Jasper County residents are invited to dedicate Hartley Heritage Fen the morning of Sept. 6, 2008. A ceremony will begin at 9 a.m. to formally introduce this natural gem and recognize donors and special guests. After the short program, Jasper County Conservation Board staff and friends of the fen will lead a guided hike. Get event details.
“This event was scheduled for September because the native prairie should be in full bloom,” said Keri Van Zante, Jasper County Conservation Board Director. “However, the area will not be officially open for public use until the acquisition process has been completed and announced later this year.”
“With that in mind,” she said, “the dedication is a special sneak preview to celebrate our new fen and learn about its wonders. Be sure to dress for the weather and wear old shoes or boots!”
A fen is a type of wetland that hosts some of Iowa’s rarest plants and animals. The Hartley property includes a 6.5-acre fen and 26.5 acres of cropland that are being restored to wetland and upland prairie habitats. A complete species inventory of the property is not yet available, but a number of plants that are strong fen-indicator species have been found there, including turtlehead, flat-topped aster, Riddell’s goldenrod and spring cress. Restoration and enhancement of the fen and surrounding upland prairie habitat has begun and will continue throughout the next several years.
"Just like the marsh marigolds in the spring and the Riddell's goldenrod in the fall, the outlook for this fen is now bright,” said Laurie Fenimore, Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation (INHF) staff member and a friend of the fen.
Fenimore credited former owners Bill and Coleen Sandquist of Adel, Iowa, whose partial donation helped make protection of the fen possible. Bill inherited the land from his cousin Paul Hartley and was poised to sell it for housing until he and Coleen learned of the land’s unique qualities.
“The name Hartley Heritage Fen is appropriate,” said Fenimore, “as it honors Bill's relatives who had owned the land for many years."
The Jasper CCB, Pheasants Forever and many other partners raised over $78,000 in private donations to acquire the 33-acre site. INHF, a nonprofit conservation group, provided fundraising assistance and interim ownership and management. In addition to donations, the Jasper CCB received a REAP grant for $150,000 and a DOT Living Roadway Trust Fund grant of $17,500 for the project.
The Hartley Heritage Fen is located at the intersection of N 59th Ave W and W 148th Street N/NE 120th Street, rural Valeria. Take I-80 to Exit 149 (Mitchellville). Go North on S-27 for 5.5 miles to NE 110th Ave. Turn East onto NE 110th Ave. Go 1 mile East to the next stop sign (NE 120th St). Hartley Heritage Fen will be directly to the Northeast. Turn North and go up the hill. Parking is on the right side of the road. Download map.
Questions about the Hartley Heritage Fen dedication may be directed to Jasper County Conservation at 641-792-9780. For more information, e-mail Ann Robinson, Director of Communications, or call (515) 288-1846.