SYRACUSE — The Syracuse-Wawasee Trails Committee has received a preliminary estimate for the cost to construct a nearly one-mile long trail segment that will include a boardwalk across the Conklin Bay wetlands and a trail parallel to SR 13, to Grandview Drive. The vision of the committee is to have trails connecting communities around Syracuse …read more.

By HEATHER HARWOOD Executive Director, Wawasee Area Conservancy Foundation SYRACUSE — Recently the Wawasee Area Conservancy Foundation acquired the waterfront property, which for decades was the Searfoss Family Homestead. The property is located east of the Wawasee-To-Syracuse Lake main channel and across the road from the Channel Marker Restaurant on Pickwick Drive. The property will …read more.

SYRACUSE — Wawasee Area Conservancy Foundation is a not-for-profit corporation dedicated to the preservation and enhancement of the Wawasee area watershed for present and future generations. Water quality protection and improvement is an important consideration with regard to all WACF activities, but such protection and improvement may take many forms including land acquisition and preservation, …read more.

SYRACUSE — On Saturday afternoon, Feb. 13, Polar Plunge was not an exaggeration at all. The actual temperature was 14 degrees and with the wind chill factored in, it felt more like about -2.

SYRACUSE — The Wawasee Area Conservancy Foundation’s first Falltastic event was held Saturday, Oct. 17, and again today, Sunday, Oct. 18, from noon to 4 p.m. at the Levinson-LaBrosse Education Center, 11586 N. SR 13, Syracuse.

SYRACUSE — Wawasee Area Conservancy Foundation will sponsor the first Falltastic Trail Walk noon to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 17 and 18, at the Levinson-LaBrosse Education Center, 11586 N. SR 13, Syracuse.

SYRACUSE — Kosciusko Leadership Academy met at the Wawasee Area Conservancy Foundation to learn about Aquatic Ecology in Kosciusko County. Nathan Bosch, Ph.D., director of Center for Lakes and Streams, explained the far reaching effect of the lakes.

Syracuse-Wawasee Trail Committee met Monday evening, Sept. 21, and heard plans for the Eli Lilly Road trail project are moving forward.

SYRACUSE — Wawasee Area Conservancy Foundation members and volunteers helped make science a lot more fun during a three-day event at the education center on SR 13. Syracuse Elementary School fourth-grade students attended Bug Fest 2015 Monday, Sept. 14, from 9 to 11:15 a.m. or 12:15 to 2:45 p.m.

[weaver_youtube -B6TxlYstAg rel=0]   SYRACUSE — Laurie Hardie and the Levinson-LaBrosse Family were honored for their dedication to Wawasee Area Conservancy Foundation. Both were presented with the annual Cattail Awards. The awards were presented Saturday morning during the annual WACF Breakfast meeting. The Cattail Award honors those who are dedicated in various ways to the …read more.

SYRACUSE — Join the Wawasee Area Conservancy Foundation at 9 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 22, for the annual WACF public meeting, at the Levinson-LaBrosse Lakes ad Wetlands Education Center. The breakfast meeting will be held at the Ruddell Pavilion.

Two major sections of the trail system were discussed at the Syracuse-Wawasee Trails Committee meeting Monday, Aug. 17.

[weaver_youtube iDQhOFynyFw rel=0]   SYRACUSE — Richard Green, Syracuse, was the latest resident to receive the Wawasee Property Owner’s Association’s Chief Award presented at its annual meeting. The meeting was held Saturday evening, Aug 8, at the Wawasee Area Conservancy Foundation’s Educational Center, Syracuse. Green, who was present with his wife, Sandy and son and …read more.

SYRACUSE — The Wawasee Area Conservancy Foundation met for their final Lake Talks & Eats of the summer today, Saturday, Aug. 1, at the Education Center.
Following a potluck breakfast and coffee, WACF board member Diana Castell introduced the two speakers, Jim Donahoe, owner of Aquatic Weed Control, and Rod Edgell from the Indiana Department of Natural Resources.

Wawasee Area Conservancy Foundation’s mission is to protect, preserve and enhance the Wawasee area watershed for present and future generations. To further that mission and continue education in regard to the importance of the watershed, the WACF hopes to utilize its Levinson-LaBrosse Education Center off of S.R. 13S.

(Photo created with beaconbeta.schneidercorp.com of the spill site) SYRACUSE — The demolition of a condemned home resulted in Turkey Creek Fire Department being notified of a  report of an oil spill on Bayshore Channel of Lake Wawasee, Sunday, July 12. (Related: Local Officials Respond To Hatchery Road Chemical Spill) Wawasee Area Conservancy Foundation, which is …read more.

There will be no excuse to be bored with tons of Fourth of July activities occurring in Syracuse in the days leading up to the holiday, in addition to in the days following it. Expect of variety of activities, good eats and, of course, fireworks! Here is a compilation of activities: Wednesday, July 1 Syracuse …read more.

SYRACUSE — Their mothers were mudders, their fathers were mudders. It was the inaugural Wawasee Area Conservancy Foundation’s Mudtastic Classic Saturday morning and it was a fantastic success. More than 100 people were in attendance as competitors ran, rolled and crawled the trails near the Levinson-LaBrosse Lakes & Wetlands Education Center. The events started at 9 …read more.

The annual Wawasee Property Owners Association and Syracuse Lake Association Family Breakfast is an opportunity for neighbors to meet neighbors, renew friendships, make new friends and learn about various non-profit organizations in the area. This year’s event was held Saturday morning at Oakwood Resort, Syracuse. Non-profit agencies such as the WPOA, Syracuse-Wawasee Trails, Syracuse-Wawasee Garden …read more.

[weaver_youtube i_MzOLkfSYo rel=8]   Could lakescaping be the new standard of beauty? Martha Ferguson, Riverview Nursery, Spencerville, believes it will be. Ferguson presented the program in the season’s first Lake Talk and Eats hosted by the Wawasee Area Conservancy Foundation. The program was also in partnership with the Tippecanoe Watershed Foundation. Ferguson presented a variety …read more.

Native plants, healthy shorelines, rain gardens will be the topics at the first Wawasee Area Conservancy Foundation Lake Talk & Eats Program. This program is also listed as one of the events in the 2015 Lakes Festival. Held at the WACF Levinson-LaBrosse Education Center, 11586 N SR 13, south of Syracuse, interested individuals will meet …read more.

There is something for everyone at Wawasee Area Conservancy Foundation’s annual Lake Talk & Eats on the first Saturday of June, July, and August, at the WACF Levinson-LaBrosse Education Center, 11586 N SR 13, Syracuse. Join the WACF and special guests to discuss important issues facing the lakes and watershed and take part in hands-on …read more.

[weaver_youtube sXfK7vCGG80 rel=0]   Oakwood Resort in Syracuse is once again hosting the Indiana Lakes Management Conference. Around 120 people are participating in this annual event which is in its 28th year. Attendees have come from around the state to collaborate and discuss environmental management and to further educate themselves on lake conservancy and protection. …read more.

By MEGAN MCCLELLAN Executive Director, Syracuse-Wawasee Trail Committee Syracuse-Wawasee Trail is moving south. Though the trails committee has been working on trails for 10 years, the majority of these trails are sidewalk style trails in the city of Syracuse and around Syracuse Lake. The Miller Family Foundation is helping to continue the trail south by …read more.

The Barbara Berkey Grant and Sacajawea Wetlands Overlook on CR 1000N, east of Koher Road East on the southeast side of Lake Wawasee, has been completed. The boardwalk platform overlooks the wetland area at the headwaters of Turkey Creek before it flows into Lake Wawasee. The property is owned by the Wawasee Area Conservancy Foundation …read more.

Syracuse-Wawasee Trail Committee gave an update on several trail projects at Monday’s meeting. The Syracuse Lake project is very close to finishing, with just a couple of minor places left to finish. “That completes the five-mile loop around Syracuse Lake,” said Megan McClellan, executive director. As far as the Harkless Drive project, the committee is …read more.

Pictured at the Wawasee Conservancy are (seated) Dr. Nathan Bosch, Executive Director Center for Lakes & Streams at Grace College; Heather Harwood, Executive Director, Wawasee Area Conservancy Foundation; Judy Shoemaker, Development Officer Wawasee Area Conservancy Foundation; (standing) KLA Moderator Allyn Decker; Nicole Sherrill, Zimmer; and Zack Harding, Symmetry Medical. Kosciusko Leadership Academy (KLA) met at …read more.

[weaver_youtube KySjtyAXM9Y rel=0]   Dr. Nate Bosch, chairman of the Center for Lakes and Streams at Grace College, was the guest speaker, at the annual Wawasee Area Conservancy Foundation’s meeting Saturday. His presentation focused on scientific research the center has and is conducting. Bosch’s brief presentation highlighted research studies the center undertaking. A blue-green algae …read more.

[weaver_youtube 2Qys5jRWqZw rel=0]     “Volunteers are really the ones who make this organization run. Directors are all volunteers, committee members are all volunteers …” stated Sam Leman, board chairman of the Wawasee Area Conservancy Foundation. One such volunteer, Roger Symensma was recognized Saturday morning at the annual WACF Breakfast Meeting, at the Levinson-LaBrosse Lakes …read more.

[weaver_youtube 7a2kSMSdevk rel=8]     A small group gathered at Wawasee Area Conservancy Foundation’s education center Saturday afternoon to honor those who spent the last 20 years supporting the foundation and making dreams come true. The occasion was to unveil and honor the Eli Lilly Lifetime Founders Society, those who have supported keeping Wawasee pure …read more.

Members of the Wawasee Area Conservancy Foundation, and others interested in the impact factory farms have on communities and the local watershed, spent most of the day Saturday listening to statistics and discussing strategies for minimizing the effects of such operations. Amelia Vohs, legal and water policy associate for the Hoosier Environmental Council, and Kim …read more.

Kosciusko Leadership Academy met at the Wawasee Area Conservancy Foundation to learn about Aquatic Ecology in Kosciusko County. Nathan Bosch, Ph.D., director of Kosciusko Lakes and Streams, shared there are 114 lakes In Kosciusko Count including those with two or more acres. There are 106 lakes of 5 or more acres in our county. Kosciusko …read more.

Wawasee Area Conservancy Foundation will host its annual meeting at 8 a.m. Saturday at the WACF Wetlands Educational Center, 11586 N. SR 13, Syracuse. The morning will start with a breakfast followed at 8:45 a.m. with a presentation by Matt Kerkhof, Hoosier Aquatic Management, as special guest speaker. The meeting is open to the public …read more.

Indiana University Clean Lakes will offer a workshop from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, May 25, at the Wawasee Area Conservancy Foundation Education Center. The center is located at 11586 N SR 13, Syracuse. The workshop will include a presentation on aquatic plants and time at the lake identifying different kinds of plants. The …read more.

  “I was really happy and totally surprised,” stated Heather Harwood, executive director of the Wawasee Area Conservancy Foundation when WACF was announced the 2013 recipient of the Indiana Lakes Management Society’s Outstanding Lake/Watershed Association of the Year. The award was presented at the annual ILMS annual conference at Pokagon State Park, Angola, March 22-23. …read more.

It’s a historical moment for the Wawasee Area Conservancy Foundation as this long journey to purchase critical property on Lake Wawasee has closed a chapter. But it also opens up possibility of new chapters. Those were the thoughts of WACF Acquisition Chairman Tom Yoder on the purchase late Friday afternoon of the “buildable lot” adjacent to the foundation’s educational center. The …read more.

John Holdeman, Nick Stanger and the late Howard S. “Howdy” Wilcox were honored Saturday with the Wawasee Area Conservancy Foundation¹s Cattail Awards, each for their contribution to the health of the watershed. The award is presented yearly at the annual WACF meeting. The meeting additionally provides an update on the “State of the Watershed,” a brief presentation from six …read more.