Iowa Native Plant Society Field Trips

Thanks to all our field trip leaders! All field trips are scheduled for Saturdays and begin at 10 a.m. unless otherwise noted. They take place rain or shine, so come prepared for the weather. The terrain varies from site to site, so wear appropriate footwear. Bring a lunch and something to drink.

The Iowa Department of Transportation’s state highway maps are available at DOT rest stops and welcome centers. Larger state preserves are represented by small blue dots with the name of the preserve in blue letters. For instance, Hayden Prairie State Preserve in Howard County is located southwest of Chester.

The Iowa Sportman’s Atlas has county maps with wildlife management areas, state and county parks, state preserves, national wildlife refuges, etc. owned by public and some private conservation organizations. Its current edition (2006) has 911 street names for most, if not all, counties. Street names make it much easier to locate a favorite natural area or find a new one. If you are interested in purchasing a copy of the atlas, check with your local bookstore; sporting goods store; call 1-800-568-8334 or www.sportsmanatlas.com. The cost is $21.95.

May 10th 8:00 to 12:00, 1:00 to 5:00. Allamakee County - Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation Ryan Area, Meet at the site at 7:30 AM.

This field trip will provide participants the opportunity to assist the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation, a nonprofit conservation group, in a plant inventory of the Ryan Area, a tract of 1,224 acres in western Allamakee County. The Foundation purchased the land in February of 2007 and needs information on the plant communities to help guide their management. The site is an example of a fairly pristine landscape in the Paleozoic Plateau and is characterized by several miles of the Upper Iowa River, hillside prairies, limestone bluffs, and large tracts of mature oak-hickory forests. To allow ample time for participants to see the varied communities and compile plant lists, two field excursions are planned: one for the morning and one during the afternoon.

Directions: Register for this field trip with the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation (515-288-1846). Ask for Marlene Ehresman or Brian Fankhauser. Camping at a private campground nearby may be available (check with the Foundation).

May 10th Linn County (east-central Iowa)

The J. Harold Ennis Preserve is 33 acres of mostly deciduous upland and lowland forest on rolling hills next to the Cedar River. There’s a nice trail that meanders around the perimeter of the site (the trail, however, is not suitable for handicapped individuals). The preserve has shooting stars, columbines, violets, spring beauties, sweet william, dutchman’s breeches, bloodroot, anemones, buttercup, jack-in-the-pulpit, pussytoes, may apples, geraniums and ragwort. Our leader will be Frank Olsen, lepidopterist and naturalist.

Directions: From Cedar Rapids proceed east on U.S. Highway 30. Go past the exit for Highway 13 and in about a mile pass the entrance (on the right) to Palisades-Kepler State Park. About a half mile later you’ll see some county maintenance buildings on the right— turn right (south) just past there onto Cedar River Road (paved). Go a bit more than a mile and turn right into the parking lot for the Preserve. There is a parking lot that accommodates about 20 cars.

June 7th Floyd County (north-central Iowa)

Little Cedar Wildlife Area is a 160 acre Floyd County Conservation Board site that includes a rich fen with a number of native plants. Some of the highlight species seen at this time of year include the state special concern species cottongrass (Eriophorum angustifolium) and sage willow (Salix candida). The fen is also home to a large population of the state threatened Baltimore checkerspot butterfly (Euphydryas phaeton). This wily and beautiful black, orange and white checkered insect’s first year larvae feed on white turtlehead (Chelone glabra) found in the fen. The ground will be somewhat uneven to walk on, but a slow pace increases the chance of finding something interesting. Mark J. Leoschke, botanist for the Wildlife Bureau of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources will be our guide. Fens are wetlands, SO BRING BOOTS!!!!!!!

Directions:

From the intersection of County Road T66 and U.S. Highway 18 (east of Charles City) drive 3 miles east (past the Charles City Municipal Airport) to Windfall (a gravel road— the Sportman’s Atlas does not specify if it is a street or avenue). Turn left (north) on Windfall and drive one mile. At the intersection of 190th and Windfall turn right (east) on 190th and drive about 0.5 mile. Park along the gravel road. We will walk north from here to the fen.

This site is found in T96N R15W Section 36 SW4 (note that the location in the Sportman’s Atlas is wrong— it shows Little Cedar as located in the SE4 of Section 35).

July 5th 10:00 to 2:00 (bring a sack lunch)

Ray Prairie is a very nice wet mesic prairie that is home to several uncommon plants, including Amorpha nana (fragrant false indigo), Valeriana edulis (valerian), Platanthera praeclara (western prairie fringed orchid) and Cypripedium candidum (small white lady’s-slipper orchid). Other typical plants among the 300 species that occur here include Dodecatheon meadia, Eryngium yuccifolium, Pycnanthemum virginianum, Zizia aurea, Lilium michiganense, and Silphium lacinatum.

The Drake University Prairie Rescue program has worked on the site several times over the last two years, doing woody removal and prescribed burning. Tom Rosburg (Drake University) will be leading the field trip.

Directions: Meet at the Kwik Star gas station in Shell Rock located along Highway 3 at 9:30 AM.

August 30th Worth County (north-central Iowa)

Willow Creek Wildlife Area is owned and managed by the Worth County Conservation Board. It has a complex of sedge meadow and fen just west of Willow Creek. Among the interesting species that should be in bloom will be fen thistle (Cirsium muticum). Our field trip leader will be Mark J. Leoschke, botanist for the Wildlife Bureau of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. Fens and sedge meadows are wetlands, SO WEAR BOOTS!

Directions:From the intersection of U.S. Interstate Highway 35 and State Highway 9 (extreme southern Worth County) turn left (west) onto State Highway 9 and drive about 0.5 mile. Turn left (south) onto Wheelerwood Road (County road S28, hard surface). Drive 0.5 mile south to 355th Street (there is a county historical society sign about a former cheese factory on the northeast corner of this intersection). Turn left (east) onto 355th Street (gravel). Cross the small bridge over Willow Creek and park along the road. This road dead ends into U.S. Interstate Highway 35.

Summer 2008 Trips