Sac City Wetland Complex

---

This article first appeared in INHF's Fall 2007 magazine.

Iowa has a large, new public wetland area: INHF recently transferred the 356-acre Sac City Wetland Complex to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.

Located off the southwest corner of Sac City, the site is now open for public hunting, birdwatching, nature study and similar uses.

When INHF purchased the property in 2006, it contained about 50 acres of wetlands with the balance enrolled in the Wetland Reserve Program. During our temporary ownership, INHF staff purchased a diverse native grass and forbs seed mix and arranged for it to be sown in key areas.

According to Mike Mahn, natural resource biologist with the DNR’s Black Hawk Wildlife Unit, wetland restoration is now in the design phase and will be completed by fall 2008. The plan calls for an expansion to 100 acres of wetlands with about a dozen basins. Once restoration is complete, he predicts the site will support waterfowl, grasslands birds and migrating songbirds.

The DNR received grant funding for the site from federal North American Waterfowl Conservation Act funds. The DNR contributed some of its own funds, and INHF helped by donating part of the land’s value. Meanwhile, the Sac County Pheasants Forever chapter contributed $30,000 in their own funds and $20,000 through the Iowa Pheasants Forever State Council.

According to Eric Yunginger, chapter president, “This project fits the very definition of Pheasants Forever’s mission; preserving wildlife through habitat improvements. We are excited to be able to witness this ground transform back to prime upland and wetland habitat once again.” 

For more information, e-mail Cathy Engstrom, Director of Communications, or call (515) 288-1846.