2019 Fall Prairie Horizons

STORY COUNTY CONSERVATION • NATURE PROGRAMS AND NEWS August - October 2019

IN THIS ISSUE. . .

Programs & Events.................. 2-4 Calendar of Events..................... 5 Conservation Updates.......... 6-10 Marbled orbweaver Photo by Megan Jones

Partners Membership................ 11

— PROGRAMS & EVENTS — Providing people opportunities and inspiration to develop an appreciation and understanding of nature and humans as a part of it

Evening Prairie Walk

AUGUST

Thursday, August 22 7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.

Doolittle Prairie (14249 560th Ave., Story City)

WildTots

McFarland Park (56461 180th St., Ames) Sundays 3:30 - 5 p.m.

Mondays 10 - 11:30 a.m.

August 4 August 11 October 6 October 13 October 20

August 5 August 12 October 7 October 14 October 21

Join Dr. Thomas Rosburg on the last monthly prairie wak for the summer. See rare and common prairie flora that change each month and learn about the history and ecology of central Iowa prairies. Long pants, sturdy shoes, and bug spray are recommended. This walk is free, and no registration is required.

SOAR Annual Release Party

Sunday, August 25 1:00 - 4:00 p.m.

McFarland Park (56461 180th St., Ames)

Come as a family and join Natalie Welter as we learn and grow together. Activities include child-led hikes, digging in the mud, searching for nature treasures, climbing, books, songs, and an abundance of nature-inspired play. Programs are free! Registration is required the Tuesday prior to each program. These programs are intended for children 18 months to 5 years old plus their adult.

Be dressed to be outside no matter the weather, and be prepared to get messy! Older/younger siblings are welcome to attend.

Natalie has more than 30 years of experience as an Early Childhood Educator. She is passionate about outdoor nature play and shares her excitement with children and families.

Join Saving Our Avian Resources (SOAR) for an afternoon all about our feathered friends! Rehabilitated birds will be returned to the wild. Watch our Facebook page for more details!

SEPTEMBER Tour of Hickory Grove Lake

Thursday, September 5 6:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

Hickory Grove Park Shop (68247 255th St., Colo)

Partners members will get a behind-the-scenes tour of the lake restoration and beach house construction. Park Ranger Luke Feilmeier will lead the tour and answer your questions! Please wear sturdy walking shoes. Not currently a member but want to attend the tour? Check out page 11 for info on how to become a Partners member today.

STORY COUNTY CONSERVATION 515.232.2516

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56461 180th Street • Ames, Iowa 50010 Monday - Friday • 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. conservation@storycountyiowa.gov • www.storycountyconservation.org

Monarch Madness

Wednesday, September 11 3:00 - 4:00 p.m.

McFarland Park (56461 180th St., Ames) Fall is the time of one of the world’s greatest animal migrations!

We will witness an animal that weighs less than a small paperclip on its journey south to Mexico. Come learn about amazing Monarch butterflies and why they are making this journey. We’ll gently capture and tag some butterflies in a nationwide citizen science effort! This family-friendly program is free but registration is required by 4 p.m. on Wednesday, September 4.

Wild Women of the Woods

Friday, Sept. 20 - Saturday, Sept. 21 McFarland Park (56461 180th St., Ames) Spots are still open in this annual workshop!

Find the registration information on our website.

OCTOBER Explore Your Outdoors

Saturday, October 5 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

McFarland Park (56461 180th St., Ames) Join a naturalist and discover the amazing survival strategies of camouflage. We will search the woods and prairie for camouflaged animals and create and hide some critters of our own! This program is for children ages 5 and up plus their adult.

Participants must be dressed to go and explore. Feel free to bring snacks and water if desired. This program is free but registration is required by 4 p.m. on Wednesday, October 2.

Wonder Walk

Saturday, October 12 2:00 - 3:00 p.m.

McFarland Park (56461 180th St., Ames) Bring your curiosity and explore the park with a naturalist. We will focus on fall’s changes, but discovery will guide our walk.

The pace will be leisurely, but expect some hills and stairs (not appropriate for strollers). Dress for the weather. The walk will be canceled in the event of thunderstorms. This walk is free but registration is required by 4 p.m. on Thursday, October 10.

O.W.L.S. Programs O.W.L.S. (Older, Wiser, Livelier Souls) programs are held each month at 11 a.m. at the Story County Conservation Center. These are designed for “boomers” or older -- but anyone can attend. An optional luncheon follows the program for just $7.50. Register for lunch at storycountyconservation.org or call 515-232-2516.

Tuesday, September 3 Raptors of the Midwest Ty Smedes, Nature Photographer Learn about the hawks, falcons, eagles, owls, and vultures that live in or migrate through Iowa. We will discuss their physical traits as well as identify the prey they seek and habitat they prefer for nesting and rearing their young. Learn tips for identifying these birds of prey, whether you spot one sitting or on the wing. There will be many colorful photos to help with identification!

Menu: Taco bar, sundae bar Register for lunch by August 30.

Tuesday, October 1 Dad’s Stories of Working with Mules Patricia Coffee, Storyteller A good work animal is a good work animal but a gentled, good work animal is worth more. My dad told stories about plowing with mules on the “Old Home Place” near Story City. I listened, did some research, and began to tell about “My Dad and the Mules.”

Menu: Pulled pork BBQ sandwiches with homemade roll, potato salad, baked beans, apple crisp.

Register for lunch by September 27.

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Forest Bathing

Evening Exploration

Destress, relax, and rejuvenate with a certified forest therapy guide. This guided walk is more than just spending time in the woods. Guides from Forest Therapy Pathways will assist you in slowing down, relaxing, reconnecting with nature, awakening your senses, and being present. Through a series of invitations, you will find opportunity for self-expression while deepening your awareness of the sights, smells, sounds, tastes, and tactile sensations that become your relationship with the forest. It is through the simple act of noticing where we are that we become present to ourselves once again.

Fee of $25 with registration is required by 4 p.m. on Wednesday, October 16.

Discover the mysteries of the dark at the park! Follow us on a journey to understand just what it takes to be a creature of the night. Test your senses and try your hand at talking with the owls. Capture this unique opportunity to see McFarland Park through lightless eyes. This hike is not intended to scare but to excite your imagination.

If you wish to bring a flashlight, please cover it with red tissue paper. We will begin the hike at the conservation center. This hike is free but registration is required by 4 p.m. on Wednesday, October 23.

Saturday, October 19 1:00 - 4:00 p.m.

McFarland Park (56461 180th St., Ames)

PRAIRIE SEED HARVESTS Doolittle Prairie 14249 560th Ave., Story City

Friday, October 25 6:30 - 8:00 p.m.

McFarland Park (56461 180th St., Ames)

Collect prairie seed at Story County’s hidden gem, Doolittle Prairie. We’ll show you what to collect and provide information about the plants around you as you work.

Registration is required two days prior to each event. Long pants and sturdy shoes are recommended.

Please bring a full water bottle.

Happy Hour Harvest

Saturday, Sept. 21, 3:00 - 5:00 p.m.

Why can’t work also be fun? After collecting seed, we’ll gather at Alluvial Brewing Company to relax, mingle, and enjoy discounted pints! Must be 21.

Seed Harvest

Tuesday, Sept. 24, 4:30 - 6:30 p.m.

Thursday, October 3, 4:30 - 6:30 p.m.

These family-friendly seed harvests are a great opportunity to learn more about the prairie and lend a helping hand.

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— CALENDAR OF EVENTS —

Date Time Event Location AUGUST

Sunday, August 4 Monday, August 5 Sunday, August 11 Monday, August 12 Monday, August 12 Thursday, August 22 Sunday, August 25

3:30 p.m.

10:00 a.m.

3:30 p.m.

10:00 a.m.

5:30 p.m.

7:00 p.m.

1:00 p.m.

SEPTEMBER

Tuesday, Sept. 3 11:00 a.m.

Thursday, Sept. 5 6:30 p.m.

Saturday, Sept. 7 TBD Wednesday, Sept. 11 3:00 p.m.

Monday, Sept. 16 5:30 p.m.

Sept. 20 - 21 Saturday, Sept. 21 3:00 p.m.

Thursday, Sept. 24 4:30 p.m.

OCTOBER

Tuesday, October 1 Thursday, October 3 Saturday, October 5 Sunday, October 6 Monday, October 7 Saturday, October 12 Sunday, October 13 Monday, October 14 Monday, October 14 Saturday, October 19 Sunday, October 20 Monday, October 21 Thursday, October 24 Friday, October 25

11:00 a.m.

4:30 p.m.

10:00 a.m.

3:30 p.m.

10:00 a.m.

2:00 p.m.

3:30 p.m.

10:00 a.m.

5:30 p.m.

1:00 p.m.

3:30 p.m.

10:00 a.m.

7:00 p.m.

6:30 p.m.

WildTots WildTots WildTots WildTots Story County Conservation Board Meeting Evening Prairie Walk SOAR Annual Release Party

McFarland Park McFarland Park McFarland Park McFarland Park McFarland Park Doolittle Prairie McFarland Park

O.W.L.S.: Raptors of the Midwest McFarland Park Partners Tour of Hickory Grove Lake Hickory Grove Park Skunk River Water Trail Dedication TBD Monarch Madness McFarland Park Story County Conservation Board Meeting McFarland Park Wild Women of the Woods McFarland Park Happy Hour Harvest Doolittle Prairie Seed Harvest Doolittle Prairie

O.W.L.S.: Dad’s Stories of Working with Mules McFarland Park Seed Harvest Doolittle Prairie Explore Your Outdoors McFarland Park WildTots McFarland Park WildTots McFarland Park Wonder Walk McFarland Park WildTots McFarland Park WildTots McFarland Park Story County Conservation Board Meeting McFarland Park Forest Bathing McFarland Park WildTots McFarland Park WildTots McFarland Park Story County Trails Advisory Committee Meeting TBD Evening Exploration McFarland Park

Story County Conservation is partnering with ISU Extension & Outreach to bring the Master Conservationist Program to Story County! The Master Conservationist Program is working to “Plant the Seeds of Conservation” in Iowa through an intensive educational curriculum that blends online lessons with in-person field experiences with local conservation leaders and passionate citizens.

Classes will be held August 29 - October 10. More information will be on our website.

Need to locate one of our parks or areas? You can view individual maps and 911 addresses online.

www.storycountyconservation.org 5

— THE LATEST —

Timely and brief updates on ongoing projects

Partners Update

For the first time in the 22 years of the Partners program, your annual contributions have exceeded $20,000. Thank you! On Thursday, September 5 at 6:30 PM, please join Park Ranger Luke Feilmeier and Environmental Education Coordinator Jerry Keys for a tour of the Hickory Grove Park lake restoration and new beach house construction. Come see how your money is improving the park. So, what is next? After discussions between the Director and attendees at the May Partners Advisory Meeting, it has been decided that contributions for fiscal year 2020 (July, 2019 to June, 2020) will support the construction of a sustainable rental cabin at Dakins Lake. Solar panels, geothermal technology, and tankless water heaters are just a few of the options being considered for the cabin.

Heart of Iowa Nature Trail

The stretch of trail between Slater and Huxley is now paved!

The Heart of Iowa Nature Trail was recently selected as part of the Great American Rail Trail route -- an iconic piece of American infrastructure that connects more than 125 existing trails and 90 trail gaps over 3,700+ miles between Washington, D.C., and Washington State. SCC is looking forward to this new and exciting partnership with Rails to Trails Conservancy. This trail route will increase exposure and use for the Heart of Iowa Nature Trail and continue to help us build momentum as we look to improve and develop this great recreational opportunity for Story County and surrounding communities.

The section between Slater and Huxley cost approximately $650,000 to pave and was 75% funded by grants. SCC will continue to seek grant funding to pave the remainder of the Heart of Iowa Nature Trail.

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Tedesco Environmental Learning Corridor

The park is open and ready to explore! Thank you to all the partners who helped make this park a reality. We cut the ribbon on Friday, June 28 and celebrated with ice cream, music, and family activities. Have you visited this unique community space yet? It’s a park unlike any other that SCC manages. Work on your laptop thanks to charging stations powered by solar panels, reap the physical and mental benefits of a walk, or spend some quiet time alongside the stream. We hope you stop by and connect with nature.

The final phase is to connect the park to the Heart of Iowa Nature Trail, High Trestle Trail, and surrounding communities. This route will extend from University Boulevard to county highway R-38. Design is underway. Other future amenities include a parking lot and restroom facility on the northwest side of the park.

WELCOME TO THE TEAM! In March, I was hired as the Financial Data Manager for Story County Conservation. I was born and raised in Nevada. I have only had two other jobs, but have worked in many different positions. My past experience includes receptionist, accounts payable, accounts receivable, administrative assistant, project assistant, safety, risk management, human resources and payroll. I am looking forward to this next great adventure in my career with Story County Conservation along with my husband Randy. I have two adult children, Kyler and Kody and a granddaughter, Peightyn. Along with spending time with family, I enjoy camping and going on motorcycle rides in the summer and snowmobiling in the winter. I am excited to be part of the Story County Conservation team!

How many of us get to say on a daily basis, “I work at a park!” I started with Story County Conservation in March, joining the office staff at McFarland Park. While my background includes working in the legal and financial industries, I most recently worked 8 years in the office at Sawyer Elementary school in Ames. While there, I came to know the naturalists from SCC. Their love of the outdoors, and their abilities to connect and educate our students with nature was always something I admired. My transition has been easy as I continue to see many of our Sawyer families and staff as they visit the park for field trips and nature camps.

I grew up in Muscatine, Iowa and have lived in Story City since 1993. My husband, Mark and I have two children, Christopher and Elizabeth Joy. Mark often jokes and says, “Have you told them you’re more of an indoor naturalist?” Well, that may be true, but I certainly enjoy the work we do in serving our staff and supporting our mission in connecting people with nature and improving natural resources.

I grew up in Green Mountain, Iowa and attended Central College where I majored in Biology and Environmental Science. My conservation career started with an internship with the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation, and I have since worked for the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, the State Hygienic Limnology Laboratory, and the Meskwaki Tribe’s Department of Natural Resources. I enjoy hiking with my wife, Jessica, both near and far, from national parks to exploring Iowa’s natural areas with our lab, Benelli. I also enjoy biking, running, kayaking, hunting, and fishing. I’m excited to combine my passions of outdoor recreation, fitness, and natural resources management in my new position!

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Gratitude for the

Good GreenWorld Bekah Beall Warburton, Story County Conservation Naturalist

I started researching our relationship with plastic—marketed as convenient, necessary, sanitary, disposable.

And I wanted to close the websites and quit. A photo of a seahorse with its tail wrapped around a plastic q tip. Articles about microplastics beading beaches. Images of mothers and children, bright specks scaling mountains of trash, trying to glean a living. Fuzzy statistics about how long it takes plastics to fully break down (“450 years to never”). It made me want to shut down, turn away.

I need some hope, some power. So I turned to the little yellow sticky note tacked at eye level on my computer monitor. This winter when the weather was stark and cold, I scratched out a quote from Robin Wall Kimmerer: “Ask yourself, ‘What do I do to say thanks?’ Ask yourself, ‘Am I living in a way that the earth can be grateful for me?’ We can share our human gifts—of art, of science, of action, of fierce defense for the good green world. And most of all, we can share our awe.”

Kimmerer reminds me it’s about relationship: mine with this earth. We take, we give, we take, we give.

Humans are as bound to the natural world as any other creature and our action creates reaction and ripple.

That question “What do I do to say thanks?” works magic. It keeps me focused on my power, my gifts.

So let’s focus on giving thanks. This perspective infuses daily, routine actions with positive meaning. Consider where you already are, and choose one new way to say thanks. Practice that one act until it sticks. Then try another one.

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Bring your own. Replace plastic shopping and produce bags, disposable water bottles and coffee cups, and to-go containers with reusable versions. Buy grains, nuts, and other foods from bulk bins at the grocery store using your own containers. You can ask a store employee to weigh and label your container before you fill it.

Reuse at home. Try cloth napkins and towels. Replace plastic baggies and wrap with reusable containers, covers, and cloths. Plastic bags and films can’t be recycled with other plastics and must be returned clean and dry to recycling bins at stores. In Story County, plastic waste goes to the Resource Recovery Plant in downtown Ames to be processed and converted to energy. On days when the power plant isn’t burning waste or receives more waste than can be used, it’s diverted to the landfill in Boone County. And yes, this diversion does happen on a regular basis.

“Am I living in a way that the earth can be grateful for me?”

Take less. Do you need it? Will you value it? There are many examples where “no, thank you” becomes a “defense of the good green world.”

Taking less means leaving more, reducing the need to produce, transport, buy, and dispose. Start easy with freebie items at events--typically cheap, plastic, and branded. In my house, these things tend to migrate to the back of the junk drawer and stay there until the next purge. And then what? Give away, throw away?

In the end, it would have been easier to say, “no, thank you.” From there, move on to the harder choices.

Decide to mend or repair instead of upgrading. Buy used. When buying new, look for the best quality you can afford with the least packaging possible.

Share your awe. Keep in your memory that place, that creature, that smell, that moment that sparked your love for the good green world. Share by volunteering or advocating with a community group working toward a healing relationship with the earth, where, in Kimmerer’s words, “people and land are good medicine for each other.”

Just a few of the things that remind our staff of their love for the good green world...

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Find selfie stations like this one in county parks across the state as part of the 99 Parks promotion through Travel Iowa. This one is at Dakins Lake in Zearing and is double-sided to capture both a view of the lake and the iconic red-roofed shelterhouse.

Just set your phone on the ledge, set your timer, and smile!

Share your pictures with us at #MyCountyParks and #THISISIOWA.

SCC naturalists were recently trained in the National Archery in the Schools Program. This training means they can use the equipment in future camps -- watch for archery opportunities in the coming year.

Meet the summer 2019 staff! We hire individuals to assist with beautifying the roadsides, battling invasive species and working on habitat restoration projects, educating citizens about the environment, and keeping your parks looking their best.

Front row: Emily Lemons, Allison Stegmann, Tanner Christiansen Back row: Robyn Jackson, Kaylee Reynolds, Ian Chapman, Bryce Andresen, Jacob Puckett Not pictured: Kaleb Angell, Tracy Christiansen, Leslie Du, Devin See, Greg Bolhous

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BOARD & STAFF Conservation Board

Craig Meyers, Chair Christine Laumer, Vice Chair Dr. Nancy Franz, Secretary Dr. Jim Pease, Member Ted Tedesco, Member Linda Murken, Ex Officio Member

Conservation Staff Conservation Center, Ames

HELP BUILD A SUSTAINABLE CABIN! Help us reach our goal of $24,000 Your Story County Conservation Partners membership will help build a sustainable cabin at Dakins Lake. You will receive a nature –themed magnet and a 10% discount on all programs, facility rentals, and merchandise. The Red Fox membership level and above will be recognized in the conservation center for their support.

Red-tailed Hawk - $1,000 or more Great Blue Heron - $275 to $999 Red Fox - $125 to $274

Goldfinch - $70 to $124 Otter (Family) - $35 to $69 Great Horned Owl (Individual) - $30

Name

Michael Cox, Director Ryan Wiemold, Parks Superintendent Pat Shehan, Special Projects Ranger Marianne Harrelson, Financial Data Manager Elizabeth Jackson, Administrative Assistant II Jerry Keys, Environmental Education Coordinator Heather Hucka, Naturalist Jess Lancial, Naturalist Rebekah Beall, Naturalist Beth Waage, Naturalist Erica Place, Outreach Coordinator

Address

McFarland Park Shop, Ames

Or, join online! www.mycountyparks.com/ County/Story.aspx

Danny Simcox, Park Ranger Russ DeWall, Conservation Technician II

Brandon Clough, Trails/Natural Resources Technician

City State

Zip

Phone E-mail Enclosed is my check for $ My membership level is Make checks payable to: Story County Conservation Partners 56461 180th Street, Ames, IA 50010-9451; Phone (515) 232-2516

Joe Hill, Conservation Technician Ben Marcus, Conservation Technician

Hickory Grove Shop, Colo

Thank you to all those who support Story County Conservation with donations of time, funding, and materials.

Luke Feilmeier, Park Ranger Beau Hoppe, Conservation Technician vacant, Conservation Technician Amy Yoakum, Natural Resource Specialist

IRVM Office & Shop, Nevada

Joe Kooiker, Vegetation Management Biologist Tyler Kelley, Vegetation Management Specialist

The Story County Conservation Board typically meets the the second Monday of each month at the Story County Conservation Center at McFarland Park (56461 180th St.), northeast of Ames. Meetings are open to the public.

THANK YOU TO THE FOLLOWING FOR THEIR GENEROSITY CASH DONATIONS Many contributors in memory of Jack Nordyke Ames Town and Country Kiwanis Tadd & Jill Griffith Outdoor Alliance of Story County Judy & Rich Jones Family Endowment

Elizabeth Jackson Karleen Uitermark

Bird Seed Big Bluestem Audubon Society Thermarest Chairs Alison & Cyndie Blythe Bald Eagle Photo Gregory Nelson Canoe Randall & Judy Levings

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STORY COUNTY CONSERVATION 56461 180th Street Ames, Iowa 50010-9451

Nonprofit Org. U.S. POSTAGE PAID Ames, Iowa Permit 301

The average American throws away 7 pounds of trash every day.

Challenge yourself to reduce your daily waste • Keep food containers in your car for restaurant leftovers • Trade plastic water bottles for a reusable option • Opt for easily recyclable materials when making a purchase • Look for minimally packaged food or products

• Consider making your own cleaning products • Request to be removed from junk mailing lists • Buy secondhand at thrift shops or online at sites like Freecycle or community swap pages • Think about other ways you can use something before throwing it away