Wawasee Area Conservancy Foundation Acquires Key Property

SYRACUSE, Ind., January 15, 2019 – The Wawasee Area Conservancy Foundation (WACF) recently purchased a 66-acre property which includes 44 acres of wetland, 3 natural springs, 2,480 feet of Turkey Creek shoreline (both sides), and 1,600 feet of a branch of Turkey Creek. This is the second largest property acquisition of the 58 WACF properties and is the most important to date.Approximately 43% of the water flowing into Lake Wawasee comes from Turkey Creek. In the mid 1990s, this property was identified as a must-have acquisition for WACF because it serves as the “final filter” before the water flows into the lake. Tom Yoder, Board of Director and Land Acquisition Committee Chairman, began talking with the property owner in 1998. The two parties remained in touch over the years and the purchase was completed in late 2018.“We are thrilled to secure this all-important property as part of our overall strategy to protect, preserve and enhance the Wawasee Area Watershed for generations to come,” stated Doug Yoder, Board Chairman. “And thank you to our donors and community volunteers who have worked alongside us to raise the funds needed to purchase key properties such as this. Thanks to their generosity, we were ready when it mattered most.”The Turkey Creek Inlet Preserve centers on Turkey Creek in its last stretches to Wawasee. The creek runs through a large wetland area, upstream from Runaway Bay, in a big wetland bowl that runs East toward County Line Road at the Jehovah Witness church, and North of 1000N.About WACF: In 1991, the Wawasee Area Conservancy Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, was created to protect, preserve and enhance the Wawasee Area Watershed for present and future generations.Since its inception, WACF has focused on land acquisition, land management and education. It has protected over 800 acres of property within the watershed and over 10 miles of shoreline. On its properties, WACF has reconstructed wetlands, designed and implemented sediment control measures and developed activities aimed at limiting erosion and improving water quality in the Wawasee Area Watershed, thanks to the support of more than 400 annual partners in this work.For more information about WACF, contact Shannon McNett-Silcox at (260) 760-9153 or ShannonMcNettSilcox@gmail.comor visit WACF.com.About Turkey Creek Inlet Preserve:https://www.youtube.com/embed/JRGU3u_mOpILink to video of Tom Yoder, Land Acquisition Committee Chairman, explaining the significance of the Turkey Creek Inlet Preserve. Also includes property visuals highlighting the beauty and ecological importance.