of Indiana Natural, Scenic, and Recreational Rivers Act. ACRES helped the waterway earn this designation in 1976.

The Garman property is just north of Metea County Park, just down the road from another ACRES preserve in the Cedar Creek corridor, the 30-acre Orion Woods. Committed to protecting the ecosystem of the Cedar Creek corridor forever, ACRES preserves stretch from the new Garman Preserve acquisition northwest about 9 miles to James M. & Patricia D. Barrett Nature Preserve, then past the Heinzerling Family Five Points Farm Nature Preserve in Garrett to the James P. Covell Nature Preserve south of Auburn.

Development interest on this property was very high due to its scenic nature and location. Joan Garman, determined to enable ACRES to preserve her husband’s legacy forever, places a higher value on the land than the generous offers she repeatedly received from developers.

The Dorothy and Ray Garman Nature Preserve is closed to the public at this time.

Photos by Thomas Sprunger

ACRES Land Trust to open first DeKalb County nature…

ACRES Land Trust hosted a Grand Opening of its 96-acre James P. Covell Nature Preserve, the local nonprofit’s first public preserve in DeKalb County, 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., Friday, November 4, 2016. The preserve is located at approximately 2727 County Road 52, just south of Auburn and east of County Road 427.

“ACRES values the opportunity to serve DeKalb County,” said Jason Kissel, executive director of Indiana’s oldest and largest local land trust. “The enthusiasm the community has shown inspires our members. People are excited to explore this place, to admire the old sycamores, oaks and beeches along Cedar Creek. They appreciate knowing ACRES will protect this place for future generations.”

The James P. Covell Nature Preserve protects 2,700 feet of the west bank of Cedar Creek. Six miles downstream from the preserve, a 14-mile segment of Cedar Creek is one of only three streams designated under the 1973 Indiana Natural, Scenic and Recreational Rivers Act.

“Protecting this land helps DeKalb County achieve its County Comprehensive Plan goal of improving the water quality of Cedar Creek,” said Kissel. “The creek has been a priority for ACRES for over 50 years.” To date, ACRES and its partners in preservation, with thanks to participating land and major donors, protect nearly 1,400 acres of the Cedar Creek Corridor from Auburn to Leo. ACRES owns 12 properties in the corridor, totaling over 700 acres of permanently protected land.

ACRES’ newest open preserve safeguards 40 acres currently in agriculture production, 33 acres of emerging upland forest and 23 acres of mature forested floodplain. Several trees in the preserve are estimated to be more than 150 years old. ACRES will eventually reforest a portion of the farmland, planting a variety of native hardwoods and restore part of it to wetland with a mix of tall grasses.

An adjacent 10 acre parcel surrounding a farmhouse and outbuildings, previously the Glen T. Rieke family homestead, is not part of the nature preserve.

Jim Covell first contacted ACRES in June 1999 about options for protecting his property. Over the next 12 years, Jim and ACRES developed a working relationship in support of his preservation goals. In 2011, Jim died before fulfilling his vision. Following his death, Jim’s brother, Dr. Jack Covell of Auburn, was resolute in making Jim’s dream a reality.

“My brother Jim had a vision for this land. He was an environmentalist and wanted to see the land preserved for the animals that live there, and for people to enjoy it in its natural state,” said Dr. Covell. Preserve wildlife includes several dozen wild turkeys. Otter and mink are known inhabitants of Cedar Creek.

In August, the Community Foundation of DeKalb County celebrated its 20^th anniversary, awarding ACRES a $20,000 grant toward the new nature preserve. Because of this property’s statewide significance, the Bicentennial Nature Trust and Indiana Heritage Trust provided a portion of the funding needed to acquire this land. Dr. Jack and Joyce Covell, the Lupke Family Foundation, and many individual donors have also supported the project. NIPSCO is funding part of the habitat restoration.

ACRES needs $24,000 in funding to complete the project.

Following the Grand Opening event, the half-mile trail will be open from dawn to dusk, daily at no charge, thanks to ACRES members. ACRES anticipates heavy trail use of the new preserve.
Event information:

GRAND OPENING! JAMES P. COVELL NATURE PRESERVE
4 p.m. – 6 p.m., Friday, November 4

James P. Covell Nature Preserve, located at approximately 2727 County Road 52, Auburn, Indiana 46706, just east of County Road 427.

Celebrate the opening of DeKalb County’s first ACRES preserve with good company, cake and a hike!

ACRES protects three additional properties in DeKalb County:

Claxton Woods, a 93-acre tree farm north of Spencerville, donated by Bill Claxton. ACRES opened Claxton Woods for a member hike with the Claxton family in the spring. The property is closed to the public.

Heinzerling Family Five Points Nature Preserve, a 116 acre preserve south of Garrett, purchased at a discount from five Heinzerling family siblings. ACRES and the Heinzerling family will host a member hike on the Garrett-area preserve in February 2017 prior to opening the preserve to the public.

An 18.5-acre protected land property donated by Karl Sliger located near St. Joe. The property is closed to the public.

Heinzerling family entrusts 116 acres of Five Points memories…

ACRES Land Trust welcomes its 93rd preserve: 115.8 acres filled with memories of the Heinzerling siblings and the promise of new memories for visitors to the southwest DeKalb County property, Heinzerling Family Five Points Nature Preserve.

“ACRES will develop preservation plans, including restoration plans for the property,” said Jason Kissel, executive director of the 5,717-acre nonprofit. While the Heinzerling Family Five Points Nature Preserve, located 5½ miles northeast of Huntertown, currently is closed, trails are part of the plan. It is the second ACRES preserve in DeKalb County.

“Gretel (Heinzerling) Smith first approached ACRES about preserving her family’s land in 2000,” said Kissel. “Indiana Bicentennial Nature Trust, the siblings and a generous Allen County couple who wish to remain anonymous made purchasing this land possible.”

Black Creek, which flows into Little Cedar Creek and then Cedar Creek, weaves through the preserve. The now-protected-forever ACRES land has vibrant wetlands, agriculture acreage, an oxbow stream and small forested wetland system. The preserve has considerable local history, too: An interurban rail line and Five Points School once existed on the property.

“I’ve always wanted to preserve it,” said Gretel Smith of Garrett, Ind. “I’m so glad ACRES exists.” Three of her five siblings – Katrina Custer of Garrett; Derek Heinzerling of Albuquerque, N.M.; and Johanna Gordon-Byanski of Berlin Heights, Ohio – reunited recently at their family’s former property to reminisce. Franz Heinzerling of Hayden, Idaho was unable to join his siblings. Hans Heinzerling died in 1991. Their parents were the late Thais and Harry DeKalb Heinzerling.

Derek Heinzerling loves the idea of preserving his childhood playground, where their playmates included fish, snakes, mussels and turtles. “This is the right thing to do. There’s no question for us.”

Gretel remembers Sunday afternoon family picnics on the property. She and sister, Katrina Heinzerling Custer, spent hours in the woods, swinging on old vines, pretending to be Tarzan and Jane. Katrina recalls trailing behind her grandfather, Carl Heinzerling, exploring the woods in her grandmother’s boots.

“We spent a lot of time in the maple sugar shack. We had a clubhouse there,” said Derek, pointing across Black Creek. “I remember walking the creek barefoot, finding artifacts.” He would fish the creek and climb the banks. Franz played in the abandoned schoolhouse; Hans built his own playhouse behind the farmhouse that once sat on the property.

“The boys always had a snake in their pocket. I remember you had snakes in your bicycle,” Johanna said to a laughing Gretel.

Their grandfather, Carl Heinzerling, co-founder of Creek Chub Bait Co., purchased the property in the 1920s. Their father, Harry Heinzerling, rode the interurban rail line out of Garrett in the morning to set a trap line on the property and returned to sell furs at his father’s hardware store, a local gathering spot.

“We evaluate land for acquisition using criteria including significant natural features, priority preservation areas, water quality and habitat protection. Land owners who wish to preserve their property forever with ACRES have numerous options including market value sale, bargain sale and donation. With Bicentennial Nature Trust funds available through 2016, land owners have an opportunity to preserve their land and receive income at the same time,” said Kissel.

Indiana’s Bicentennial Nature Trust awarded ACRES $245,000 toward the Heinzerling Family Five Points project. The Trust is comprised of an initial $20 million from the State of Indiana, reinforced by $10 million from Lilly Endowment Inc., providing a 1:1 match for purchasing land.

Indiana Heritage Trust provided $10,000 toward the purchase of the property, revenue from Environmental License Plate sales. Indiana Heritage Trust was established in 1992 through the Department of Natural Resources to preserve Indiana’s rich natural heritage.

ACRES Land Trust is dedicated to preserving significant natural areas in northeast Indiana, northwest Ohio and southern Michigan. The Heinzerling acquisition helps ACRES toward its ambitious goal of protecting an additional 1,800 acres within the next three years, Kissel said.