Get your ski legs and participate in a favorite winter pastime by taking advantage of free 1, 2, 3 Learn to Ski & Snowboard Lessons at Mt. Crescent later this month.
1/13/2023
Kylie Jacott, Promotions & Outreach Coordinator
Events, Mt. Crescent Ski Area, News, Winter
Support conservation efforts in Pottawattamie County during the 19th Annual Go Wild For Conservation fundraiser and auction.
7/25/2022
Kylie Jacott, Promotions & Outreach Coordinator
Conservation, Events, News
Families are invited to explore, learn, and relax in the heart of the Loess Hills.
5/24/2022
Kylie Jacott, Promotions & Outreach Coordinator
Conservation, Environmental Education, Events, Loess Hills, News
Celebrate Earth Day with Pottawattamie Conservation.
4/1/2022
Kylie Jacott, Promotions & Outreach Coordinator
Arrowhead Park, Botna Bend Park, Conservation, Events, Hitchcock Nature Center, Narrows River Park, News, Volunteering
To celebrate National Bison Day, Pottawattamie County Conservation will hold its first ever Bison Fest on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Botna Bend Park in Hancock.
11/4/2021
Emmalee Scheibe, The Daily Nonpareil
Botna Bend Park, Conservation, Events, Family Fun, News
The Hitchcock HawkWatch volunteer group has recorded the migration of hundreds of thousands of eagles, hawks, owls, vultures and falcons since 1991, and it’s time to celebrate their hard work!
10/5/2021
Kylie Jacott, Promotions & Outreach Coordinator
Autumn, Bird Watching, Events, HawkWatch, Hitchcock Nature Center, News, Volunteering
Proceeds provide field trip scholarships for local schools.
9/3/2021
Kylie Jacott, Promotions & Outreach Coordinator
Events, News
Want to learn more about the trails at Hitchcock Nature Center? Join us for a Hitch Hike this summer & get the guided experience.
4/29/2021
Conservation, Environmental Education, Events, Family Fun, Hiking, Hitchcock Nature Center, Land Management, Loess Hills, Native Animals, Native Plants, Summer
Pottawattamie Conservation is excited to announce the next Speaker Series program this May 13th. This online program is held in partnership with the Council Bluffs Public Library & supported by a grant from Humanities Iowa, a state-based affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities.
4/27/2021
with Benjamin Vogt
Conservation, Environmental Education, Events, Native Plants, Speaker Series
Learn the intrepid tale of the Dump Busters and continue the legacy by busting some litter at Hitchcock Nature Center for Earth Day!
4/16/2021
Rene Stroud, Naturalist
Conservation, Environmental Education, Events, Family Fun, Green Thumbs, Hiking, Hitchcock Nature Center, Holidays, Land Management, Loess Hills, Native Animals, Native Plants, Our Staff, Spring, Volunteering, Zero Waste
Spring has sprung so get outdoors & enjoy some time in nature at Hitchcock Nature Center & Botna Bend Park during this special, self-guided event designed for our youngest nature lovers.
3/25/2021
Rene Stroud, Naturalist and Kate Simmons, Community Relations Coordinator
Botna Bend Park, Conservation, Environmental Education, Events, Family Fun, Hiking, Hitchcock Nature Center, Homeschool, Spring, Summer
3/18/2021
Conservation, Environmental Education, Events, Native Animals, Speaker Series
Interested in improving your birding skills, learning more about common bird species, or joining in on community science projects in your area? Check out Building Better Birders!
3/4/2021
Bird Watching, Conservation, Environmental Education, Events, Family Fun, HawkWatch, Hiking, Native Animals
Anyone with a passion for the great outdoors is in for a treat with A Land Ethic Workshop.
2/16/2021
Conservation, Environmental Education, Events, Land Management, Loess Hills, Native Animals, Native Plants
Registration for our 2021 Summer Nature Camps will open on March 1st!
1/22/2021
Environmental Education, Events, Summer, Summer Camp
Get to know our first speaker, Lauren Darnold, Education & Public Outreach Coordinator with Nebraska Wildlife Rehab, Inc. & get ready for "Bats of Iowa" on November 12th!
10/16/2020
Kate Simmons, Community Relations Coordinator
Conservation, Events, Native Animals, News, Speaker Series
Join in the fun September 17th through October 1st & show your support for the Pottawattamie Conservation Foundation & Pottawattamie Conservation.
9/14/2020
Conservation, Events, Land Management, Native Animals, Native Plants, News
Enjoy breakfast at Botna Bend Park with our annual Pancake Feed done Social Distance Style!
9/4/2020
Botna Bend Park, Events, Family Fun, News
5/8/2020
Events, Family Fun, Hiking, Hitchcock Nature Center, Homeschool
UPDATE 5/19/2020 LHNSP personnel & Hitchcock Nature Center staff have made the decision to cancel our Third Annual Trails Day event originally scheduled for May 30th. We hope to bring you another volunteer work day in the future. Thank you for your support.
5/1/2020
Conservation, Events, Hitchcock Nature Center, Land Management, Loess Hills, Volunteering
4/23/2020
Conservation, Events, Green Thumbs, Land Management, Training
The Pottawattamie Conservation Foundation is a part of nearly everything we do at your county parks. From funding free & low cost public programming, to supporting park improvements, to assisting with land acquisition this non-profit organization makes it possible for us to continue offering amazing experiences to all of our park visitors. Each year this amazing organization holds a terrific fundraiser to raise funds to continue this important mission. Attendees enjoy a beer tasting along with a live & silent auction during this fun evening.
8/30/2019
Conservation, Events
Take in the beauty of the annual Perseid Meteor Shower at on Saturday, August 10th at Hitchcock Nature Center. This spectacular display of lights and falling meteors is an event you don't want to miss. Join us at 8:30 p.m. on Saturday, August 10th at the park entrance. No pre-registration required.
7/17/2019
Hitchcock Nature Center, Events
The Loess Hills Nordic Ski Patrol is an invaluable partner organization, patrolling trails at Hitchcock Nature Center, supporting PCC staff during events, & offering important assistance to park visitors in need. We are so grateful for their continued support of our parks & our mission.
6/19/2019
Hitchcock Nature Center, Volunteering, Training, Events, Loess Hills
Four programs in one day! That's the goal at Hitchcock Nature Center on Saturday, May 11th & every second Saturday of the month until October! Our goal of providing something for everyone has really come to fruition & we hope to see lots of new faces & old friends as we kick off a summer of fun!
5/8/2019
Native Plants, Hitchcock Nature Center, Family Fun, Events, Speaker Series
Pottawattamie County Conservation is eagerly looking forward to welcoming Sharon Stiteler, aka "The Birdchick" as she kicks off our 2019 Speaker Series. This intrepid birder has made it her mission to get paid to go birding around the world & she has some amazing stories to share in her upcoming presentation "Today's Office" coming up on May 11th at 4:00 p.m. at Hitchcock Nature Center. This event is free with park admission or an annual membership & it is open to anyone age 14 & over.
4/13/2019
Bird Watching, Hitchcock Nature Center, Speaker Series, Events
Join us at Hitchcock Nature Center on Saturday, April 20th at 9:00 a.m. for a unique volunteer project. This fun, all ages event combines learning, volunteering, & competition all in one terrific package.
3/27/2019
Hitchcock Nature Center, Volunteering, Events, Conservation
Prior to Euro-American settlement, fire was a regular occurrence throughout the Great Plains and helped to maintain the health of our natural systems. In the modern age, land managers utilizing fire must be proficient and thus must train regularly.
3/5/2019
Our Staff, Training, Land Management, Hitchcock Nature Center, Events
Our Naturalists have been hard at work planning another great summer of fun at your county parks. This year's camps will be held at 4 different parks, over the course of 9 weeks, and will host nearly 400 students! Check out the list of camps below for details and click on the links to register the young people in your life today. Space is limited so don't delay!
3/1/2019
Hitchcock Nature Center, Arrowhead Park, Botna Bend Park, Events, Summer Camp
Our monthly programming series, A Pottawattamie County Almanac, doesn't end when the weather gets cool. You still have two more chances to join this one-of-a-kind programming series before the end of the season.
11/6/2018
Hitchcock Nature Center, Events
Pottawattamie County Conservation has a full day of programming planned for Saturday, October 13th. There is something for everyone and with events happening at 3 of our parks you are sure to find the perfect event for your Saturday!
10/11/2018
Halloween, Botna Bend Park, Autumn, Events, Hitchcock Nature Center, Speaker Series, Arrowhead Park, Family Fun
Do you have a passion for conservation and a desire to learn more about sustainable land management practices & conservation? Well we have a great program for you! All members of the public including students of all ages, land owners, conservation enthusiasts, outdoor adventurers, and anyone interested in learning responsible land management practices are invited to join us at Hitchcock Nature Center for our 2018 Introduction to Land Management program. All experience levels are encouraged to attend this 6 session programming series.
5/24/2018
Hitchcock Nature Center, Events, Conservation, Land Management, Training
Join us for another summer of fun with Pottawattamie County Parks! Our Naturalists have all new adventures planned for our 2018 campers. From Pre-K adventures with Fairies & Pirates to canoe excursions & overnight camping adventures for our older learners - PCCB Summer Camps offer something for everyone in 2018!
2/21/2018
Hitchcock Nature Center, Arrowhead Park, Botna Bend Park, Events, Summer Camp
The oak tree is a symbol as much as it is a tree. Dotting the landscape of the Midwest, oak trees have been a common sight since before European settlement. But a newly recognized disease has taken aim at these mighty trees and we want to know why.
1/30/2018
Native Plants, Hitchcock Nature Center, Volunteering, Conservation, Events, Training
During the past year your Pottawattamie County Conservation Naturalists have been busy brainstorming new and exciting family-oriented programming for 2018.
1/23/2018
Rene Stroud, Naturalist
Homeschool, Hitchcock Nature Center, Events, Family Fun
Pottawattamie County Conservation's amazing Naturalists Kristen & Rene have been hard at work putting together another season of great programming. 2017 was a year of change for our Environmental Education Department with the creation of the Adult Education Programming, a complete overhaul of our field trip & in school programming, & the addition of a couple brand new program series. 2018 looks like it will continue that trend! We have added a brand new program geared toward our homeschool friends, a new snowshoe hike for children under 12, and new guided hike opportunities.
1/19/2018
Rene Stroud, Naturalist and Kate Simmons, Community Relations Coordinator
Family Fun, Events, Hitchcock Nature Center, Botna Bend Park, Arrowhead Park, Narrows River Park, Hiking
Join us at Hitchcock Nature Center for birding in a whole new way!
1/12/2018
Bird Watching, Pheasants Forever, Hitchcock Nature Center, Native Animals, Events
Get a full year of free access to all Pottawattamie County parks.
Become a member of the Pottawattamie Conservation Foundation