View source for Merry Lea Environmental Center

{{Primary sources|date=April 2016}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2025}}
'''Merry Lea Environmental Learning Center''' of [[Goshen College]] is located just south of [[Wolf Lake, Indiana|Wolf Lake]] at [[Bear Lake, Indiana|Bear Lake]] in [[Noble County, Indiana]], United States. Merry Lea is the largest privately held land reserve in the state of Indiana.  The center serves as a field laboratory for students at Goshen College who are studying [[ecology]], [[environmental education]] and [[agroecology]]. In addition, Merry Lea provides environmental educational experiences for elementary students in the center's service area which includes the [[Fort Wayne, Indiana|Fort Wayne]] metropolitan area as well as [[Warsaw, Indiana|Warsaw]], [[Huntington, Indiana|Huntington]], [[Kendallville]], [[Goshen, Indiana|Goshen]] and [[Elkhart, Indiana|Elkhart]].

The facility's 1,150 acres (4.6&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>) include most of northern Indiana's ecosystems including [[peat bogs]], swamp [[hardwood forest|maple forest]], upland [[mesic forest]], [[old field succession|old field]], [[prairie]], and lakeshore. An [[esker]] deposit with 50&nbsp;ft (15 m) relief that extends for nearly half a mile (1&nbsp;km) is the most striking geological feature. The center also features Rieth Village, a complex of [[Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design|energy efficient building]]s completed in 2006 that provide housing and classrooms for college students.<ref>[http://graphicdesignbasics.com/2006/merry-lea’s-green-buildings.html Merry Lea’s Green Buildings]</ref> Rieth Village features a 10&nbsp;kW [[wind power|wind generator]] mounted on a 100&nbsp;ft (30 m) tower and 4.8&nbsp;kW [[photovoltaic]] array.

== Notes ==
{{Coord|41.318|-85.514|display=title|type:landmark|format=dms|notes=<ref>[http://www.goshen.edu/merrylea/about/directions.php Directions to Merry Lea] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080905020554/http://www.goshen.edu/merrylea/about/directions.php |date=2008-09-05 }}</ref>}}
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== External links ==
*[http://www.goshen.edu/merrylea Official website]
{{Goshen College}}

[[Category:Natural history of Indiana]]
[[Category:Goshen College]]
[[Category:Nature centers in Indiana]]
[[Category:Protected areas of Noble County, Indiana]]
[[Category:Education in Noble County, Indiana]]


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