Arrowhead Park

06/01/2026

Kids' Fishing Derby at Arrowhead Park is this weekend!
Here are some FREE fishing weekend tips to make the most of your experience. 🎣

For more Information: https://www.pottconservation.com/calendar/kids_fishing_derby_at_arrowhead_park/2026-06-06/

06/01/2026

The answer to last week’s is.....Bush Honeysuckle! The specific species? Probably the invasive Lonicera maackii? What’s more important than identifying the specific species is knowing whether it is a friend 😊 or a foe. 😈

Unfortunately, Iowa is plagued with several species of exotic honeysuckle, and we aren’t the only ones. Invasive honeysuckle species have invaded the majority of the US. These sweet-sounding plants were originally brought over from Eurasia in the early 1800s as an ornamental that was also used to combat erosion.

Over the decades, it turned out that these pretty exotics weren’t so sweet.

They spread quickly and create dense thickets, shade out native plants, steal pollinators’ attention from natives, and their bright berries provide lackluster nutrition for birds who may be trying to fuel up for a long journey during migration season. Ultimately, they disrupt ecosystems, and fast.

Ever heard of the saying, “Slow is smooth, smooth is fast”?

Our natives often (not always!) establish more slowly, seemingly more deliberately, more in tune with the environment and all of its fascinating complexities. When natives thrive, the ecosystem functions smoothly. There’s balance and health and diversity.

Invasives often (not always!) enter the scene full send, sometimes akin to a bull in a china shop. They spread quickly, degrade habitat, and cause a whole lot of (often frustrating) work for land managers who try desperately to slow their spread.

Native honeysuckle exists in Iowa as well, and is most commonly wild honeysuckle (L. dioica var glaucescens) or grape honeysuckle (L. reticulata).

IDing honeysuckle can be tricky, but the most reliable way to determine native vs. non-native is to determine whether its stem is more hollow with a brown pith (invasive) or more solid with a white pith (native).

Honeysuckle is currently blooming, which means it’s a great time to identify where any potential problem areas might be on your property. In the event you discover a sweet-looking foe, control methods should be conducted before late summer, when seeds are dispersed.

Interestingly, the species Lonicera maackii is considered endangered in Japan, which falls within its native territory.

Photo credit (invasive honeysuckle stem image): peganum

05/27/2026

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05/26/2026

Join us this week for the season's latest Tick Talk trends!

Join Jody Green for Hitchcock Insect Club, Thursday, May 28th, at 7:00 p.m., as she discusses how these blood-sucking arthropods are a part of life in the Midwest.

Learn about the most common tick species in the area and what you can do to protect yourself and your pets from tick-borne disease. We will uncover tick identification, biology, behavior, ecology, and tick safety.

This program is FREE with $5/Vehicle Park Entry | Ages 14+ | For more information: https://www.pottconservation.com/calendar/hitchcock_insect_club/2026-05-28/

05/26/2026

This is a wonderful, family-friendly, and FREE event put on by conservation partners across the region. Get involved and get outdoors!

Please join us as we celebrate the 50th Annual Loess Hills Prairie Seminar this May 29-31st!

Organized and managed by the Monona County Conservation Board, this free seminar is open to all members of the public and will have programs for all ages and covering a variety of topics to suit a range of interests. Session programs are led by county naturalists, professional educators, industry professionals, and nature enthusiasts.

Program examples include hikes for discovering prairie flora and birding, photography, Native American speakers, creative writing and poetry, opportunities to try fishing, kayaking, archery, and so much more! Follow this account to see posts sharing info about this year's speakers and programs soon!

The Loess Hills Prairie Seminar includes a pre-seminar volunteer opportunity, kids programs throughout the seminar, free camping at the seminar site, catered meals (pre-orders announcing next month), and a raptor program featuring live raptors to cap off an excellent weekend in the Loess Hills!

Check the seminar website at loesshillsprairieseminar.com to see last year's schedule (this year's schedule coming very soon), a breakdown on how the seminar works, tips for attending and what to expect, and to sign up/register to join the emailing list to receive email notices regarding the seminar.

Questions can be directed to Monona County Conservation Naturalist Naturalist Tyler Ruge at [email protected] or 712-433-2400

05/25/2026

“Let their remembrance be as lasting as the land they honored.” — Daniel Webster

Thank you to those who made the ultimate sacrifice to protect this beautiful land of ours.

05/24/2026

Does a serene evening of birdsong under the light of the full moon sound like a dreamy Saturday night for you?

Join avid birder, Nic Salick, for an evening hike through the Loess Hills at Hitchcock Nature Center in search of Nightjars such as the Common Nighthawk and the Eastern Whip-poor-will in hopes they will serenade us with their songs while trekking in the light of the full moon.

Pre-registration is required for this event. Make sure you save your spot today!

https://www.pottconservation.com/calendar/night_out_with_nightjars/2026-05-30/

05/22/2026

Happy weekend!

P.S. Don't forget to visit the Wall that Heals, a Vietnam Veterans Memorial at Lewis Central High School, open 24/7 now through May 25th.

05/20/2026

Join us at Hitchcock Nature Center at 9:00 a.m. Wednesday, June 17th, and discover the benefits of smart grazing strategies, native forage on public land, and other conservation grazing strategies, as we hear from visionary guest speakers from across the region.

Then join us for a hands-on field tour where we will examine the impact our seasonal grazing cattle have had on the prairie and how they play a vital role in fire management, along with mobile mineral feeder impacts, enclosures, hiker gates, and solar water pumps.

Pre-registration is required for this event. Make sure to save your spot today or view more information: https://www.pottconservation.com/calendar/grazing_field_day/2026-06-17/

Thank you to all of our guest speakers:

Amy Crouch | Little Sioux Project Director, The Nature Conservancy in Iowa

Matt Vermeersch | Owner, Root and Raise Land and Livestock

Kayla Creek | Livestock Specialist, Iowa USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service

Tucker Lutter | Iowa Conservation Manager, Audubon Upper Mississippi River

Chris Helzer | Nebraska Director of Science and Stewardship, The Nature Conservancy

05/19/2026

You might see bluestem grass later in the year, with its copper color, and think to yourself, " Why is it called that if it's not blue?" Don't worry, we have the answer for you!

Join us Saturday, June 6th, at Hitchcock Nature Center for Botanical Backstories, where one of our longest-serving volunteers, Glenn Po***ck, AKA the man in plaid, will take you on a leisurely hike and answer all your questions about native plants and the people they're named after that are local to the area.

Pre-registration is required for this event. Make sure to save your spot today! https://www.pottconservation.com/calendar/botanical_backstories_native_plants_the_people_theyre_named_after/2026-06-06/