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News & Blog: Native Plants

Keep up-to-date with the latest news and blog entries from Pottawattamie Conservation! For even more news and updates, sign up for our e-Newsletter!

Things to Look for with Your Little Tike: June

Learn how to help your little one engage with the outdoors with our monthly Little Tike Hike tips.

6/12/2023
Kylie Jacott, Promotions & Outreach Coordinator
Environmental Education, Family Fun, Hiking, Native Animals, Native Plants, Summer

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In the News: Council Bluffs named Bee City USA for conservation efforts

Council Bluffs has joined more than 150 cities and towns across the country in being named a Bee City USA affiliate by the Portland, Oregon-based nonprofit organization.

5/5/2022
David Golbitz, The Daily Nonpareil
Conservation, Environmental Education, Native Plants, News

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Join us for a Hitch Hike this Summer

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

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Getting to Know Benjamin Vogt

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

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Litter Busters!

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

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Monarchs, Apples & the Law

Thistles have an important part to play in the life of a monarch butterfly.

2/19/2021
Jeff Franco, Deputy Director
Conservation, Environmental Education, Habitat Areas, Land Management, Loess Hills, Native Animals, Native Plants

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Explore the Rhythm of Nature with A Land Ethic Workshop in 2021

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

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Winter Tree Identification: Part 1

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

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What's on the Menu for Winter Wildlife

What do animals eat during the cold winter months? Find out what's on the menu!

1/8/2021
Conservation, Land Management, Loess Hills, Native Animals, Native Plants

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Nature is More Awesome than a Video Game

No matter how great video games are they can't beat the great outdoors!

12/24/2020
Conservation, Family Fun, Loess Hills, Native Animals, Native Plants

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Last Minute Gift Ideas for the Nature Lover

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

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When a Tree Falls in the Woods

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

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Bumble Bee Bed & Breakfast

A chilly September morning finds two bumble bee bachelors fast asleep and tucked away into a stiff stem goldenrod. A common sight this time of the year for those in the right place at the right time. If these males are fit enough their genetics will be passed on to a new colony of bumble bees next spring.

9/22/2020
Autumn, Green Thumbs, Loess Hills, Native Animals, Native Plants

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Go Wild For Conservation in 2020!

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

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Plant Family Focus: Asteraceae

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

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Milkweed & Monarchs

Milkweed is essential for monarch butterfly survival. Learn more about this amazing plant & ways you can help support monarch populations.

9/1/2020
Malena Brotherson, Environmental Education Intern
Conservation, Green Thumbs, Homeschool, Land Management, Loess Hills, Native Animals, Native Plants

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Flora Feature: Ironweed

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

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Identify: Tremendous Trees

4/24/2020
Kody Wohlers, Natural Resources Technician
Autumn, Native Plants

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Beautiful Spring Bloodroot

4/16/2020
Amy Campagna, Environmental Education Coordinator
Conservation, Hiking, Loess Hills, Native Plants

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The Fiery Hues of the Prairie Grasses in Autumn

I don’t think enough people give our native grasses the fame they deserve.

10/30/2019
Native Plants, Autumn, Conservation

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Discover "Sacred Seed: an Indigenous Heirloom Seed Journey" with Taylor Keen at Hitchcock Nature Center

Join us for the fourth installment of the 2019 Speaker Series on Saturday, August 10th at Hitchcock Nature Center as we welcome Taylor Keen founder of Sacred Seed, a project with the goal of preserving Native American heritage & history through collecting, growing, & spreading the seeds of corn & other traditional Native American foods. Taylor will be sharing his personal story of reuniting with his tribal roots & reconnecting with the 4 Sisters (corn, beans, squash, & sunflower). The ensuing journey has connections to an ancient & deep cosmology & history of how Indigenous corn was appropriated into commercial use & is now being revived by tribal seed keepers.  This event is free with park admission or an annual membership & it is open to anyone age 14 & over.

8/2/2019
Speaker Series, Hitchcock Nature Center, Conservation, Native Plants

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Discover Prairies, People, & Place with Doug Ladd at Hitchcock Nature Center

Join Pottawattamie County Conservation in welcoming Doug Ladd, recently retired Director of Conservation Science for the Missouri Chapter of The Nature Conservancy as he discusses the hows & whys of our prairie heritage during “Prairies, People, & Place” coming up on June 8th 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.  

5/16/2019
Speaker Series, Hitchcock Nature Center, Native Plants, Conservation

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Something for Everyone May 11th

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

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Book Review: Bringing Nature Home by Douglas Tallamy

I read and re-read Douglas Tallamy’s book “Bringing Nature Home: How you can sustain wildlife with native plants” the updated and expanded version. This book covers the importance of native plants in the ecosystem and how they are foundational for sustaining our wildlife populations in natural areas and the ever spreading suburbia. Doug covers everything from “what is a native plant” to giving us practical advice on how to re-incorporate native plants into your property’s landscape.

3/8/2019
Native Plants, Book Reviews, Conservation, Green Thumbs

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It's Winter in Pottawattamie County

Many people view winter as a sterile, cold, miserable time of the year. A time when the smartest thing to do is hide out in the house until spring. I sometimes think like this, too.  I am no fan of the icy winds that burn your cheeks and freeze fingertips. I prefer the warming spring days, the hot sun of summer, and the cooling breezes of fall. However, now that I am your new Naturalist, I see it as my duty to appreciate every season, even the bitter cold one… So come along with me as we explore the Loess Hills ecosystem and its’ inhabitants in the winter! Should be an adventure!

1/25/2019
Winter, Hitchcock Nature Center, Native Plants, Native Animals, Loess Hills

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Citizen Science & Volunteering Combine at Hitchcock Nature Center

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

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