Shimon Marsh expanded

The protection of a small but critical tract of land in Pocahontas County has boosted efforts to restore a major wetland complex.

The Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation (INHF) – a private, statewide conservation group – recently transferred a 51-acre property to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) near the Shimon Marsh south of Varina. The INHF helped acquire the core 265 acres of land from Leo Shimon in 1985, then assisted in adding additional parcels in 2001 and 2003.

The latest purchase makes up a relatively small portion of the1,321-acre Shimon Marsh-Sunken Grove Wildlife Area, said Mike Mahn, wildlife management biologist for the IDNR, but it opens the door to some important wetland improvements.

 “It’s going to be a very significant addition to the area,” Mahn said. “Any time you can add some peripheral wetlands around a core area like Shimon Marsh, it’s going to increase the wildlife value for the whole area.”

Part of the site has been seeded to native prairie vegetation, which will provide critical nesting cover for both waterfowl and upland birds, Mahn said. Another 10 acres of wetlands will be restored, as well. What’s more, having the tract in public ownership will allow the DNR to complete a wetland restoration on an adjacent piece of state land that will back water onto the new tract.

The wetland complex could continue to grow, Mahn said. The Shimon Marsh Wetland Complex has been identified as a targeted area for protection under the Prairie Pothole Joint Venture (PPJV).  Several tracts have been added in recent years, using money from the Fish and Wildlife Services’ Waterfowl Production Area (WPA) program, and logistical help from INHF. State and federal officials hope to continue expansion of this wetland complex as land becomes available from interested sellers, Mahn said.

The Shimon Marsh project is yet another example of how partnerships can boost conservation efforts, Mahn said. In addition to the DNR and FWS efforts, the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation was able to move quickly to buy the Burditt property when it was offered for sale. The Pocahontas County chapter of Pheasants Forever assisted in the appraisal of the land. And the property has been enrolled in the U. S. Department of Agriculture’s Wetland Reserve Program (WRP). Natural Resources Conservation Services (NRCS) engineers helped design the wetland reconstruction.