Prairie Hills Prairie Hills Journal

Prairie Hills Journal There’s a lot of different resources out there to find out about parks and outdoor recreation in Iowa, but The Prairie Hills probably the best place is online. Journal is a Harrison County Conservation bibi-annual Board has publication of the had a website Harrison County since 2000, Conservation Board. and as more people become computer savvy, we’ve seen an increase in usage. Many times Printed versions are when people call us to ask a question or distributed free of reserve a cabin, they are looking at our charge to residents in website at the same Harrison County. time. Current and past If you haven’t editions of the visited our website, newsletter are also please go to HarrisonCountyParks.org. available online at Starting this fall, we’ll have a new look our website. too! We have information about the conservation board, park and wildlife areas in the county, cabins and camping, environmental education and the Nature Encounter Center, the Harrison County Historical Village and Iowa Welcome Center, Loess Hills, news and calPrinted on endar of events, fishing and hunting, and recycled paper! recycling information. There’s also maps of our campgrounds if you’re looking for Fall/Winter 2009/2010 Volume 18, Issue 1 Get Online To Get Outdoors! By Connie Betts, Naturalist a specific site, hiking trails, aerials of all the areas, fishing maps for Willow Lake, and hunting maps. To get the latest information on everything HCCB is doing, join us on Twitter. We send out a weekly update (sometimes more) on programs, events, what fish are biting, or recreation ideas for families. Another great website to visit for all of Iowa’s 99 county conservation boards is MyCountyParks.com. HCCB information and the link to our website is there too, but you can also search for other parks and activities in Iowa. If you don’t have a computer or use the internet, HCCB still sends press releases to our local newspapers, radio stations, and this newsletter comes as a flyer in the Missouri Valley Times-News and Merchandiser twice a year. And as always, if you’re looking for something about HCCB and can’t find it, please just give us a call! Join us on Twitter to get all the latest info from HCCB! Nature News A Summer Full of Fun! This was another great summer with the Kids’ Fishing Derby, summer nature camps, and public programs. Over 50 children plus adults attended the fishing derby catching lots of fish. Summer nature camps were held at DeSoto and Willow Lake with the theme Fishing Fun. Forty people attended the kayaking program and had a great time paddling around Willow Lake! Pictured left: participants and their dog kayaking; right: Colby Anderson of Woodbine at Kids’ Fishing Derby. Willow Lake Butterfly Garden Renovated After school programs were finished this spring, we began an extensive renovation of the butterfly garden and pond by the Nature Encounter Center. All of the plants had to be removed and old matting taken out. New soil and fertilizer was added, plants were replaced, and lots of mulch put down to reduce weed growth. We lucked out with a relatively dry spell in late May and early June and with working on it every day, finished by mid-June. Thanks to Tori Bryceson, my intern for her hard work, Peggy Albers for helping to put in edging, and Kareen Clifton for some transplants from her garden. If you’d like to plant your own butterfly garden, give us a call or stop by the garden to get some ideas! Summer 2009 Interns Jeremy Yost was the Park Ranger Intern for a second summer and said that it was easier this summer because he didn’t have to “learn the ropes.” He will be attending Ellsworth Community College in Iowa Falls as a Sophomore in the Conservation Technology program. The Naturalist Intern this year was Tori Bryceson from Pisgah. She graduated from West Harrison and will be attending Iowa State. She plans to pursue a degree in zoology or veterinary, but is “undecided” on which at this point. They both had a great time and wanted to thank everyone at HCCB. Thanks Dedra! Dedra Hatcher of rural Pisgah worked for HCCB through a FEMA/Iowa Workforce Development program. Her employment with us started in October 2008 and ended in August 2009. Dedra helped with all facets of our program, but her main focus was facility painting, trail work, and cutting firewood. Thank you, Dedra, for your hard work and dedication. Learn more about monarch butterflies at monarchwatch.org! Page 2 Fall/Winter Programs October-January-March Pirates of the Prairie Saturday, October 24th, 1-3 p.m. Willow Lake Recreation Area, Woodbine Arrr! Calling all pirates! Bring the family out for a treasure hunt on the prairie. We’ll learn how to use maps, compasses, and GPS to find our way. Plenty of booty and prizes for the kids! Meet at the large shelter in the campground (look for the pirate flag!). No cost; no registration. If severe weather, program will be held in the Nature Encounter Center. Kids’ Ice Fishing Day! Monday, January 18th, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Willow Lake Recreation Area, Woodbine There’s no school on January 18th—looking for something to do? We’re going ice fishing and snowshoeing at Willow Lake. Just bring your warm clothes and snow boots and we’ll supply the rest! There will be some activities and time to warm up inside. There is no cost for this program, but space is limited. To register, call HCCB beginning January 4th at 712-647-2785 ext. 12. If there is severe weather or ice is too thin, program will be cancelled. Harrison County Conservation Board office will be closed Veteran’s Day; Thanksgiving Day plus the day after; Christmas Day. Microscopes Purchased With Grant HCCB recently received a grant from the Iowa Mathematics and Science Education Partnership. One goal of the IMSEP is “to improve mathematics and science performance of Iowa students.” We were able to purchase six field microscopes, prepared slides, and curriculum. They were used during the summer camps and at our booth at the Harrison County fair. They will be a great asset for future programs in the schools and public programs. Thanks so much to the IMSEP for this grant! Harrison County Conservation Board office will be closed Presidents’ Day. Hunter Safety Class March 8, 10, and 11th, 6-9:30 p.m. Willow Lake Recreation Area, Woodbine Harrison County Conservation will have a hunter safety class held in the Nature Encounter Center. Must be 12 years old and attend all three nights to receive certification. Registration will only be accepted beginning January 18th, 2010, and space is limited. Call HCCB at 712-647-2785. giftsCamping coupons make great Christmas gifts-call us to learn more Page 3 The Facts About Sustainable Funding By Connie Betts, Naturalist You may have heard something about Sustainable Funding and wondered what it will do and how it will affect your life. There are several different ways in Iowa for funding natural resources. Money from the general fund, hunting and fishing licenses, and Resource Enhancement And Protection (REAP) are a few. Some of these funds, however, are limited in what they can be used for. In these times when the stock market has its ups and downs and budgets are getting cut, the goal of this initiative is to provide stable funding for the future. On April 25, 2008, SJR 2002 passed in both the House and Senate proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the state of Iowa to dedicate a portion of state revenue from the tax imposed on certain retail sales to benefit the state’s natural resources. Other neighboring states have similar funding including Minnesota, Nebraska, and Missouri. So what happens now? In the fall of 2010, the people of the state of Iowa will be able to vote on the future of natural resources. If it passes, the 3/8 of a cent funding would occur the next time there is a sales tax increase. The initiative is an opportunity for the people to vote to protect funding—it is not a request for a tax increase! Look for more information in the coming year on this important legislation. Pape Memorial Donation Larry Pape, of Pisgah, recently donated money for the construction of two mini-shelters at Willow Lake in memory of his mother and father, Leila and Walter. They are located next to the lake with one having handicap access and will be a great addition to the park! Pictured: Jeremy Yost, Park Ranger Intern (left) and Sol Mohn, Conservation Technician. WANTED: Hayracks! Hayracks or wagon running gears to be used to build “People Movers” as shown in the photo. Staff will build and they will be used for park tours and an upcoming IACCB 2010 conference. Please call HCCB if you have one to donate. Thanks! Thank You! Thanks to Kim Schramm for donating nature books for the reference library. Thanks to Harrison County Road Department for equipment usage and rock hauling for projects. Thanks guys! January is a great time to watch bald eagles on the Missouri River! Page 4 Outdoor Recreation Explore Harrison County! Hunter Education Classes Making Safe Hunters By Byron Vennink, Park Ranger Fall is upon us and as the leaves begin to drop our thoughts go to the field for hunting seasons. Before you can go buy your Iowa hunting license though, you must have satisfactorily completed a Hunter Education class. In Iowa the DNR started the Hunter Education program in 1960 as a voluntary program. Hunter Education became mandatory in July of 1983 in Iowa. Anybody born after January 1st, 1972, must complete and pass Hunter Education to buy or obtain a valid Iowa hunting license. You must be 12 years of age to get the certificate of successful completion for Hunter Education in Iowa. In Harrison County, the Harrison County Conservation Board provides two annual Hunter Education programs per year. These classes take place in the months of August and March. The August class typically has a live shotgun firing range, while the March class utilizes an air gun range indoors. We typically hear people panic when our classes are filled (we are limited to the seating available). There are other Hunter Education classes available in neighboring counties, community colleges, and even businesses such as Bass Pro Shops. Thanks to the computer you can even go online to the Iowa DNR’s web site to see where area classes will be held. All Hunter Education classes in Iowa are run by volunteers including those sponsored by HCCB. The staff volunteer their time along with other individuals. No instructor may take any monetary compensation for his or her services to Hunter Education. As an instructor my compensation is to prevent an accident with firearms and getting more people out into the field enjoying nature’s bounty. The satisfaction of seeing a student practicing successful safety and sportsmanship is more than enough for the little time we as volunteers give to the Hunter Education program. But even if you don’t hunt, the Hunter Education class can benefit everyone. In reality they should call it Gun Safety Education class. Everyone should know how to handle a firearm safely in any given situation. Often we tell parents that their children may encounter firearms in friends home or even another family member’s residence. Being able to handle those firearms safely could prevent a tragedy. In closing, I hope you learned a little about Iowa Hunter Education. Always treat all guns as if they were loaded. Take a youngster hunting with you and pass along the traditions for safe hunting/gun handling. Good luck and have a safe hunting season! Drop-Off Locations For Christmas Tree Recycling Please have trees free of decorations & bags! Woodbine-by recycling bins Logan-at landfill and secondary roads Pisgah-state forest maintenance shed Dunlap-at city shed Missouri Valley-by county shed Trees only accepted until January 10th, 2010! Thank You To Our 2009 Campground Hosts! Ed & Jeanie Nelsen, Randy & Deb Calfee, Dennis & Pat Kuhlman, Jerry & Jana Withem, and Jill & Jason Stacy. Thanks for all your hard work! 1-800-532Turn In Poachers! 1-800-532-2020 or tipofiowa.org Page 5 Nature Encounters For Kids “If a child is to Review keep alive his inborn sense of Owl Moon wonder, he needs by Jane Yolen the companionship of at least one adult A father and child go into the woods on a moonlight who can share it, rediscovering with winter night to go owling. As they call to the owls, him the joy, will they answer back? excitement, and mystery of the world we live in.” -Rachel Carson Children’s Book Become a Winter Wildlife Detective! In the cold and snow of winter, it may not seem like there’s much going on outside, but look close and find the signs animals leave behind. You might find tiny bird tracks around a feeder or under an evergreen tree. Follow rabbit or squirrel tracks to see where they live. There might be a tree a buck deer used to rub his antlers on. Droppings from animals are always a good sign too! So do a little detective work and you’ll see that winter is full of activity! Creature Feature-Barred Owl The barred owl is one of our larger owls found in Iowa with a length of 16-25 inches and a wingspan of 38-50 inches. Like other owls it is nocturnal, but can be seen hunting before dark especially when they’re hungry. It’s favorite food is meadow voles, shrews, and deer mice. Barred owls will also eat rabbits, squirrels, and moles. While mammals may be an easy prey, they have also been known to eat other birds, frogs, snakes, and large insects. In February, a pair of barred owls will call to each other and start to build a nest to raise their young. They nest in large holes in trees called cavities with usually two eggs being laid. It will be about 30 days before the babies hatch and then another four weeks in the nest with mom and dad bringing them food. As they get older, they sit on the branches next to the nest. Parents care for the young for at least four months, which is much longer than other owls. Barred owls can live 10 years in the wild. They need large woodlands to live, raise their young, and find food. Do You Know These Tracks? 1 2. 3. 4. ANSWERS 5. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Bobcat Opossum Skunk Raccoon Coyote No school January 18th! Come ice fishing with us at Willow! Page 6 Discover the past… Harrison County Historical Village & Iowa Welcome Center Major Changes Are In The Works By Kathy Dirks, Village/Welcome Center Coordinator The village/welcome center will be going through some major changes in the next few months. After years of planning, work has started on the new Lincoln Highway/Loess Hills Interpretive Center! Plans are to have the new center completed by September of 2010. Components of the new center will include the following: • • • • • • Creation of both a 5 to 7 minute Lincoln Highway and Loess Hills multi-media presentation. Construction of a 35 seat indoor A/V auditorium. The downstairs of the current village/welcome center building will be remodeled to accommodate the auditorium. Development of an outdoor Lincoln Highway surface demonstration area on the location of the original Lincoln Highway. Development of a one mile walking trail with interpretive panels through 14 acres of re-established Loess Hills prairie. Part of the trail will be hard-surface handicap accessible while the other half will be soft surface. Construction of an elevated handicap-accessible observation deck on a hill behind the village overlooking multiple transportation corridors including the three byways that traverse the center – the Loess Hills National Scenic Byway, the Lincoln Highway Heritage Byway, and the Western Skies Scenic Byway. Development of an outdoor children's transportation play space. Congratulations to Kathy Work thus far has consisted of some dirt work in preparation for some of the Dirks for receiving a trails, and for moving our storage garage to a different location. There will be a great Governor’s Volunteer deal more activity in the coming months both inside and outside. We invite you to stop Award for her work and by to view the progress and to view the plans on display in the welcome center buildleadership in Iowa touring. As we get closer to a completion date, there will be more information in the Prairie ism. Great job! Hills Journal and local newspapers. Have a great fall and we hope to see you soon! Harrison County Historical Village & Iowa Welcome Center 2931 Monroe Avenue Missouri Valley, Iowa 51555 712-642-2114 welcome@HarrisonCountyParks.org Hours 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday-Saturday 12-5 p.m. on Sunday Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s Day, and Easter Historical Village open April-November Harrison County Village/Welcome Center 20% OFF Gift Shop/Iowa Products Store Not to be combined with other discounts! (Excludes Iowa-made wines) October-March 2009/10 Coupon Don’t forget the Iowa Products Store this Christmas! Page 7 Harrison County Conservation Board 2725 Easton Trail Woodbine, Iowa 51579 712-647712-647-2785 hccb@HarrisonCountyParks.org www.HarrisonCountyParks.org Did You Know Pheasants Forever Has FREE Food Plot Seed? Are you a local landowner that wants to attract more wildlife like pheasants and quail? A food plot is a great way to do just that! Every year the Boyer Valley PF chapter purchases seed and HCCB distributes it from our Headquarters' Office at Willow Lake. Contact us at 712-647-2785 in early spring to see what is available. HCCB is no longer renting the no-till drill due to its age and condition. If you are looking for a drill to plant food plots, please contact the NRCS office in Logan at 712-644-2210. Cabin Gift Certificates Make Great Christmas Presents! What’s the cure for cabin fever when it’s cold and snowy? Looking forward to a summer vacation in the cabins at Willow Lake! Call us to get a gift certificate for a cabin. The small camping cabins are $45 a night and the larger housekeeping cabins are $90 per night for White Pine and $120 per night for Scotch Pine. Plus, there’s so much to do at Willow Lake like fishing, hiking the trails, swimming, playground, boating, and relaxing! Call us today—the cabins fill up quick for the summer! Board Members Dean McIntosh, President, Missouri Valley John Espenmiller, Logan Kimberly Nunez, Mondamin Pat Perry, Mondamin Dwayne Walker, Woodbine Staff Tim Sproul, Director Pearl Pinkham, Secretary Scott Nelson, Operations Supervisor/Park Ranger Byron Vennink, Park Ranger Sol Mohn, Conservation Technician Connie Betts, Naturalist/Information Specialist Kathy Dirks, Village/Welcome Center Coordinator Gary Wenninghoff, Grounds Keeper/Custodian Harrison County Conservation Board The Harrison County Conservation Board meets on the first Monday of each month at 7 p.m. at the Willow Lake Recreation Area Headquarters Office, 2725 Easton Trail, Woodbine, Iowa. The meetings are open to the public and visitors are welcome. Mission "Manage, protect, conserve and develop Harrison County's natural resources in a manner that the quality of life for Harrison County residents is significantly enhanced by the utilization and enjoyment of those resources." Email us at hccb@HarrisonCountyParks.org