Volume 11 Number 2 April 2002

2002 Winter Meeting and Silent Auction Recap

The winter meeting on January 19^th was held at the wonderful new lodge in Jester Park. It was a great day, with over 95 people attending. The speakers covered a wide variety of subjects, including information about the new Iowa Wetlands Mitigation Bank (Rick Robinson), the collaboration of the DNR Wildlife Division with Pheasants Forever and some members of the Iowa State Penal system (Bill Johnson), the Hallett’s Quarry project in Ames (Erv Klaas), what is a RC&D (Jim Cooper), an update on Engeldinger Marsh (Loren Lown), and how to prepare plant specimens for preservation (Deb Lewis).

Three awards were made during the meeting; Cindy Hildebrand received the Olaf Smedel Conservation award, Lloyd Crim was honored for leading CIPN evening prairie walks at Doolittle Prairie for 11 years (and still counting), and Al and Mary Razor were recognized for donating their 24 acre native Hominy Ridge Prairie to the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation to ensure its protection.

The Silent Auction spearheaded by the M&M (Marlene & Molly & Friends) Auction service was an overwhelming success.

Back Country Sports, Des Moines	Ace Hendricks	Jonathan Yentis
Backyard Birds Family Seed Store, Ankeny	Amy Yoakum	Joyce Hornstein
Brekke’s Town and Country Store, Ames	Brant Schmell	Larry Stone
Four Mounds Foundation, Dubuque	Bruce & Marlene Ehresman	Lisa Burke
Holub’s Greenhouse, Ames	Carl & Linda Kurtz	Mark Loeschke
Hykes Furniture Services, Ankeny	Carol Pearson	MJ Hatfield
IDNR Forests and Prairies Division	Casey Kohrt	Molly and Joe McGovern
IDNR Wildlife Diversity Program	David & Lin Zahrt	Paul Readhead
Inner Dimensions, DM Skywalk store	Deb Lewis	Rich Pope
Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation	Don Wishart	Roger Hill
Ivy Photo, Des Moines	Doug Harr	Roslea Johnson/Riverview Farms
John Pearson & IDNR Parks and Preserves Div.	Garry Brandenburg	Tom & Carmen Rosburg
Jon Judson & Kay Neumann, Diversity Farms	Inger Lamb	Tre Wilson
Prairie Land Herbs, Woodward	Jean Eells	Ty Smedes
The Nature Conservancy Iowa Chapter	Jim Nedtwig	Anonymous donors
Wild Birds Unlimited, Ames	Jo Myers Walker

A big thank you goes also to all the individuals who helped put on this great meeting, to everyone who purchased auction items and to the PCCB for letting us use their wonderful lodge!

Summer Land Management Intern Hired with Help of CIPN

by Cathy Engstrom, INHF

Thanks to funds raised at the CIPN silent auction in January, the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation has hired Jeanne Spaur Ballanger to work as a summer land management intern. Jeanne grew up on a southern Iowa farm and is now majoring in Wildlife Biology at ISU. Her previous conservation experience includes working as a DNR seasonal naturalist at Honey Creek State Park, an NRCS summer field technician near Albia, and a summer intern with the Soil Conservation Service in Kirksville, MO. She also volunteers at Pioneer Ridge Conservation Center in Wapello County. Jeanne and her kids will be living in Ames this summer.

Jeanne will be supervised by INHF's Land Stewardship Program Director, Joe McGovern. She will work two days per week with the other INHF interns, doing land management on various Foundation sites. Using CIPN funds, she'll work an additional three days per week at non-INHF prairie remnants around central Iowa. Joe will use the other CIPN funds by setting up occasional group workdays--where he will work with the four land

management interns on non-INHF sites.

Like other INHF interns, Jeanne will earn $7.50/hour, a small travel stipend, and mileage for longer trips. INHF will provide her with safety equipment and a cell phone. Because INHF believes that what an intern takes away from the experience is as important as what they accomplish DURING the internship, Jeanne will get the same general training opportunities available to other INHF interns: attending a staff meeting, attending a board meeting, meeting with key INHF staff to learn about "the big picture," occasional presentations by outside speakers, the opportunity to attend the Loess Hills Prairie Seminar, field trips and more. We hope that Jeanne and our other interns carry an understanding and love of Iowa's natural heritage into their future vocations and avocations.

INHF is grateful to CIPN and IPN for making this opportunity available to an Iowa student and to Iowa's prairies. Without the auction proceeds, this internship position would not exist. Thank you.

Help rescue a prairie in honor of Earth Day! As in 2001, a coalition of conservation organizations is sponsoring a statewide rescue of native prairie sites around the state. Various public and private organizations (DNR, county conservation boards, AmeriCorps, The Nature Conservancy, Audubon and INHF) will sponsor prairies that need "rescuing" from invading trees and other woody species. Once controlled naturally by fire and large grazers (bison, elk), invasive species can take over and destroy native prairies if not removed. Volunteers are invited to visit the prairie nearest them and help remove these invaders with hand saws, loppers and other tools. Kids and adults, individuals and groups are welcome.

Please show your support for Iowa Prairies by attending one of the Rescue work events!

See IDNR website: http://www.state.ia.us/dnr/volunteer/prairie.html for full details on all sites or call 515/281-5918

Western Iowa Locations: Gitchie Manitou State Preserve, Stone State Park, Sylvan Runkel State Preserve, Turin Loess Hills State Preserve, Preparation Canyon State Park, Loess Hills State Forest Overlook, Waubonsie State Park, Nestor Stiles Prairie State Preserve, Folsom Point Preserve and Vincent Bluffs Preserve

Central Iowa Locations: Brushy Creek State Park, Springbrook State Park, Big Creek State Park, Rock Creek State Park, Stephens State Forest, Reichelt Unit, Rolling Thunder Prairie State Preserve, Elk Rock State Park, Bobwhite State Park, McRae Park, Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge and Willowbrook Elementary School Prairie

Eastern Iowa Locations: Hayden Prairie State Preserve, Volga River State Recreation Area, Mines of Spain State Park, Lake Darling, Lake Sugema State Fish and Game Area, Eddyville Dunes, F.W. Kent Park, Breen Prairie Farm and Greiner Family Nature Preserve

Location: Big Creek State Park is about 2 north on Hwy 415 from the Polk City square. From there you will take a right into the park and travel 3mi. till you come to the beach area. Meet at beach area (east side of lake, 3mi. N. of south entrance) at 9:00 a.m. - Kim Olofson, the park manager, will be there directing people to projects. If you want to go straight to the prairie –from the park entrance go 0.8 miles and turn left at a sign indicating Hampton Shelter, a softball field etc., drive past a small parking area and take the first right, go around the curve and park in the lot on the right -walk across the remote control model airplane field and down a short path to the prairie.

Site Information: Scott Rolfes, Loren Lown & Inger Lamb will be organizing the attack on the army of invasive species that are taking over a very nice prairie remnant. There is literally a couple acres of black locust that needs to be cut and piled for a future bonfire, along with lots of gray dogwood. The locust can be depended on to fight back- wear tough clothes and gloves, those thorns are real attention-getters. Please come help if you can, this is a nice and remnant that has some great species in it.

Elsewhere in the park other clean-up type activities will be going on so if you have family members that might help with other projects please bring them along! We are hoping to accomplish a major "spring cleaning" by the end of the day.

There are picnic tables near the parking lot and we will be celebrating a victory for the remnant at 1PM, bring a sack lunch and join us if you can!

Volunteer Information: Bring hand saws, loppers, and gloves to cut trees and shrubs. Sunscreen is recommended. Come dressed for the weather.

Contact: Kim Olofson – Iowa DNR Park Manager, (515) 984-6473 (O), (515) 965-0151(H);

e-mail - bigcreekmanager@yahoo.com;

Inger Lamb at ingerlamb3@mchsi.com

Thursday Evening Walks

at Doolittle Prairie Preserve

Evening prairie walks at Doolittle Prairie will be on the following Thursdays starting at 7:00 pm.; May 23, June 20, July 18, and August 22. No registration is needed.

The walks are sponsored by the CIPN and the Story County Conservation Board. For more information call Lloyd Crim at 515/432-5026 or SCCB at 515/232-2516.

Long pants, sturdy shoes and bug spray are recommended.

Directions: from I-35 go west at the Roland exit on E- 18 for about ½ mile; turn south on 560^th Ave. (a gravel road) for about 1 ½ miles; the preserve is on the west side of the road – follow the lane back to the parking lot

Tuesday Evening Walks at Pohl

Memorial Preserve at Ames High Prairie

Evening prairie walks at Pohl Preserve will be the 2nd Tuesday of the month, June-Sept at 6:30 pm.; June 11, July 9, August 13 and Sept 10. No registration is needed. Poison ivy is found at this site – long pants, sturdy shoes and bug spray are recommended.

The walks are sponsored by the CIPN, The Iowa Nature Conservancy and the Story County Conservation Board. For more information contact Trish Patrick at 515/382-2802, TNC at 515/244-5044, or SCCB at 515/232-2516.

Directions: from I-35 take the Ames 13^th Street exit west to Grand Ave.; turn right (north) and go to 20^th St.; turn left (west) and go to Ridgewood; the prairie is on the west side of the high school – follow the drive around the north end of the school to a small parking lot on the west side.

Monday, April 22^nd at 7 pm

Earth Day Prairie Burn at McFarland Park

Join the Story County Conservation Board staff for an evening prairie burn at McFarland Park north east of Ames at 56461 180^th St. (go north on Dayton Ave. to 180^th St or on I-35 go west at the E-29 exit – follow the signs)

For information call the SCCB at 515/232-2516, e-mail conservation@storycounty.com, or visit the website www.storycountyconservation.org

Saturday, April 27th at 10:00 am - Spring Walk at Turtlehead Fen with Loren Lown

We should be early enough to catch the bloom of the marsh marigolds as well as some violets and other early Ranunculaceae. Bebb's willow should be in bloom as well as many sedges. There will be several ferns growing and a great time to get out and celebrate spring. Scott Marler of the IA DOT will join us to explain how they are working to restore the fen and create wetlands on the adjacent land.

Bring waterproof footwear and a sense of humor!

Directions: we will meet in the Engeldinger Marsh parking lot 5 miles northeast of Bondurant on Highway 65 – the lot is on NE 120^th St - we’ll car pool from there as parking is limited at the fen site. For more information contact Loren at llown@co.polk.ia.us or phone 515/323-5364.

Wings & Wetlands Weekend May 11-12

The Iowa Nature Conservancy will sponsor field trips on Saturday, May 11, at 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the Waterman Prairie Complex in O’Brien County, and on Sunday, May 12, at 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. at the Freda Haffner Preserve, as part of the 8^th annual "Wings & Wetlands Weekend." This National Wetlands Month event involves six counties in northwest Iowa and includes a wide variety of activities.

For details, call Ann Robinson at the Conservancy’s state office, ph 515-244-5044, e-mail iowa@tnc.org

or the Lost Island Prairie Wetland Nature Center, 712/837-4866.

May 31-June 2

26^TH Annual Loess Hills Prairie Seminar

This is an annual outdoor educational event for the whole family sponsored by the Western Hills Education Agency and held at the Loess Hills Wildlife Area in Monona County. Over 40 facilitators present 2-3 hour field sessions on a wide variety of natural history topics for both adults and children. No registration or fee is required. If you want to purchase meal tickets or enroll

for staff development credit you must preregister.

Brochures and registration forms will soon be available on the website www.aea12.k12.ia.us/services/loesshillsseminar/ or call Gloria at 712/274-6000, ext.6083 or e-mail kistnerg@aea12.k12.ia.us.

Walks, Field Trips, and Events continued…

Friday, June 7th - Glen Crossman Memorial Service at Crossman Prairie

Glen Crossman loved wildflowers and prairies, and was very active in a group of local outdoor enthusiasts in the Riceville, Iowa area. He proved his love for the prairie by donating Crossman Prairie to the Iowa TNC Chapter in 1976. Glen passed away last September at the age of 76. In honor of his memory a memorial service will be held at Crossman Prairie on June 7, 2002, at 4:00 p.m. The Prairie is 7 1/4 miles west of Riceville, Iowa. For directions, visit the Iowa the Conservancy's website, http://nature.org/iowa and look under preserves, or call 515/244-5044

Saturday, June 8th at 10:00 am

Sedges and Friends with Tom Rosburg

The Bluejoint Meadow in Polk County is a small area of original Skunk River flood plain. It is a "reference site" for restoration projects. Sedges made up much more of the herbaceous vegetation of wet mesic sites than most people realize. The dozens of species present in this three or four acres gives us a glimpse into what must have been an extremely diverse and productive system.

Directions: From Highway 65/330 turn north on Co. road S-27. (also known as the Mitchellville to Farrar Road) S-27 is the first intersection toward Des Moines from Engeldinger Marsh. Go North one mile from the intersection of S-27 and 65/330, then turn west on NW 118th Ave. Travel west for 1 3/4 miles to the site. The access lane is on the north side of the road. Participants can meet on the road and then walk along the fence line to the meadow. For more information contact Loren at llown@co.polk.ia.us.

June 23-27

18^th North American Prairie Conference

“Promoting Prairie” is the theme of the 18^th North American Prairie Conference being held June 23-27, 2002 in Kirksville, Missouri at Truman State University. May 3 is the last day for early registration price. The goal is to gather prairie experts, enthusiasts and advocates to share knowledge and ideas, reach new constituencies, and build new partnerships. The meeting will include symposia, contributed papers, posters, workshops, and regional field trips. Kirksville is about 30 miles south of the Iowa border, 60 miles south of Ottumwa. Visit the prairie conference website at http://www.napc2002.org for more information or contact the conference coordinator at the Kirksville Area Chamber of Commerce, 304 S. Franklin, Kirksville, MO 63501, phone (660) 665-3766, fax (660) 665-3767.

3 Prairie Field Trips with

Cindy Hildebrand and Roger Maddux

Contact Cindy for directions to the sites, parking information, and to let her know you plan to come 515/232-3807 or e-mail grantridge@aol.com

All trips are on a Saturday starting at 10:00 am.

July 6^th will be at Grant Ridge, a site near Nevada

that has remnant areas and

local-ecotype reconstructions.

August 3^rd we’ll visit Eight-Acre Prairie,

a remnant in Warren County.

August 10^th will be at Stargrass, a good-quality local-

ecotype reconstruction near Ames.

Neal Smith Wildlife Refuge Events

For full information: Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge, P.O. Box 399, Prairie City, Iowa 50228-0399
phone (515) 994-3400; e-mail buffalo@tallgrass.org; website http://www.tallgrass.org

April 25 6:00-9:00pm - Learn about the birds of the

prairie

April 27 12:00-3:00pm - New Volunteer Orientation

May 11 10:00am-4:00pm - Wings and Wild Oats Day

May 30 6:00-9:00pm - Prairie Ambassadors training

and Trail surveys/maintenance

June 8 10:00am-4:00pm - Buffalo Day

July 13 Butterfly Training with Erma

September 20-22

Combined Annual Meetings of

The Iowa Prairie Network,

The Nature Conservancy of Iowa,

and The Iowa Native Plant Society

The event will be held at the Lakeside Lab at Milford. Field trips hope to highlight the Little Sioux area. Mark the date on your calendar now and watch for more details in future newsletters and on the IPN website.

April 20 Prairie Rescue Events -pg 3

April 22 Prairie Burn at McFarland Park -pg 6

April 25 NSWR - the birds of the prairie -pg 7

April 27 Turtlehead Fen with Loren Lown -pg 6

April 27 NSWR - volunteer orientation -pg 7

May 11 NSWR - Wings and Wild Oats Day -pg 7

May 11-12 TNC Wings & Wetlands -pg 6

May 23 Evening walk at Doolittle Prairie -pg 6

May 30 NSWR - trail surveys and maintenance -pg 7

May 31-June 2 Annual Loess Hills Prairie Seminar -pg 6

June 7 Glen Crossman memorial sevice at Crossman Prairie -pg 7

June 8 Sedges and Friends Field Trip with Tom Rosburg -pg 7

June 8 NSWR - Buffalo Day -pg 7

June 11 Evening walk at Pohl Preserve -pg 6

June 20 Evening walk at Doolittle Prairie -pg 6

June 23-27 North American Prairie Conference -pg 7

July 6 Grant Ridge Field trip -pg 7

July 9 Evening walk at Pohl Preserve -pg 6

July 13 NSWR - butterfly training -pg 7

July 18 Evening walk at Doolittle Prairie -pg 6

Aug 3 Eight-Acre Prairie Field trip -pg 7

Aug 10 Stargrass Field Trip -pg 7

Aug 13 Evening walk at Pohl Preserve -pg 6

Aug 22 Evening walk at Doolittle Prairie -pg 6

Sept 10 Evening walk at Pohl Preserve -pg 6

Sept 20-22 Combined Annual Meetings of IPN, TNC, and INPS -pg 7

While anyone who leads prairie walks will do it for their own reasons, I realized the other day that the reasons I do it are mostly selfish. Because I get so much more out of leading the walks that I am not able to share with the people who attend, it is almost unfair. I will attempt to outline a few of my reasons and let you in on the selfish pleasure of leading prairie walks.

First, the walks get me out to the prairie on a regular basis. Once a month doesn’t sound very often, but with a busy schedule it would be easy to skip. I also try to visit the prairie a few days before the walk to look things over and to see what is blooming that I might get asked about. This gives me a second trip to the prairie, sometimes alone, where I can go my own direction. Looking at the prairie ahead of time gives me a chance to think of information I might want to share with people when I have a good example to show them. It also gives me time to look information up so I am better prepared, and sometimes I actually get this done! This repetition year after year helps me to add to my overall knowledge of prairies.

Second, having several other people on the walk helps by having many eyes looking in many directions and places. Often they will find something I have not seen yet. Sometimes they ask about things they see other than plants, like the crayfish burrows or ant mounds. This gives me a chance to research other areas, helping create a more rounded picture of the prairie ecosystem.

Having a number of people along who have varying interests or experience can also be quite stimulating in itself. Sometimes one of the participants has extensive knowledge in a related field and can add to the information of the walk. Sometimes they ask a question in a way that makes me re-evaluate something I thought I knew. This helps me expand my understanding and unfortunately I can’t always share with the person asking the question because sometimes it takes deeper thinking than I can do on the spur of the moment. This doesn’t happen on each and every walk, as it depends on the people attending and the mood of the night. Some walks, however, do become very stimulating!

Third, it helps my plant identification skills when I am questioned about the different plants in all the stages of growth, from seedlings to seed pods. Certain impressions will last me a lifetime. When someone in the group asks what a certain plant is and you experience that sudden wave of panic when you realize you have no idea whatsoever. Later, after learning what it is, that plant becomes much easier to remember. This “panic” would not occur if you were by yourself as there would not be the same expectations.

Fourth, the walks have given me new experiences, such as seeing the soil structure under the prairie, something that left a powerful impression. It has allowed me to learn how to conduct insect identification workshops with a group of people, another interesting experience. These came about as a result of leading walks, and wanting to add some expertise in other related fields of study.

Fifth, making regular trips to the prairie having to analyze what you are seeing, and doing it repeatedly leaves an impression of what happens in the prairie over time. This helps you see not only what happens through the season, but if you do it over several years, you can compare years of different weather patterns, thus gaining a perspective that random visits cannot give you.

Sixth, there is the pleasure of helping someone discover something new and exciting. Teachers will know what I am referring to. There is that personal satisfaction that comes when you see the light come on in someone else’s mind and they become excited with the knowledge. It could be this inspiration to someone else that might provide more for the future of prairie than the rest of the work I might do.

Join Lloyd this summer at the Doolittle Evening walks – see page 6 for dates

-----------------------------------cut here and make corrections to mailing label on the other side -----------------------------------

CIPN Mailing List

The Central Iowa Prairie Network (CIPN) does not have membership dues. The CIPN provides programs and activities for the public related to education and appreciation of our prairie heritage. If you would like to contribute to help cover the cost of the CIPN Newsletter and events, a $5 annual mailing fee/donation can be sent to:

Trish Patrick, 57540 270^th St., Ames, Iowa 50010-9347.

If you have contributed for 2002 or beyond it should be noted on your mailing label with “Pd 2002” in the corner.

For address corrections, please clip on line above which will include your mailing label on the other side. Send the correction to Trish.

Thanks for your help and support!

STATE IOWA PRAIRIE NETWORK

Region 5 Board Members

The state organization, The Iowa Prairie Network (IPN), divides the state into 7 regions. The Central Iowa Prairie Network (CIPN) is Region 5 of the IPN. Each region has 2 representatives on the IPN Board. Jim Nedtwig and Inger Lamb are the IPN Board members for Region 5. If you have any concerns, ideas or information you'd like to share with the State IPN, contact one of the Board members.

Jim Nedtwig Inger Lamb

443 Tonawanda Dr. 9188 NW Polk City Dr.

Des Moines, IA 50312 Polk City, IA 50226

(515) 277-2427 (515) 963-7681

prairiedogs@earthlink.net ingerlamb3@mchsi.com

Check the IPN web site at www.iowaprairienetwork.org