Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation - Blog

2026 Legislative Recap

agray@inhf.org (Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation) — Wed, 06 May 2026 10:56:49 +0000

The 2026 Iowa Legislature adjourned on May 3. Throughout the session, Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation, along with numerous partners and supporters, worked to advocate for the land, water, and wildlife. Together, we forged connections with lawmakers, partners, and new voices to understand the ways that our natural resources impact our lives and communities. We learned from one another and identified opportunities for securing Iowa’s bright future.

Parks, Trails and Wildlife Areas

Iowa’s parks, trails, wildlife areas, and soil and water are at the core of creating healthy, vibrant communities. During this session, over 65 organizations came together to co-host the second annual Celebrate Iowa’s Outdoors Day at the Capitol and shine a light on the many ways nature serves Iowa. Coming together to acknowledge the value of nature in our lives builds the foundation for strong conservation policy and funding.

Nature’s advocates helped maintain conservation tools and funding that allow for enhancement to parks, trails and wildlife areas as well as private land conservation.

Funding for Resource Enhancement & Protection (REAP) was secured at $12 million.
The State Recreational Trails Program was allocated $2.5 million.
The Charitable Conservation Contribution tax credit remains a viable option for landowners who make a donation of land or land value for permanent conservation.
No changes were made to the Forest Reserve Program that provides property tax exemption for fruit and forest reserves.

Water Quality

Late in the session, the legislature approved a proposal that reforms and bolsters water quality funding. The bill reallocates funding to help meet demand for the most oversubscribed programs and invests $319 million toward water quality over the next 12 years. The agriculture and natural resources budget also provides grant funding for real-time water quality monitoring that supports efficient implementation of conservation practices and infrastructure.

These water quality measures are a testament to the power of advocacy. Iowans care deeply about clean water, and the issue has earned the attention of state leaders. Please take a moment to thank your legislators for their support of clean water and encourage them to build on their commitment to water quality by funding the Natural Resources & Outdoor Recreation Trust Fund.

Natural Resources & Outdoor Recreation Trust Fund

This marks the sixteen legislative session in which the Trust Fund remains empty. Yet, as each year passes, the need for sustainable, reliable conservation funding is only reinforced. Created by Iowa voters for the purposes of “protecting and enhancing water quality and natural areas in this state including parks, trails, and fish and wildlife habitat, and conserving agricultural soils,” the Trust Fund hold the key to unlocking much of Iowa’s untapped potential.

Human health, the preservation of natural resources and the economic stability of Iowa’s future are top priorities. And as we work together toward shared goals—growing our communities, attracting and retaining a talented workforce, addressing Iowa’s cancer crisis, protecting our agricultural and natural landscapes—the Trust Fund will be one of our greatest tools and solutions.

Your advocacy matters. Thank you for lending a voice to nature. Let’s continue to build the momentum for investing in our land, water, wildlife and people. Join us in the effort to fund the Natural Resources & Outdoor Recreation Trust Fund.

What in the forb is that?

aseastrom@inhf.org (Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation) — Mon, 04 May 2026 15:09:00 +0000

Despite first appearances, our prairies aren’t just made of grass. There’s much more out there on the wide-open plains. Broadly, prairie vegetation falls into four categories: grasses, sedges, rushes, and forbs. So, how do you tell what’s what?

Grasses

For most of us, the term “grass” brings up images of bright green lawns cut short. But grasses are an unbelievably diverse family of plants — even corn is a species of grass — so drilling down to key characteristics used for identification is tough. This explanation focuses on generalities.

Since most prairies aren’t mowed (unless it’s a new planting or is being maintained through a grazing program) prairie grass grows much taller — up to 8 feet for some species. They’re also bunchgrasses. A bunchgrass grows as a group of stems together clumped together rather than evenly-spaced, single stems.

Each of those stems is hollow and either flat or circular. Leaves grow on two sides of the stem, alternating as the grass grows upward. Grass leaves are long and pointy. They can be identified in two parts. The top half of the leaf, hanging off the plant, is called the blade. The bottom of a grass leaf, aptly named the sheath, wraps tightly around the stem. Each of these sheaths grows from a solid, swollen-looking spot on the stem called a node. Paying attention to how the blade, sheath and nodes are formed can help you identify the species.

Sedges and Rushes

Here’s where it gets tricky. Sedges are grass-like, but they aren’t grass. The leaves of a sedge are very similar to grass leaves — they also have blades and sheaths. However, sedge leaves grow on three sides of the plant in a spiral pattern. Stems can also help people tell grass and sedges apart. Sedge stems do not have any nodes. While grass stems are hollow and circular or flat, sedge stems tend to be solid and triangular — you’ll feel the edges of the triangle if you roll the stem between your fingers.

Rushes are water-loving species and can be found in wet prairies. Rushes are also grass-like, and like sedges do not have nodes, BUT, like grasses, their stems are round. Confusing right?

To add to the identification difficulty, grasses, sedges and rushes are wind-pollinated. They don’t need showy petals to attract bees and other pollinators. With small flowers in shades of yellow, green, white and brown, these plants tend to blend together, rather than standing out with bright, distinct colors and shapes and giving us fewer clues for helpful ID.

But a simple phrase about stem differences can at least guide you to the basics: “Sedges have edges, rushes are round, and grasses have nodes from the top to the ground.”

Forbs

Speaking broadly, forbs are the plants people call wildflowers on prairie hikes. Compared to grasses, sedges and rushes, forbs’ flowers are dazzling. Forb flowers vary in size, shape and color. There are purple coneflowers with thin, droopy petals, goldenrod with its bright yellow flowers growing in long tuft-like arrangements and dozens upon dozens more.

Forbs are also broad-leaved plants — their leaves are literally broad and wide. This is very helpful for telling the difference between forbs and grasses or sedges if the plant isn’t in bloom. Grasses, sedges and rushes all have very similar leaves. In contrast, the leaf shapes and appearances on forbs can vary widely. No matter the variation, though, they won’t take on the long, pointy appearance of grass and sedge leaves.

Want to take a deeper dive into prairie plant identification? You might find this digitized version of a popular field guide helpful if you just want to generally browse prairie plant species found in Iowa, and this resource gets into more specifics on grass identification.

A lichen for all seasons

jtcolber@iastate.edu (Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation) — Mon, 04 May 2026 12:10:00 +0000

Let’s go look for thousands of migrating snow geese at Red Rock Reservoir! Sorry — that only happens mid-March.

Let’s hunt for morel mushrooms! Sorry — you can only do that in early May.

Let’s admire brilliant orange sugar maple leaves! Sorry — that’s an activity for late October.

Let’s go look for lichens! Now THAT you can do anytime and nearly anywhere, except underwater*!

Lichens are not plants. They are fungi that “farm” photosynthetic algae or cyanobacteria. The photosynthetic organism gets a place to grow, and the fungus gets food produced by solar power. It may seem strange that something that appears to be one organism is actually two, but that is just a very simple example of what appears to be true for most living creatures. The human body, for example, is composed of about one-half human cells and one-half cells of many other organisms. These other cells are primarily bacteria and fungi, and they play many important roles in maintaining our bodies.

Being composed of two organisms does make lichen reproduction “interesting.” In many lichen species, the fungus part produces spores that are carried by the wind. If these spores land in suitable conditions they will start to grow into a fungus — not a lichen. Unless they quickly find the correct species of photosynthetic partner, they will die. Lichen reproduction is chancy, but it works well enough.

Over 450 species of lichen can be found in Iowa. Lichens can grow on soil, rocks, concrete, rusting metal, old tires and even plastic, but the easiest place to find them in Iowa is on tree bark. Finding them is easy: all you need is a 10x magnifying glass and the willingness to look carefully. Identifying what species of lichen is more challenging, but while there are some resources that can be of help, you don’t need their names to appreciate their subtle beauty. Get out and look — maybe you’ll find golden-eye lichen (pro tip: look on honey locust branches)!

*Actually, a lichen called Dermatocarpon luridum can be found growing on rocks underwater in clear cold-water streams in northeast Iowa.

Find photos helpful for identification at the Lichens of North America website sharnoffphotos.com/lichen_info/

Or, browse the iNaturalist app to see what others have found in the area you’re searching.

Ramsay awarded Brush of Excellence

jjayjack@inhf.org (Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation) — Thu, 30 Apr 2026 10:02:27 +0000

Last Friday, Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation awarded Richard “Dick” Ramsay the Brush of Excellence for his lifetime achievements in conservation and contributions to conserving Iowa's land and water. The ceremony was held at the bi-monthly meeting of the INHF board of directors, on which Ramsay has served since the organization was founded in 1979.

The award is a framed paintbrush that was once owned and used by famed cartoonist and conservation leader Jay N. “Ding” Darling (1876-1962), whose art and actions helped shape America's conservation ethic. The brush was given by Kip Koss, Darling's grandson, to Samuel Koltinsky, a documentarian of Darling’s legacy. Koltinsky presented the framed brush to INHF on May 19, 2015.

“Gifting of these brushes — 'The Brush of Excellence' — signifies extraordinary stewardship of the land and the wise use of our natural resources. It is with great honor to be able to present this brush in remembrance of both the Darling and Koss legacies,” Koltinsky said at the time.

Ramsay was instrumental in drafting INHF’s articles of incorporation and bylaws when the organization was founded with the help of Gov. Robert Ray in 1979. He was on the original 12-person board of directors, and for decades served as board secretary. Ramsay was chair of the board from 1999-2001.

Ramsay’s legal advice and long-term thinking have been a guiding force for INHF for decades. He has championed conservation projects across the state, especially around his beloved Big Spirit Lake in Dickinson County. Ramsay was a member of the “Bullrush Brigade” that drummed up community support for the protection of Angler’s Bay on Big Spirit, which INHF and the DNR worked to preserve in the early 2000s.

INHF has awarded the Brush of Excellence to deserving Iowa conservationists whose talents, persistence and excellence echo Ding Darling's legacy of inspiring conservation action. The award travels, presented on loan to the current honoree. Previous honorees were James and Patricia Dinsmore.

Oh, the places to go in Iowa

aseastrom@inhf.org (Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation) — Thu, 23 Apr 2026 11:02:00 +0000

In 2020, Iowa’s first state park, Backbone State Park, celebrated its 100^thbirthday. To mark this milestone, Sally Ortgies and her husband, Tony, set their own ambitious goal: to visit every state park in Iowa.

Sally’s husband began mapping out routes and, over the next year and a half, Sally and Tony hiked, camped and explored their way through 93 state parks and recreation areas.

The project was a true show of love and support for state parks in all their forms, but Sally isn’t new to showing love and support for Iowa’s parks. She dedicated her entire career to West Des Moines Parks and Recreation Department, beginning as a landscape architect and eventually serving as the Department’s director.

When Sally retired in 2023, (after launching West Des Moines’s ongoing Five Waters Project) she took some time to rest.

“I sat around and enjoyed a spring sitting on my patio, reading books, and then I started feeling like I needed something to do,” Sally explains. “And I just thought to myself, ‘Oh, loved doing that state park thing. What if I did every county park in Iowa, too?’”

Sally had documented her state park visits under the social media channels @iowaparklady on Facebook and Instagram. One day, Sally filmed and posted an announcement that she was undertaking a new venture to visit all of Iowa’s county parks.

“And then,” Sally says with a grin, “I got to thinking. I have no idea how many county parks there are.”

The answer is over 2,000 (and counting).

That wasn’t going to stop Sally, though. She started with Dallas County and by January of 2026, Sally has visited 552 county parks and visited all parks in 37 counties.

Along the way, nearly 3,000 followers on Facebook and almost 1,000 on Instagram have joined Sally for her adventures. She shares photos and writes captions that tell stories about her outings, shares the history of Iowa’s parks and describes the unique natural resources and landscape of every park.

Sally says the posts give her a place to present her photography and writing hobbies and serves as a diary of her experiences. They’re also an extension of her role at the West Des Moines Parks and Recreation Department. She’s still acting as a public servant, a role Sally feels she was destined to fill, and connecting Iowans with their public parks.

“It’s creating awareness about these special places in Iowa,” Ortgies explains, “because you can’t imagine the number of people that I hear from who say, ‘I live in that county, and I never knew that that was there!’”

Another part of Sally’s public service is supporting and bringing together her Iowa communities. In 2025, Sally partnered with local West Des Moines screen printing shop The Side Garage to make an Iowa Park Lady t-shirt.

“I thought it would be fun,” Sally admitted, laughing.

But Sally also said it was never her goal to make money from her Iowa Park Lady ventures so, after the t-shirt campaign ended, Sally directed proceeds to Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation. Once again proving herself dedicated to public service, Sally made her donation so that new parks, trails and wildlife areas can support Iowa’s diverse communities.

There’s still time to follow Sally on her journey. With 552 parks over the last two years, Sally’s adventure still won’t end for at least another 1,500 parks. Sally’s insightful captions, creativity and zest for exploration might even inspire you to find a park in your county you never knew existed.

What flows together, grows together

aseastrom@inhf.org (Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation) — Thu, 23 Apr 2026 09:57:00 +0000

"There’s ebbs and flows in the landscape; up and down. There’s really no pattern to it.” That was how Kyle Frommelt, a natural resources technician with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, described the DNR’s new Klingman Etringer Wildlife Management Area.

His description invokes a gentle image. Woodland and grassland grow across steady dips and rises. The woodland — thick canopies of basswood, rough-barked sugar maples, black walnut bearing its fruits — rolls with the land. So does the grassland’s native grasses and forbs and length of Hewett Creek running along the property’s western edge.

For wildlife and hunters alike, the 157-acre property is alive with the pulse of nature. One habitat flows into the next. Wildlife moves across the property wherever their needs take them.

The diverse, native resources have made game in the area plentiful. Gene Etringer hunted this land, which used to be part of a larger parcel, for years with family and friends. When it came up for sale in 1990, Gene formed a partnership with his father and six brothers to purchase part of the hunting land. Gene can recall many family hunting trips that spanned generations, but it wasn’t only time spent with blood relatives that made the land special.

Lyle Klingman (pictured top right) sadly passed away in 2020. But, before that, he hunted with Gene and Gene’s family for 45 years. To call Lyle a friend might be an understatement. While talking about trips to the now-named Klingman Etringer Wildlife Management Area, Gene’s voice brightens, eager to share stories of the friend who dedicated himself to bringing friends together and providing hunting education.

“Sometimes he’d bring a kid with him to learn. We all had fun. He was really good for the family,” says Gene. “He gave us a lot of smiles.”

Lyle, Gene and the rest of the Etringers were hunting buddies, but hunting with Lyle wasn’t an activity that ended when everyone loaded up their trucks; it was a celebration that lasted all night.

“Lyle and his wife, Karon, were so good to us. We’d all eat dinner after. There’d be about 20 of us there.” Gene describes big pots of chicken noodle soup and reminisces about his sons learning to play pinochle.

Zach Etringer, Gene’s son, remembers how dedicated Lyle and Karon were to keeping their hunting community close. “Their basement was set up almost like a second home, complete with a kitchen. It wasn’t by accident — it was designed so all of the Etringer boys and their families would have a place to gather, to stay, and to belong. It was never just a visit. It was home.”

Throughout his life, Gene had permission to hunt on a few properties, but he still struggled to find hunting space. Over time, he felt it became harder and harder to get permission to hunt on private land. When the Etringer brothers decided to sell, Gene felt the property needed to be managed by the DNR.

As an advocate of public hunting land, Gene and his brothers decided to donate a portion of the land’s value to the DNR.

“It was pretty monumental to secure the property,” says Kyle Frommelt. A diverse, natural landscape with established game populations offered nearly everything one could ask for in a public hunting property.

However, even with the family’s generosity, gathering the funds and resources to procure the property became challenging. That’s when Lyle, even after his passing, began to help bring people together again.

When the Clayton County Pheasants Forever Chapter lent their support, Jim Jansen, who had worked on procuring the property before he retired from the DNR, credited the partnership to Lyle’s active involvement with the local chapter. Eventually the Pheasants Forever partnership blossomed into a network of ten supporting Pheasants Forever chapters.

“It’s a wonderful property that enhances everything Pheasants Forever stands for,” Daryl Landsgard, treasurer for the Clayton County Pheasants Forever Chapter, explains.

Recognizing the importance of the natural and cultural legacy the Etringers and Lyle had built, Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation became a partner in the project by initially purchasing the land to allow time for grants and other funding to be identified.

“The Klingman Etringer Wildlife Management Area is a good example of how protected natural areas contribute to both conservation and quality of life in Northeast Iowa,” says Mallory Hanson, INHF board member based in West Union. “Sites like this support a mix of habitat types, provide opportunities for outdoor recreation and help ensure that working landscapes and natural resources continue to coexist for future generations.”

Much of Hanson’s praise for the WMA echoes Gene’s earlier thoughts about Lyle’s life and legacy. Support natural landscapes, and they will support human connections with nature present and future.

Like the Klingmans and the Etringers, like the habitats on the Klingman Etringer Wildlife Management Area, like the partners supporting the WMA, these goals flow together and grow.

Landscape-scale Protection

eplace@inhf.org (Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation) — Mon, 20 Apr 2026 09:21:00 +0000

Three hundred and fifty-six acres of mixed habitat rich with diversity lies along the Chariton River in southern Lucas County. Flanked by public land and bisected by the river, this privately-owned parcel was a vestige in a 12-mile greenbelt of protected land between the City of Chariton and the upper end of Lake Rathbun.

The property, which consists of grassland, a restored wetland, riparian and upland woodland, old river oxbows and restorable cropland, was a missing puzzle piece in creating the largest wildlife corridor in Lucas County outside of Stephens State Forest. Its wetland acres provide excellent habitat for waterfowl, muskrat, mink, otter, amphibians and reptiles. Approximately nine acres appear to be remnant prairie with relatively intact soils and indicator species such as slender mountain mint, ironweed and butterfly milkweed. Old bur oaks and young shagbark hickories provide food and shelter for a multitude of Iowa’s resident and migratory birds and bats. Transitional areas between the grassland and woodland offer critical habitat for struggling wildlife dependent on oak savannas.

“It is one of those rare parcels that can provide for a generous number of species because of the diverse ecosystems within its boundary,” said Ross Baxter, INHF’s Senior Land Protection Director and Counsel.

Long on the radar of conservation organizations, a once in a lifetime chance to protect this property came about when INHF was approached by a local broker in 2021.

A leap of faith

In addition to safeguarding existing natural resources, permanently protecting this area would provide major water quality benefits downstream. The Chariton River meanders along its western and southern boundary and feeds Lake Rathbun, which is the water supply for 18 counties in Iowa and Missouri, serving a population of more than 80,000 people. Water quality issues plaguing Lake Rathbun include high phosphorus levels that contribute to algal blooms and high sediment loads that impact water clarity, both primarily from agricultural or nonpoint sources that contribute to erosion and increased runoff into the river. The majority of the property is in the two-year and the ten-year floodplain, meaning it has a 10-50% chance of flooding every year. Ensuring this land stayed in perennial vegetation made it better equipped to handle large rain events, preserving soil integrity and filtering nutrients otherwise destined for the lake.

Canoeing, kayaking, birdwatching, fishing, hunting, hiking, orienteering, snowshoeing… most any nature activity would be possible. And the game was abundant and diverse — quail, ducks, pheasants, deer, turkey and more. Protection of this area could positively impact the local economy, as hunting and target shooting in Iowa annually generates $977 million in economic activities and $72 million in state and local tax income.

The potential of its varied natural features was huge. A handful of grants could eventually provide needed funding, but that would take time and there was no guarantee; many other worthy conservation projects across the state would also be vying for those limited dollars.

Ross Baxter remembers weighing the options: “Despite the unanswered questions, protecting this parcel was an obvious decision.”

With an unclear path forward but a possibility too important to pass up, Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation purchased the land and began working on securing its future as an area protected for its natural resource value and open to the public.

Rejuvenation

While the rest of the plan fell into place, attention shifted to habitat enhancement. A cooperative agreement with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) provided funding for grassland restoration. Woody trees and shrubs encroaching the grassland areas were removed, and the highly erodible cropland was planted with a 70+ species mix with a grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. While the prairie reconstruction emphasized increasing milkweed for monarchs, the perennial vegetation benefited all wildlife and curtailed the land’s contribution of sediment and phosphorus to the Chariton River.

Maintenance mowings on the reconstructed prairie were graciously handled by the local tenant who previously farmed that ground.Resources were also allocated to restoring the wetland’s berm to ensure it remains intact for the benefit of numerous aquatic species, including Blanding’s turtles — a turtle species observed onsite and listed as threatened in Iowa.

Making financial sense

In the years that followed, recreational land saw a dramatic increase in demand and value. Purchase by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources at fair market value would now carry a pricetag far beyond the original purchase price. Recognizing that, INHF chose to instead gift 103 acres outright and sell the balance below fair market value, resulting in a gift value of almost $1 million to IDNR. Passing on these savings waived the need to find additional matching funds and freed up conservation dollars for other protection projects around the state.

“This project holds special meaning to me,” remarks Ed Cox, INHF Board member and local resident. “It reflects INHF’s deep commitment to conservation that goes beyond a single transaction — it promotes the long-term protection of a key greenway along the Chariton River providing not only conservation of the plants and wildlife on the property but also the water quality of the river and Lake Rathbun. None of this happens without donor support, and I’m very happy to see such support translated directly into permanent protection of land, wildlife and water quality here at home.”

With the financial gap no longer a barrier, the parcel transferred to the IDNR in late 2025.

Looking ahead

Now, a large unbroken chain of protected land stretches across Lucas and Appanoose counties. The IDNR is continuing habitat restoration at the Chariton River Greenbelt Addition, which has already opened for public use.

“One of the most rewarding things about this addition is the connectivity it provides to the other public areas that border it,” explains Heath Van Waus, a wildlife biologist with the IDNR charged with stewarding the addition. “A person can now walk from the City of Chariton to the Lake Rathbun dam without stepping on private ground.”

The same is true for wildlife. With the promise of natural wonders, local residents and visitors are sure to enjoy this expanded southern Iowa treasure trove.

How Giving Gives Back

eplace@inhf.org (Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation) — Fri, 17 Apr 2026 01:00:00 +0000

Since its founding in 1979, Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation along with its supporters and partners have protected more than 200,000 acres across the state. These projects were made possible by thousands of donors — motivated by a wide variety of reasons — some of whom have been with us since the very beginning. But preserving these natural lands is only part of the puzzle.

INHF not only works to protect, but also restore Iowa’s land, water and wildlife. Replicating lost habitats and tending to sensitive ecosystems enhances the health of our environment, the health of our communities, the health of our minds and bodies, and healthy populations of species big and small.

Here’s a look back at just a few of the protection projects INHF supporters made possible, how the health of those lands and waters have improved since protection, and a snapshot of the species who have benefited from your generosity.

Clear Lake

COUNTY: Cerro Gordo

SUPPORTED BY: 244 donors

YEAR PROTECTED: 2004

MANAGING ENTITY: Iowa DNR

INHF’s protection work around Clear Lake dates to the early ‘90s, when concerned residents were beginning to recognize the correlation between land use in the watershed and the lake’s water quality, algal blooms, soil erosion and dwindling flora and fauna. A combination of private land protected with conservation easements and lands now opened for public use have played a large role in the improvement of the lake’s recreational and natural resource value.

A 26-acre woodland near the Ventura Grade and one of the last undeveloped sections of shoreline was purchased by INHF in 2004, thanks to a bargain sale by the landowners and support from donors and partners. The Ventura Cove Woodland protected riparian habitat that filters nutrients before entering the lake and filled in a portion of the now round-the-lake trail. When a nearby golf course was being sold ten years later, INHF was able to protect it so more prairie and wetland could be added in the watershed.

Local landowners eagerly did their part to support the lake’s recovering health, too — conservation easements on several privately-owned parcels including Woodford-Ashland Lone Tree Point and prairie and wetland restoration on the 190-acre Sisters Prairie serve as examples for how a family’s decision can positively impact entire ecosystems.

Angler’s Bay – Hales Slough WMA Addition

COUNTY: Dickinson

SUPPORTED BY: 1,350 donors

YEAR PROTECTED: 2005

MANAGING ENTITY: Iowa DNR

A casualty of shoreline development, vital aquatic vegetation (especially hardstem bulrush) had all but disappeared from Big Spirit Lake — except in this single bay.

The 97 acres surrounding the bay were at risk of development, which would almost certainly destroy nearly a mile of the remaining aquatic vegetation needed by fish, waterfowl and other species. It was the costliest project INHF had attempted up to this point, but an upswell of donor and legislative support helped secure this ecologically sensitive portion of shoreline.

Following protection, the area transferred to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources who undertook a large restoration effort. The management plan sought to improve the quality of the oak savanna along the shore to enhance wildlife habitat, prevent pollutants from entering the lake and better stabilize the soil.

Today, the area remains a popular fishing, waterfowl and recreation spot. During migration this area is abundant with migratory birds such as the least bittern, bald eagles, peregrine falcons, teams of ducks and geese and special sea ducks that are rare visitors to the state.

Heritage Valley

COUNTY: Allamakee

SUPPORTED BY: 1,455 donors

YEAR PROTECTED: 2007

MANAGING ENTITY: INHF

Perhaps you’ve seen Heritage Valley’s oak-hickory woodlands, towering bluffs and goat prairies as you floated by on the three miles of Upper Iowa River that course through its valley. When INHF purchased the nearly 1,200-acre parcel from the Forrest Ryan estate in 2007, stewarding its expansive wilderness felt like uncharted territory. Bolstered by an emphatically supportive board and donations from nearly 1,500 supporters, in 2019 INHF took on the large task of thoughtfully and intentionally caring for its diverse landscapes.

In the years that followed, sections were restored to prairie, enhanced with tree plantings, invigorated with prescribed fire and constantly gridded for invasive species like garlic mustard or sweet clover. Most recently, INHF worked with the Iowa DNR and the U.S. Forest Service on a Forest Legacy conservation easement on Heritage Valley and other properties in the neighborhood.

Each year, a crew of land stewardship interns spend the bulk of their summer building on stewardship progress. If you’ve visited Heritage Valley for a volunteer event, you’ve been a part of this progress, too. The pasque flowers, five-lined skinks, jeweled shooting stars, flying squirrels and beavers thank you.

Jennett Heritage Area

COUNTY: Story

SUPPORTED BY: 223 donors

YEAR PROTECTED: 2009

MANAGING ENTITY: Story County Conservation

Jennett Heritage Area’s 171 acres looked quite different when it was first protected in 2009, but even then, it was evident the site held significant natural resources and restoration potential. An unplowed, remnant prairie occupied 21 of its acres, coupled with a small pond, wetland, woodland, upland habitat and portions of West Indian Creek and Grant Creek. Just off a paved road, it had all the makings of a great addition to the county parks system, and at the time of transfer it was the largest hunting area that Story County Conservation (SCC) owned.

INHF worked with SCC on plans for extensive prairie reconstruction and restoration, which improved the remnant and buffered it from surrounding land use. In subsequent years, SCC enlisted the help of seasonal staff and Conservation Corps Minnesota & Iowa to remove invasive trees, conducted several floristic inventories and bioassessments in the creeks, and carefully used prescribed fire on less than 1/3 acre at a time to encourage the right habitat needed by insects and other sensitive species like the Henslow’s sparrow. Local origin seed was used in supplemental plantings. Flora has responded well to the extra TLC, and plants like prairie larkspur, fringed puccoon, prairie violet and blue-eyed grass now dot the hillsides. So far, 101 bird species and 277 native plant species have been documented onsite.

But in 2024, mother nature provided the largest makeover when the EF2 tornado that damaged so many Story County communities ripped right through the center of the park, claiming most of the remaining trees. Nature is resilient, and the area is not only recovering but is now even closer to its historical appearance and composition, providing even more habitat for grassland-dependent species.

Turin Prairie

COUNTY: Monona

SUPPORTED BY: 1,093 donors

YEAR PROTECTED: 2013

MANAGING ENTITY: Iowa DNR

A long-shot, but a rare opportunity: that’s how INHF staff, board and supporters likely remember the protection effort around a 467-acre addition to Turin Preserve WMA. What started as an 80-acre project grew into much more when adjacent landowners learned of their neighbor’s plan to sell her land for conservation purposes. Recognizing the significant natural resource value of the land they owned, they also offered to sell so that all the area’s remnant prairie could be preserved in perpetuity. It was a tremendous prospect full of fundraising unknowns.

INHF donors answered the call, trusting our ability to navigate measured risks. In four years, enough funds were secured through grants and donations from individuals and organizations. The area transferred to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, who has continued to preserve the ecological integrity of its rolling hills cloaked in remnant prairie.

For the majority of the addition, no major overhaul was needed — prescribed fire and a few prairie plantings simply supplemented what was already there. The restoration instead took place in the hearts of those who climbed to the tops of the addition’s hills, looking out over the vast, wild Loess Hills landform.

Wallace and Bowers Nature Area

COUNTY: Dickinson

SUPPORTED BY: 42 donors

YEAR PROTECTED: 2018

MANAGING ENTITY: INHF

As is true everywhere, land use of these 160 acres has a direct effect on the quality and quantity of water that flows out of its boundaries. In this case, the water exiting the Wallace and Bowers Nature Area immediately enters Big Spirit Lake — Iowa’s largest natural lake at over 5,500 acres — making it especially important to preserve and improve the land’s functionality as a natural sponge and filtration system for water quality.

With support from visionary donors and in collaboration with the current farm tenant and local partners, INHF purchased the land with the intent of restoring ecosystem functions and committing to stewarding working land for the benefit of water quality, soil health and wildlife habitat.

Eight years later, two restored wetland basins are holding water, prairie plantings buffer the lakeside edge, and INHF continues to work with a local tenant who practices no-till and uses cover crops on the portions that remain in production. Perennial vegetation is not only safeguarding one of Iowa’s most popular outdoor recreation destinations but offering additional habitat for the plants and wildlife that migrate through or call this area home, including trumpeter swans, Wilson’s snipes and mixed flocks of swallows.

Acorn Crew: Iowa's Rainbow

aseastrom@inhf.org (Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation) — Thu, 16 Apr 2026 14:44:54 +0000

Spring in Iowa is alive with colors! Birds migrate back and flowers begin to bloom. There’s even fish, bugs, butterflies and colorful tree blooms to find. You have a whole rainbow of colors to explore in Iowa. When you’re walking through your neighborhood, out at the playground or visiting your county and state parks, you can look out for some of these rainbow birds and flowers.

Red!
Male scarlet tanagers can range from bright red to an orange-red. They also have pitch black wings and tails. Female tanagers are a dusty yellow. This time of year, scarlet tanagers are flying back to Iowa to lay eggs and raise their young. They just spent all winter in South America! Tanagers eat mostly insects, so look for them on branches high in the trees.

Orange!

The bellies and chests of male Baltimore orioles are as orange as the fruit! Their heads, backs, wings and tails are black. Female Baltimore orioles also have black wings, but their heads and bodies are yellow. Female and male Baltimore orioles love fruit. If you hang half an orange in your yard, you might find an orange Baltimore oriole enjoying a snack! Photo by Larry Reis

Yellow!

Marsh marigolds bloom in April. Their vibrant yellow flowers have a waxy texture. They’re great for attracting bees. Marsh marigolds bloom in clusters close to the ground. It has broad, round leaves shaped like lily pads. Marsh marigolds love wet soil, so you’ll have the most luck finding them in marshes or next to rivers.

Green!

Male ruby-throated hummingbirds have bright red necks, but both female and males have shiny, green feathers on their backs! The ruby-throated hummingbird is Iowa’s smallest bird. Female ruby-throated hummingbirds make nests only two inches long – that’s the size of the end of your spoon! They make nests out of grass, spider webs and plant fiber like dandelion fluff. As they build their nests, they stamp down on their nesting material. This makes a compact and safe nest for baby hummingbirds. The eggs they lay this spring will be smaller than your fingernail!

Blue!

Bright blue male indigo buntings and light brown female indigo buntings migrate back to Iowa in late April. Indigo buntings like to build nests in shrubs and trees close to the ground. Usually, their nests are only three feet off the ground! Once a female indigo bunting weaves her nest from sticks and dry grass, she lays 3-4 eggs. Most of their eggs are white, but some of their eggs are light blue.

Purple!

The prairie violet will begin to bloom in May. Its petals are often light or dark purple, but sometimes they look a little blue. The top of prairie violet petals are wide and rounded. Prairie violets grow in Iowa’s prairies where they have a special relationship with an important native Iowa butterfly called the regal fritillary. Regal fritillaries are rare. Prairie violets are one of the only flowers that can feed regal fritillary caterpillars!

White!

Wild strawberry flowers have small, white, rounded petals. Bright yellow stamen grow in the middle of the petals. Stamen are the part of the flower that produces pollen. Pollen feeds pollinators like butterflies and bees and fertilizes other flowers. Wild strawberries are an important prairie species for Iowa’s native pollinators. Eventually, their tiny strawberry fruits also make good meals for birds and other native animals.

Conservation Champions

dwcohen81@gmail.com (Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation) — Thu, 09 Apr 2026 12:53:50 +0000

Story and photos with a spotlight on land donor Judith Bechtum

This was originally published by Dan Cohen on his Nature Communications substack and republished here with permission

“God Bless America. Let’s save some of it.”
~ Edward Abbey

Conservation champions walk among us. They walk as individuals and as groups; they are among the silent and the loud; they are on the front lines and behind the scenes; they are volunteers, paid conservation staff, educators, scientists, writers, and yes, at times, they are elected into government. Although there is a lot more work to do, conservation champions are the reason why we have some meaningful protections for our air, water, and soil, and why we have local, state, and federal parks and wildlife areas.

Most projects involving permanent land protections result from past and ongoing efforts of conservation champions. While serving as executive director for the Buchanan County Conservation Board, I worked to acquire, protect, and make available to the public many important places for wildlife habitat, parks, outdoor recreation, and improved water quality. Nearly all these projects relied on past and present conservation champions as the process often involved:

Many meetings of the conservation board and partner groups;
Work with natural resource professionals to better understand the property;
Partnership with Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation to more quickly acquire and hold the property while funds were sought for re-purchase;
Grants from established state and federal programs that exist because of hard-fought legislation, often involving key legislators, conservation organizations, and many dedicated individuals;
Funds from donors and nonprofit conservation organizations;
Dedicated conservation staff to manage the property for its important natural features and public use, now and into the future;
AND… the most fundamental conservation champion of all – a landowner who wants to see their precious property permanently protected for the benefit of wildlife, natural resource protection, and people. When their financial situations allow, these people sometimes donate or sell their land below appraised value to make sure this will happen. Without a willing landowner, projects never happen.

I recently attended the Gift to Iowa’s Future Day held by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources to thank landowners who championed permanent conservation land protections for their property, and to share their stories. There were a variety of individuals and families in attendance who had gifted land or land value — some because they wanted to help create new areas for Iowans to visit and enjoy, others because they wanted to safeguard natural and open space through conservation easements on privately-owned land, but all because they cared deeply for the land they love.

In 2025, 22 landowners donated land or land value to Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation — a statewide nonprofit conservation organization that works with private landowners and public agencies to protect and restore Iowa’s land, water and wildlife — to protect 2,247 acres in Iowa. For many of these people, and their families, the decision stems from a realization expressed well by the great author Barry Lopez:

“The land gets inside of us; and we must decide one way or another what this means, what we will do about it.”

During the event, Judith Bechtum spoke passionately about how the land got inside of her; how she came to understand what that meant, and how she decided what to do about it. The following is Judith’s statement with only slight edits. It represents the thoughts and actions of a conservation champion, reflected in 160 acres permanently protected as Bechtum’s Oakwood Farm in Mitchell County, Iowa, for the purposes of providing wildlife habitat and improved water quality.

As told by Judith Bechtum

In 2020, I became the sole/last survivor of my nuclear family. Blessed and privileged beyond words, I grew up enjoying our family farm of 160 acres, purchased post-WW2 with money mom and dad dug up somewhere, along with a farm loan. The burr oak, basswood, cherry, elm, apple, plum, and ironwood trees made up much of our land. In the neighboring 80-acre oak woods grew gooseberries, violets, and bluebells. My brother and I spent hours in those woods as well as in the oak savannas on our property. The trees shaded the cattle and the wildflowers. The creek provided water and fishing, and skating in winter. We built dams in the creek, rode the pony, learned to identify birds, and lived our best lives. There was also a stagecoach trail running through these woods.

As a teenager, my dad and I clashed on his harvesting of the trees for furnace firewood, access to more tillable land, and more board feet to build a barn and corn crib. We especially disagreed while sawing wood for the furnace. The WD45 Allis Chalmers was equipped with a band saw and it was a family job to cut and load wood. I still remember the smell of the cut cherry wood.

As a child, it never occurred to me this Eden could end. The passing years brought oak wilt, loss of the huge maple bee tree and the massive oak shading our kitchen. There was extensive cattle grazing. While I was away at college, the 80-acre woods across our fence was timbered. Tears still flow when I think of this tragedy. We lost the stagecoach trail, the May apples, geraniums, hawthorns, gooseberries, and blackcaps along with the oaks. It was like my heart was torn out.

Because my career led me to Minneapolis, it was difficult to do the daily and annual care and weed control necessary on the Iowa farm. I rented out the land to neighbors and came home every summer. The struggle with yearly weed control and acknowledgement of the deteriorating woodland, plus the loss of my family, gradually brought me to an unavoidable question: Who would protect these lands when I was gone? It felt like it was my destiny to come up with the answer. I eventually found Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation (INHF). This nonprofit land protection organization could guarantee adherence to my wishes for care and permanent protection of the entire farm for its wild assets. There would be no selling of the property. Instead, the 160 acres would be donated to INHF as Bechtum’s Oakwood Farm.

The next decision I had to make was when to make the donation. I chose to move forward with the protection last year, with a reserved life estate, meaning I retain control of the property until the time of my passing. This has given me peace of mind and gratitude. Now, when I travel to my Iowa farm, I know the backup plan. The newly planted 75 acres of prairie and the re-emerging native plants appearing in the woods and along the creek bank – the hen-of-the-woods, Jack-in-the-pulpits, and violets - will be permanently protected by INHF as per my wishes. The rental alfalfa field and farm buildings will provide income for INHF for use in land management on my farm and other projects.

The final “ah-ah moment” came for me last fall, while driving to my farm with some INHF folks. As we had barely turned off the gravel road into the hayfield on our way to see the new prairie, INHF senior land protection director Ross Baxter said, “There’s a harrier!” I knew right then that the harrier, bobolinks, meadowlarks, turkeys, deer, oaks, and wildflowers would receive care and protection for the future.

Note: Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation will be the long-term owner and steward of Bechtum’s Oakwood Farm as per Judith’s agreed-to wishes. Photos contributed by Dan Cohen

Bird Bedding Basics

aseastrom@inhf.org (Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation) — Wed, 01 Apr 2026 10:59:00 +0000

Corn silk was my favorite part of family barbeques. I’d stand on the deck with dad and gleefully toss them into the yard, ignoring the hamburgers beginning to burn on the grill. We always tossed the husks in dad’s compost pile, but he insisted that the silk belong to the birds.

“Birds like it for their nests,” Dad told me, also blissfully unaware of the suspicious, smokey smell coming from the grill.

I never saw a nest stuffed with corn silk or any birds searching our yard. But I assumed that dads always know what they’re talking about. So, if my dad said that birds used corn silk in their nests, then the birds must be doing that.

Humans like to toss all kinds of things into our yards for birds to use. Hair from a brush, freshly groomed dog fur, scrap bits of sewing projects, dryer lint. We like to help and we like to think of nestlings cozied up in a soft, warm home, but not everything is as helpful as we’d like.

Some of the soft, snuggly stuff is just better than others. Since baby birds deserve a soft, warm, and safe nest, it’s important to know what’s safe and what isn’t.

The Bird Bedding Basics

Here’s the basics: birds build nests using nature’s extra materials (choice of materials varies by species). In-demand nest construction supplies include dry twigs, dry leaves and grasses, feathers, plant fluff (like cottonwood fluff), moss, bark and pine needles.

Usually, birds can hunt these necessities down themselves, but they won’t say no to a little help. If you want to contribute to nest construction and don’t mind the more natural look for your yard, there’s a few nature-based nest donations you can make.

Pile up your pesticide-free grass clippings somewhere safe and accessible
Try growing choice nesting materials in your yard. This can include moss or native, fluffy vegetation varieties (milkweed is a good option)
Avoid the impulse to clean your yard too thoroughly. Birds look for pine needles, dried twigs and dried leaves around the bases of trees
Let your yard’s spiders hang around so birds can use spider silk in their nests
Make access simple with a nesting material dispensary. Stuff natural supplies in an old suet cage, a mesh bag or a homemade dispensary constructed with bendy, green twigs or wire (careful of the pokey bits)

The Helpful Human Additions

Birds are certainly able to gather the needed materials. That said, we’ve compiled a list of some household items you can safely repurpose for your birdy buddies and their burgeoning babies.

Dog or cat fur from all your spring de-shedding work – as long as it isn’t too fluffy (will hold water) and is free of chemicals (see below)
If you’re the backyard farming type, birds can use chicken and poultry feathers just like they use feathers from wild birds
If you’ve got a more expansive backyard farm, toss the birds sheep’s wool and other animal fibers that don’t soak up water (baby birds don’t like sitting in wet nests just like we don’t like sitting in wet socks)
For the reptile owners, some birds use snakeskin in their nests. When your critter sheds, drape the skin over a branch for mama and papa bird to find

The Definitely Do Not List

Even the best of intentions can go astray. Not everything that humans like to toss to the birds turns out to be good for the birds. Since our goal is to help the birds out and make sure they stay warm, healthy and happy. There’s more than one nest no-go to be aware of.

To make sure you’re as helpful as possible, think of this list before tossing nesting material into your yard.

Despite how common it is, birds shouldn’t have human hair in their nests. If it wraps around a baby bird, it can create a hair tourniquet (human babies can get these on their toes) and cut off blood supply to a body part
For the same reason, avoid long, thin strings or fibers, even if they’re a natural material like cotton or twine
Also avoid synthetic fibers. Baby birds can be very sensitive to synthetic chemicals and dyes
Dryer lint is another no-go that might surprise you. It soaks up water and carries unhealthy chemicals like remnant detergent
Don’t give birds hair, fur or feathers from domestic animals treated with flea and tick prevention or other chemicals. Any domestic animal treated with a topical medication should keep their sheddings to themselves
Finally, avoid anything pokey, crinkly or chemically, even if it can be shredded to thin bits. This includes plastics, tinsel, cellophane and aluminum foil

Ornithologists are still debating the value of corn silk as a nesting material (or maybe they just aren’t publishing papers about it). Until major birding resources give us the go-ahead, I’ll tell dad to be careful with the corn silk but generous with his dog’s shedding.

You should explore how you can build relationships with your own local birds too. They’re a powerful part of our native ecosystems. They spread seeds, pollinate and eat up invasive bugs. Plus, when birds know your yard is good habitat for them, you get to enjoy their songs, air shows and bright plumage perched on your very own nest material dispensary.

For more bird resources, you can rely on Iowa Audubon, the National Audubon Society or All About Birds from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.

Gift to Iowa's Future Day 2026

eplace@inhf.org (Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation) — Mon, 30 Mar 2026 10:35:58 +0000

In 2025, INHF was fortunate enough to work with 22 individuals, families and organizations who chose to permanently protect the land they cherish by donating land, land value or conservation easements. Through their generosity, 2,247 acres across 15 counties will forever remain natural spaces, offering respite to Iowa’s wildlife and plants or providing places for Iowans to connect with nature.

They were recognized at a ceremony at the Iowa State Capitol on March 24. Learn more about the landowners that donated to INHF over the last year below:

John L. Pascal, Jr. & Sally J. Pascal
Pocahontas County
John Pascal, Jr. and Sally Pascal donated 10 acres of mixed habitat south of Pocahontas to Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation. The property, along with an adjacent 11 acres donated by Gail Ewan, has since transferred to Pocahontas County Conservation to serve as a public recreation area crucial for wildlife habitat.

Fork Creek Farms, LLC & Richard C. Rastetter, Jr.
Pocahontas County

Fork Creek Farms, LLC and Richard Rastetter donated 52 acres of open space and perennial vegetation near Rolfe in Pocahontas County to Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation. Divided by the North Branch of Lizard Creek, prairie restoration at this site will provide water quality benefits and habitat for feeding, resting and nesting for migrating birds and other species. Protection and restoration of this property was a long-term goal of Rich before he passed away in 2023, and his family was happy to make sure his dream was achieved last year.

Todd Douglas Phillips and Barbara Taylor Phillips
Wapello County
Todd and Barbara Phillips donated a portion of the value of 17 acres adjacent to Garrison Rock Resource Management Area near Ottumwa to Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation. Protection of this area, which has since transferred to Wapello County Conservation, prevents development along the wildlife area boundary and enhances public access. Future prairie restoration will benefit the adjacent Des Moines River corridor.

Richard W. Metcalf & Robert D. Metcalf
Hamilton County
Richard and Robert Metcalf donated a portion of the value of 112 acres along the Boone River near Woolstock to Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation. The land lies adjacent to 89 acres previously donated by the Metcalfs, and will transfer to Hamilton County Conservation. Protection of this site provides the opportunity for prairie restoration with important water quality benefits and outdoor recreation possibilities.

Marily and Bob Caddy
Monona County
Marily and Bob Caddy donated a conservation easement on 53 acres of remnant and reconstructed prairie and oak woodland in the Loess Hills to Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation. The property has been a retreat and reunion site for the Anderson-Caddy family for decades, and the Caddys have put significant work into native habitat restoration. The conservation easement ensures it will remain in its natural state for future generations.

Marcia Buresh
Pottawattamie County
Marcia Buresh donated a conservation easement on and title to 280 acres of mixed habitat near Crescent to Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation. Marcia wanted to permanently protect the remnant prairie, diverse bur oak woodland and Cresent Creek, which flows through the property’s southern portion. A history of organic and sustainable farming practices has improved wildlife habitat and will support ongoing ecological restoration efforts, and the site will serve to help INHF’s land stewardship efforts throughout the Loess Hills.

Rob and Susan Fleming
Warren County
Rob and Susan Fleming donated a portion of the value of 117 acres known as Danamere Farms near Carlisle to Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation. The site contains reconstructed prairie and woodland, a pond, an important regional trail connection, community gardens and countless educational opportunities. Just outside the Des Moines metro, this land provides significant urban outreach opportunities and the possibility to grow community engagement through programs and relationships put in place by the Flemings.

Janice Niemann
Pottawattamie County
Janice Niemann donated seven acres of remnant tallgrass prairie near Underwood to Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation. Its permanent protection provides refuge for wildlife in an area with little native habitat. Prairie seed collected from this site will be used to expand and restore other regional prairies.

Robert Chisman
Wapello County
Robert Chisman donated a conservation easement on 67 acres of varied wildlife habitat near Blakesburg to Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation. The property includes woodlands, perennial vegetation, a stream and reconstructed wetlands. Protection of this site limits future development and other land uses that would compromise its value as open space. Robert also donated a conservation easement on 38 acres in Monroe County in 2017.

Karl and Elizabeth Kahler
Johnson County
Karl and Elizabeth Kahler donated a portion of the value of 32 acres near Iowa City to Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation. The site includes prairie, oak savanna, constructed wetland and riparian woodlands adjacent to 80 acres that the Kahlers previously donated to INHF. Protection ensures continued wildlife habitat and water quality benefits and expands the area that INHF uses for many volunteer and educational events.

Bokelman Family Farm Trust
Cerro Gordo County
The Bokelman Family Farm Trust donated a portion of the value of a conservation easement on a high-quality 57-acre remnant prairie near Clear Lake to Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation. The prairie features nodding lady’s tresses, Indian paint brush, Bobolinks and other sensitive plant and animal species. An uncommonly large parcel of unplowed ground in the prairie pothole region, protection ensures continued habitat for many migratory bird species and imperiled insects while benefitting the water quality of the greater Clear Lake watershed.

Eric A. Roberts and R. Stephen Prime
Harrison County
Eric Roberts and Stephen Prime donated 10 acres of Loess Hills remnant prairie in Missouri Valley to Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation. The property has since transferred to Harrison County Conservation, which stewards the Hoary puccoon, ground plum, lead plant and other conservative prairie species that dot the hillsides. The property’s proximity to a population base offers potential recreational opportunities such as hiking, birding, picnicking and more.

Judith Bechtum
Mitchell County
Judith Bechtum donated 160 acres west of Riceville known as Bechtum’s Oakwood Farm to Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation subject to a reserved life estate. The land features restored prairie, oak woodland, agricultural land and a section of Beaver Creek and hosts species such as Barred Owl, Dickcissel and Red-headed Woodpecker. Protection of this site makes permanent the Bechtum’s efforts to create and maintain wildlife habitat and to improve the quality of water leaving this land.

Morse Family
Iowa County
Alice Morse Atkinson, Daniel Henry Morse and Shami Lucena Morse donated a conservation easement on 204 acres of mixed habitat west of Williamsburg to Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation. The site holds potential for wetland and prairie restoration which will benefit a variety of eastern Iowa wildlife and plant species, and protection will preserve its value as open space.

James and Miriam Sawtelle
Franklin County
James and Miriam Sawtelle donated a portion of the value of 287 acres along the Iowa River adjacent to Whitetail Flats WMA to Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation. Riparian woodland and oxbows offer habitat for a variety of amphibian and reptile species. Protecting this floodplain ensures it will remain in perennial vegetation and continue to benefit water quality and mitigate flooding impacts to those downstream.

Jane Dohrmann, W. Thomas Dohrmann and Ann L. Dohrmann
Franklin County
Jane, Thomas and Ann Dohrmann donated 23 acres of mixed habitat near Sheffield to Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation. The site includes perennial vegetation and a small stream containing many small fish. Protection and restoration will benefit water quality and enhance usability for wildlife and people.

Alan Henderson
Davis County
Alan Henderson donated 80 acres of agricultural land near Milton to Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation. The donation of the farm protects open space and the site’s longstanding agricultural heritage and will provide ongoing support for INHF’s mission.

Mike DeCook
Marion County
Mike DeCook donated a conservation easement on 91 acres near Marysville to Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation. The property consists of mature woodland and restored prairie, with Cedar Creek running along one edge. The DeCook family, including Mike’s brother Dan and Mike’s parents Mark and Kay, have protected more than 3,000 acres in Lucas, Marion and Monroe counties through 8 conservation easements since 2011. The family’s vision is to re-wild the landscape, protect natural, diverse and agricultural systems, and preserve open space.

Renate K. Harker
Sac County
Renate Harker bequeathed 20 acres of mixed habitat near Sac City to Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation. Prairie restoration will enhance existing wildlife habitat, reduce erosion and promote water infiltration in the North Raccoon River watershed.