Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation: Iowa River Wildlife Area Dedication

The short dedication ceremony at 10 a.m. will feature speakers from the Marshall County Conservation Board and the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation.
Donors will be recognized with the unveiling of a donor plaque.
The mature woodland will be dedicated as the John S. Lowenberg Forest.
A guided wagon tour of the area will follow, weather and ground conditions permitting.
For those who want to hike a portion of the area, maps will be available. There are limited mowed areas and no trails currently at the site.

How to get there

Parking on site is limited, so guests are encouraged to meet at 9:40 a.m. at the Marshall County Courthouse in Marshalltown to carpool to the dedication.

To drive to the site: Go North on North Center Street out of Marshalltown to Sand Road. Turn West (left) on Sand Road. Proceed west approximately three-quarters of a mile to the parking area on the south side of Sand Road. See map.

Garry Brandenburg

Aerial view of Iowa River Wildlife Area.

Alternate location in case of heavy rain: Grimes Farm and Nature Center, 2359 233^rd St., Marshalltown.

What's next?

The area, previously known as the Hollingsworth Project, is scheduled to open to the public on Sept. 1, 2008. It is designated as a game management area. Management will focus on natural lands reclamation and preservation. The area will be open to public hunting and other compatible activities such as hiking, bird watching, outdoor photography, and nature study. No designated trails will be managed on the area.

Thanks

About half of project funding came from competitive grants through two state programs, the Resource Education and Enhancement Program (REAP) and the Wildlife Habitat Stamp Fund.

The Iowa Department of Transportation also contributed 155 acres of restored wetlands adjacent to the property.

Private funding included:

Anonymous $100,000 challenge grant
Martha-Ellen Tye Foundation
Wells Fargo & Company
John S. Lowenberg tributes through the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation
Pheasants Forever
And many local families and companies

INHF also provided grant writing and other fundraising assistance and interim ownership.

Project links

For questions, contact Ann Robinson, INHF Outreach Coordinator, at 515-288-1846, or Mike Stegmann, Marshall County Conservation Board Director, 641-752-5490.