Johnson County Conservation

Johnson County Conservation Quality natural resource management, environmental education and outdoor recreation opportunities in Johnson County Iowa.
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Johnson County Conservation Board Vision:

The Vision of the Johnson County Conservation Board and Staff is a county where all citizens have access to natural areas, conservation/environmental education, and recreation opportunities; where the natural resources of the county are enhanced and protected; where conservation areas are restored and maintained at the highest standard, are safe, and sust

ain our mission of land conservation; and where this vision is accomplished through partnerships with various entities, interest groups, and individuals. Johnson County Conservation Board Mission:

The Mission of the Johnson County Conservation Board is to improve the quality of natural resources and native species for Johnson County residents through programs emphasizing conservation of natural resources, conservation education, and natural resource based recreation.

Bow Hunters, Iowa City needs your help! If you know of homeowners or property owners in Iowa City who will allow you to...
09/09/2026

Bow Hunters, Iowa City needs your help! If you know of homeowners or property owners in Iowa City who will allow you to hunt on their property, or if you'd like to attempt to hunt in some of the public spaces Iowa City has open to bow hunting, please use the QR code below to join the Iowa City Deer Management Hunt. They need your help harvesting does to maintain a healthy, sustainable deer population and protect habitat for other wildlife. Archers must follow all management hunt rules and prove their proficiency.
Property owners and landowners, if you'd like to host an archer on your property, please contact the Hunt Coordinator listed on the poster.
Spend some time outdoors this fall!

Our fall edition of Conservation Connection is out! Learn about:*Water quality in Kent Park Lake* the 2026 Idaho Wildern...
09/04/2026

Our fall edition of Conservation Connection is out!

Learn about:
*Water quality in Kent Park Lake
* the 2026 Idaho Wilderness Trek
* Signage overhaul at JCC parks
* Bluebird milestones
* all of the upcoming fall events!

Head to the link to subscribe or read the latest:
https://www.johnsoncountyiowa.gov/conservation/newsletters

You could say that birds using the nest boxes at Kent Park’s Tree Swallow Trail are feeling a little blue... because for...
09/04/2026

You could say that birds using the nest boxes at Kent Park’s Tree Swallow Trail are feeling a little blue... because for the second year in a row, they’ve been homes for Eastern Bluebirds instead of Tree Swallows!

We aren’t certain exactly why Tree Swallows aren’t using these nest boxes to raise their young. It could be that local bluebirds are more likely to accept human-provided boxes as places to build nests. Or perhaps the location of nest boxes around the lake is favored by bluebirds more than swallows.

Regardless, we are excited to share that out of eight nest boxes, the "Tree Swallow” trail had four active nests that fledged 12 Eastern Bluebirds! This is in addition to Eastern Bluebirds residing in the 24 bluebird boxes found throughout the park.

Each young bluebird that fledged from these boxes is a symbol of hope for a species of bird that was once deeply imperiled, experiencing sharp population declines between 1930 and 1990. Though bluebirds aren’t the intended species to occupy these nest boxes, we are happy to have them here as part of Kent Park’s wildlife family.

Special thanks to our nest box volunteer, Tara Shibbani, for her work in monitoring the Tree Swallow Trail all summer long! The data she collected each week is vital to helping us understand how we can best support nesting birds in Kent Park.


Pictured: A young Eastern Bluebird eagerly awaits a meal from its parents

🚴‍♀️🍨🎨 Enjoy an easy-paced bike ride on the JCC managed Iowa River Trail!This ride will meander along the Iowa River Tra...
09/03/2026

🚴‍♀️🍨🎨 Enjoy an easy-paced bike ride on the JCC managed Iowa River Trail!

This ride will meander along the Iowa River Trail from Iowa City to North Liberty and back. Along the way, we will visit the home studio of local artist Deanne Wortman surrounded by woods and full of inspiration and whimsy. We will also stop in North Liberty at locally-run Heyn's Ice Cream for a sweet treat before heading back to Iowa City.

This will be a ~14 mile bike ride. Participants must provide their own bike and are asked to wear a helmet during the ride. The cost of any ice cream or art work is not included with this registration. Participants are encouraged to bring cash to cover their own expenses.

Let's ride! 🚴‍♀️🍦🎨

Arts & Ice Cream Bike Ride - Iowa River Trail
📆 Thursday, October 15
⏰ Noon to ~5 pm
📍 Iowa River Trail - Meet at Prairie Waterworks Park (2901 N. Dubuque St. Iowa City)

To register, visit: https://www.johnsoncountyiowa.gov/conservation/events

Have you been searching for ways to give back to your local community? If so, you're in luck! We have all kinds of excit...
09/02/2026

Have you been searching for ways to give back to your local community? If so, you're in luck! We have all kinds of exciting volunteer opportunities coming up this fall and winter. Check out our latest Volunteer Newsletter to find your favorite way to lend a helping hand🤝

View the newsletter online at:https://johnsoncountyiowa.gov/sites/default/files/2026-09/September%20Volunteer%20Newsletter_1.pdf

When despair for the world grows in meand I wake in the night at the least soundin fear of what my life and my children’...
09/01/2026

When despair for the world grows in me
and I wake in the night at the least sound
in fear of what my life and my children’s lives may be,
I go and lie down where the wood drake
rests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds.
I come into the peace of wild things
who do not tax their lives with forethought
of grief. I come into the presence of still water.
And I feel above me the day-blind stars
waiting with their light. For a time
I rest in the grace of the world, and am free.

“The Peace of Wild Things”
By Wendell Berry (Aug 5, 1934 - Aug 31, 2026)

🛶 We have another chance to get out and enjoy the water coming up! This relaxed, beginner kayak program on Kent Park wi...
09/01/2026

🛶 We have another chance to get out and enjoy the water coming up! This relaxed, beginner kayak program on Kent Park will give participants the chance to soak up the sun and savor the last days of summer.

This program is geared toward adults. Registration is required but there is no cost to attend. Visit out Public Events page on MyCountyParks to sign up.

📅Tuesday, September 15
⏰ 2:00-3:30 pm
📍 Kent Park Lake
Register at: johnsoncountyiowa.gov/conservation/events

Ready to get WILD?! The Wings & Wild Things Festival is back for a third year on Sunday, October 4th. Celebrate Iowa's ...
08/28/2026

Ready to get WILD?! The Wings & Wild Things Festival is back for a third year on Sunday, October 4th. Celebrate Iowa's natural world and enjoy hands-on learning and recreation activities in Johnson County's beautiful Kent Park 🦋. This year's event will also feature live music from the Burlington Street Bluegrass Band, good eats from local food vendors, lawn games, crafts, and more.

Activities featured:
🎨 Plein air painting
🦉 Live raptors
🐦Guided bird walks
🌱 Native Plant Sale
🐍🐢 Reptile meet & greets
🍂🖌Eco-arts
🍄 Mushroom forays and specimen study
🔎 Iowa mammal discoveries
🎣 Fishing
🦋 Pollinator education
🌱 Hands-on milkweed seed ball making
🐝 Animal Biofacts education stations
🌼 Prairie study activities
& stay tuned for more!

See you at the Wings & Wild Things Festival!

📅 Sunday, Oct. 4
⏰ 10 am to 2 pm
📍 Kent Park- Lake

More info at: https://bit.ly/WingsWildThings2026

The Wings & Wild Things Festival is made possible through partnership with numerous local conservation-minded organizations. Partner groups include Arts Iowa City’s ArtiFactory; Iowa City Bird Club; Iowa Prairie Network; EarthMind; Iowa Master Naturalists; Johnson County Planning, Development, & Sustainability; Johnson County Master Gardeners of Iowa; Milkweed Matters; Prairie States Mushroom Club; Raptology; Troutleaf Native Plants; US Army Corps of Engineers; and others.

We need your help! Volunteers are a big part of our prairie restoration efforts each year, and we have numerous Prairie ...
08/22/2026

We need your help! Volunteers are a big part of our prairie restoration efforts each year, and we have numerous Prairie Seed Harvest events planned that could us lots of folks! During these events, volunteers are trained how to ID and harvest our target species before fanning out into the harvest area to collect seeds. All harvested seeds will be used for our next big prairie planting project this fall (volunteers are also welcome to take a some seed home after each event for their own native gardens!).

There are lots of options for dates, times, locations, and hiking distances (or no hiking!).

To check them out and sign up, head to: https://www.johnsoncountyiowa.gov/conservation/volunteer-information

Address

2048 Highway 6 NW
Oxford, IA
52322

Telephone

+13196452315

Website

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