If you haven't taken part in a winter nighttime hike before, 2023 is your year! Learn more about all of the beauty, wonder, and contemplation to be had underneath the starry winter sky from our newest Naturalist, Dustin:
1/5/2023
Dustin Clayton, Naturalist
Environmental Education, Healing Home, Hiking, Winter
Learn the ins and outs of backpacking and put your skills to the test with a guided overnight adventure in the Loess Hills!
4/25/2022
Kylie Jacott, Promotions & Outreach Coordinator
Hiking, Hitchcock Nature Center, Loess Hills, News
Join us as we shine a light on Pottawattamie Conservation volunteers to thank them for their time and talents and recognize the difference they make in our community. Our volunteers ROCK!
4/12/2022
Kylie Jacott, Promotions & Outreach Coordinator
Hiking, Hitchcock Nature Center, Loess Hills, Volunteering
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
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
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
Trees are easiest to identify by their leaves. So how do you identify a tree species in winter? We have the answer!
2/5/2021
Rene Stroud, Naturalist
Conservation, Family Fun, Hiking, Land Management, Loess Hills, Native Plants
Winter is a great time to explore your county parks. Here are some ideas to help you stay active all season long.
1/1/2021
Arrowhead Park, Botna Bend Park, Environmental Education, Family Fun, Hiking, Hitchcock Nature Center, Loess Hills, Winter
Follow Rene as she spends a morning on the trail of a coyote.
12/18/2020
Rene Stroud, Naturalist
Conservation, Hiking, Hitchcock Nature Center, Loess Hills, Native Animals
Looking for some last minute gift ideas for the nature lover in your life?
12/7/2020
Bird Watching, Conservation, Hiking, Holidays, Native Animals, Native Plants
Get ready to explore the unexplored at your county parks & habitat areas in 2021.
12/3/2020
Conservation, Hiking, Hitchcock Nature Center, Loess Hills, News
Take a walk with Naturalist Michelle Biodrowski & find out what actually happens when a tree falls in the woods.
11/25/2020
Conservation, Hiking, Land Management, Native Plants
These soft brown butterflies might not be the most showy insects but they have a beauty all their own, get to know the Little Wood-Satyr.
9/18/2020
Malena Brotherson, Environmental Education Intern
Conservation, Hiking, Land Management, Loess Hills, Native Animals
Get to know the Asteraceae family, the largest flowering plant family.
9/10/2020
Malena Brotherson & Kristen Yost, Environmental Education Interns
Conservation, Green Thumbs, Hiking, Land Management, Loess Hills, Native Plants
Pretty in purple, Ironweed is a common late summer flower in southwest Iowa.
8/13/2020
Kristen Yost, 2020 Environmental Education Intern
Conservation, Green Thumbs, Hiking, Land Management, Loess Hills, Native Plants
8/5/2020
Malena Brotherson, Environmental Education Intern
Arrowhead Park, Botna Bend Park, Conservation, Green Thumbs, Hiking, Hitchcock Nature Center, Land Management, Loess Hills, Narrows River Park, Native Plants
Head outdoors on your own birding scavenger hunt, perfect for some weekend fun.
7/28/2020
Kristen Yost, 2020 Environmental Education Intern
Arrowhead Park, Bird Watching, Botna Bend Park, Conservation, Family Fun, Hiking, Hitchcock Nature Center, Homeschool, Loess Hills, Narrows River Park, Native Animals
7/23/2020
Malena Brotherson, Environmental Education Intern
Arrowhead Park, Botna Bend Park, Conservation, Green Thumbs, Hiking, Hitchcock Nature Center, Land Management, Loess Hills, Narrows River Park, Native Plants
7/17/2020
Malena Brotherson, Environmental Education Intern
Arrowhead Park, Botna Bend Park, Conservation, Green Thumbs, Hiking, Hitchcock Nature Center, Land Management, Loess Hills, Narrows River Park, Native Plants
6/5/2020
Arrowhead Park, Botna Bend Park, Family Fun, Hiking, Hitchcock Nature Center, Narrows River Park, News
5/8/2020
Events, Family Fun, Hiking, Hitchcock Nature Center, Homeschool
4/28/2020
Conservation, Green Thumbs, Hiking, Hitchcock Nature Center, Native Plants
4/16/2020
Amy Campagna, Environmental Education Coordinator
Conservation, Hiking, Loess Hills, Native Plants
4/15/2020
Rene Stroud, Naturalist
Family Fun, Hiking, Homeschool
3/27/2020
Kate Simmons, Community Relations Coordinator
Bird Watching, Conservation, Family Fun, Hiking, Land Management, Native Animals, Native Plants
Looking for ways to explore Hitchcock Nature Center as a family this year? Check out our calendar of guided hikes! These are the perfect way to get outdoors and dip your toe into hiking in the Loess Hills as you explore Hitchcock Nature Center with PCCB staff leading the way. Not only will you get a chance to see the park you might also learn a thing or two.
3/10/2018
Hitchcock Nature Center, Family Fun, Hiking
Pottawattamie County Conservation invites you to join in the fun in 2018 with the Iowa Junior Naturalist Program.
2/7/2018
Volunteering, Bird Watching, Hiking, 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
Get a full year of free access to all Pottawattamie County parks.
Become a member of the Pottawattamie Conservation Foundation