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 and free of charge.

Kerkhof gave a presentation to interested individuals at the season’s first Lake Talks and Eat Program, June 1. At that time he installed a living coir log on the WACF property. He is owner of Hoosier Aquatic Management and will show options for and demonstrations on shoreline treatments healthy for the lake and durable.

Kerkhof is a 1994 graduate of the School of Public and Environmental Affairs the same year he opened H.A.M. He opened Living Log Aquatic Services in 2011 to manufacture the living coir logs. Kerkhof has also been a board member of Indiana Lakes Management Society since 2010.

Those attending the meeting will also hear updates on the invasive weed starry stonewort, upstream pollution control projects and grants, canoe trips and other topics during the state of the watershed presentation.

The highlight of the morning will be the announcing of the 2013 Cattail Award recipient or recipients along with a possible special announcement.

WACF is dedicated to the presentation and enhancement of the Wawasee area watershed for present and future generations. This watershed covers 23,618 acres including Wawasee, Syracuse, Bonar and Papakeechie lakes, as well as 10 lakes in the upper Turkey Creek sub watershed.

Since its formation in 1991, WACF has targeted five major areas for protection by acquisition. WACF has now acquired 43 wetland properties totaling approximately 775 acres rending approximately 53,000 feet (equivalent to 10 miles) of protected shoreline. The latest acquisition was the purchase of .04 acres on Conklin Bay at the south end of the channel along SR 13 at Harkless Drive.

During 2012, WACF received a donation from the Russell Anderson family of more than 15 acres of conservation easement at Dillon Creek; purchased 2.04 acres of Wawasee lakefront, Conklin Bay at the ACF Education Center; and purchased 4.5 acres upstream of Martin Creek, Leeland addition to control sediment.

WACF is a non-profit foundation. Any individual or organization may become a friend to WACF with a donation of money, land, buildings, conservation easements and tangible or intangible assets.

For those not able to attend Saturday’s annual meeting, but want to learn more, contact the WACF by mail: P.O. Box 548, Syracuse, IN 46567; phone: 574-457-4549; by email: [email protected]; or visit its webpage, wacf.com.