Partners preserve Iowa gem

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This article first appeared in INHF's Summer 2008 magazine.

Buchanan County Conservation Board

The new Cortright Wildlife Area, located near Littleton, lies within a Protected Water Area, proposed Bird Conservation Area and Water Trail. Bordered by the Wapsipinicon River, above.

More than a dozen partners rallied to protect the Cortright Wildlife Area, a gem within a larger conservation treasure.

Now owned and managed by the Buchanan County Conservation Board (BCCB), the 152-acre site includes a mile of Wapsipinicon River frontage, five fishable ponds, floodplain wetlands and more than 100 acres of native timber. To increase the site’s diversity, BCCB plans to convert 30 acres of cropland to upland prairie.

But wait—there’s more. The site is located within three larger conservation areas:

• a segment of the Wapsipinicon River designated as one of Iowa’s five Protected Water Areas;
  
• a newly designated Water Trail that will feature signage, educational materials and other aids for local and visiting paddlers; and
  
• the Iowa DNR’s newest proposed Bird Conservation Area.

 

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