Story County Conservation – Prairie Rivers of Iowa Featured Partner

by Mike Kellner | May 3, 2023

Connecting people with nature and improving natural resources — making Story County a great place to live, work, and recreate. — Story County Conservation’s Mission

Story County Conservation (SCC) maintains over 3,500 acres of parks and natural areas like prairies, wetlands, and oxbows. Special areas of focus include preserving native environments and habitat restoration, stopping the spread of invasive species, and water quality improvement.

Recreationally, SCC offers a variety of outdoor leisure opportunities and quality recreational facilities that feature fishing, bird watching, camping, hiking, swimming, picnicking, boating, bicycling, and hunting.

They are instrumental in helping landowners develop and manage wildlife and habitat plantings and maintain vegetation along Story County roadways.

Their outstanding environmental education program works with school districts and daycares to provide programming and outdoor field trips that promote environmental awareness and fun. Visit their website here for all the details!

Q&A

Prairie Rivers: Why is it important for Story County to partner with Prairie Rivers of Iowa?

Story County Conservation: The mission of Story County Conservation is to connect people with nature and improve natural resources – making Story County a great place to live, work, and recreate. This is only possible through meaningful partnerships. Prairie Rivers of Iowa shares many of the same values and objectives. Public-private partnerships leverage the unique abilities of each. The Prairie Rivers/Story County Conservation partnership specifically provides feasible and meaningful improvements to the environmental and social fabric of the community. Through the partnership with PRI, SCC can engage residents through a volunteer citizen water monitoring program. The data collected twice a month is used by PRI to analyze trends and hotspots for pollutants in the county. The volunteer water monitoring program is part of a 10-year water monitoring plan developed by PRI, SCC, the City of Ames, the City of Nevada, the City of Gilbert, the City of Huxley, Iowa State University, Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture, Izaak Walton League, Story County Soil and Water Conservation District and the Story County Community Foundation. Additional initiatives worked on by the SCC/PRI partnership include watershed boundary signage, creek signage, creek and river clean-ups, watershed assessments, and water quality education.

Prairie Rivers: What is the first or most important thing that comes to mind that Story County Conservation has done to inspire citizens to get out and make a difference to improve conservation efforts within the county?

Story County Conservation: Story County Conservation engages with people in many contexts to break down barriers to help connect people with the outdoors. Whether it be through classroom programs, discovery hikes, outdoor recreation opportunities, environmental stewardship education, and involvement, or simply opportunities to enjoy nature, SCC helps people discover the values of the natural environment.

Story County Conservation Watershed Coordinator Sara Carmichael During Creek Cleanup

Jerry Radke Leaves a Legacy

by Mike Kellner | Apr 17, 2023

Jerry Radke of Nevada, Iowa was a conservationist known for his hard work and a “yes I can” attitude with a passion for improving soil and water quality. At Jerry’s request, after his passing last fall, Prairie Rivers of Iowa received many generous donations in his memory, helping us and the citizens of Story County continue his legacy and the important work involved.

His love for the outdoors and the environment started on the family farm where at a young age Jerry helped work dairy and beef cattle, hogs, chickens, ducks, and geese. Jerry would tell the story about how at the age of three his father put him on a tractor where he had to stand and brace his head against the seat so his feet could reach the pedals.

Jerry attended a one-room school through the eight-grade, went on to graduate high school, earn a bachelor of science in soils from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, a master’s in soil physics from Iowa State followed by a return to Wisconsin to earn a Ph.D. in soil physics.

Jerry Radke volunteering during a Story County Arbor Day event.

Jerry Radke (left foreground) volunteering at a Story County Soil and Water Conservation District Arbor Day event.

During his professional career as a soil physicist, Jerry worked at the North Central Soil Conservation Research Lab in Minnesota then retired from the US Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research at the National Soil Tilth Lab in Ames. His work took him around the world while he continued to study soil structure, soil temperature, and instrumentation. His published articles included research related to freezing and thawing soils, plus the effects of water and nutrient movement within soil profiles.

Here at Prairie Rivers, we primarily got to know Jerry through his service as a Story County Soil and Water District (SWCD) Commissioner. When asked about what was the most important legacy that Jerry left for the citizens of Story County, his daughter Katrina Radke had a hard time pointing to just one thing. He was deeply involved with the SWCD and Story County conservation projects, the Lions Club, and the church. “He always wanted to do what was best for the soil, conservation, nature, and recycling,” Katrina shared. “He always had a compost pile and was into reusing everything as much as possible rather than wasting it.”

“Some of our most cherished family memories were hiking and camping in Minnesota state parks and national parks throughout the country,“ Katrina fondly remembers, “Obviously, his value for the environment was big. Something else I view as a legacy from him was the good old-fashioned values of discipline, hard work, pursuing what you love to do, and immersing yourself in it. He was a very honest working good man with integrity and high expectations. Being of service to humanity and the land was important to him.”

Katrina concludes with, “I loved my dad very dearly. He was very much a part of my life in terms of a creative voice and teacher.”

If you’d like to reach out to Jerry’s family with a note, please email his wife Susan at susan@susanradke.com or his daughter Katrina at coach@wecoach4u.com.

Here at Prairie Rivers of Iowa, we are grateful for the memorials given in honor of Jerry Radke and his family. If you or a loved one have questions about establishing a memorial to assist Prairie Rivers of Iowa’s work, please contact our Director Penny Brown Huber.

Hardin County Conservation’s Chris Barber Joins Prairie Rivers Board

by Mike Kellner | Apr 13, 2023

Biologist Chris Barber has been elected as Prairie Rivers of Iowa’s (PRI) newest board member. Chris’s know-how as the interpretive park manager for Hardin County Conservation’s Calkins Nature Area will be beneficial to PRI’s conservation efforts. In his role at Calkin’s, Chris oversees the management of 76 park acres covered in prairie, forest, riparian, and wetland habitats along the banks of the Iowa River. Park visitors can also experience a nature center, museum, live wildlife display, butterfly house amphitheater, hiking trails, and bird observatory.

Chris Barber holding a rose-breasted grosbeak at the Calkins Nature Area.

Chris Barber befriending a rose-breasted grosbeak at the Calkins Nature Area.

Screech owl show and tell.

Barber has a biology degree from the University of Northern Iowa with an emphasis on ecology and systematics. He worked and studied at the Tallgrass Prairie Center while earning his master’s in biology. He also served as an infantryman in the Iowa National Guard and worked for two years at the University of Nebraska as a research technologist in grassland ecology. As if that’s not enough, he’s also on the Ellsworth College Conservation Technology Advisory Board and an adjunct instructor for the conservation department.

When he finds some spare time, Chris enjoys fishing, kayaking, camping, hiking, and golf. However, spare time priorities tend to focus more on enjoying spending family time while attending school events like sports, band concerts and plays.

I recently had a chance to ask Barber a few questions. Here’s what I found out:

What made you decide to join the Prairie Rivers of Iowa Board?
I have always been passionate about conservation in the state of Iowa. I’d had a meeting with Director Penny Brown Huber a few years prior and was somewhat familiar with Prairie Rivers’ mission so I was excited for the opportunity to serve on the board. After a deeper dive into the organization I’ve been thoroughly impressed with all the work that is currently being done, and I look forward to being a part of it.

I know you’re new, but if you’ve given it any thought, what might be something you hope to accomplish and/or what direction you’d like PRI to take?
As with any non-profit organization, funding is always an issue so I would love to see continued growth in that area, and I think that will also improve our public awareness. I’m a prairie guy so I would love to see us involved in projects that promote the use of prairies in an agricultural landscape which is crucial for improving water quality and expanding habitat.

How do you see your role at Harding County Conservation fit with what we are doing here at Prairie Rivers?
I definitely think my role here at Hardin County Conservation ties closely with what Prairie Rivers is accomplishing. My goals at Calkins Nature Area and Museum of educating the public about conservation issues, preservation and expansion of native habitats, and the preservation of historical artifacts go hand in hand with the goals of Prairie Rivers.

Please welcome Chris! We are excited to be the beneficiaries of his vast experience and enthusiasm! As a member of our community, you will too.

Family adventure in Costa Rica.

Working a prescribed fire.

Nice smallmouth catch!

Photos courtesy of Chris Barber and Hardin County Conservation.

Iowa Lands Prominent North American Prairie Conference

by Mike Kellner | Apr 11, 2023

Once in a while something big and potentially impactful happens! Something that brings together people from around North America to address the issues of biodiversity, climate change, soil and water quality and more. Something that lays out information from researchers, educators, allied professionals, students, conservation specialists, landowners and organizations who will share their latest findings while raising important questions during dozens of informative sessions and exciting, hands-on field trips.

The North American Prairie Conference will be held on June 26 -29 in Altoona, Iowa (just outside of Des Moines), right in the heart of the tallgrass prairie region in the U.S. For four days, attendees will learn and discuss, hope and dream and craft real-world action to expand prairies on the continent. Attendees will place themselves in a world that addresses the value of one of the most important and endangered ecosystems.

Prairie Walk at Jennett Heritage Area in Story County, IA

“Our future success as a society will in part derive from the degree to which we recognize and fulfill our obligation to ensure our grandchildren and their grandchildren have the opportunity to interact with and benefit from these wondrous grasslands, ” wrote Douglas Ladd in an issue of the Missouri Prairie Journal, “We depend on these biological systems to sustain us as a people, meeting human needs through healthy productive soils, clean and abundant waters, pollinator reservoirs, flood and erosion prevention, and countless other amenities which taken for granted, can be prohibitively expensive to re-create once system integrity is lost.”

In addition, attendees can enjoy a full or half day on the land touring across Iowa to see prairie remnants! Options for field trips on June 27 include a choice amongst 17 remarkable remnant native prairies, oak-hickory savannas, research sites and expansive reconstructed prairies throughout central and southeast Iowa. Afterward, participants will revel in an evening of live entertainment, food and camaraderie with fellow participants.

Drake University Professor of Ecology and Botany Dr. Thomas Rosburg is this year’s conference chair. Rosburg will join keynote speakers including the University of Northern Iowa Tallgrass Prairie Center Director Dr. Laura Jackson, Xerces Society of Invertebrate Conservation Co-Director of Pollinator Conservation Eric Lee-Mäder and the Former Director of The Nature Conservancy in Missouri Douglas Ladd to headline the conference.

Bison on Tallgrass Prairie at the Neal Smith Wildlife Refuge. Grayson Smith/UFWS Photo

During one of the field trips being offered, you can spend your afternoon at the Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge, a 6,000 acre reconstructed prairie with bison, elk, rare plant species and other interesting wildlife.

The North American Prairie Conference is America’s oldest and most celebrated native grassland conference. The conference is made possible by hundreds of attendees, volunteers, organizations and sponsors, including the Iowa Department of Transportation’s Living Roadway Trust Fund. This year’s co-hosts are the environmentally-minded nonprofits Prairie Rivers of Iowa and Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation.

Attendees can learn more and register at www.northamericanprairie.org. Students can apply for a limited number of scholarships www.iowaprairienetwork.org/napcscholarships.

Members of the media wanting a pass and wishing to attend the conference or any field trips can contact Penny Brown Huber at pbrownhuber@prrcd.org.

A Lincoln Highway Gem — The Historic Lincoln Hotel

by Jonathan Sherwood | Apr 7, 2023

One of the gems of the Lincoln Highway in Iowa is the historic Lincoln Hotel in Lowden, Iowa in Cedar County. Following a complete restoration, the hotel was listed on the National Register of Historic Places 1996 by Susan Licht for the owners at the time Brad and Elizabeth Norton. They started restoration work in 1992 with a historic resource grant from the government. At that time, the town saw little value in the building and considered burning it to the ground. It had sat empty since 1981.

The inside, however, has changed numerous times and was qualified for Housing and Urban Development (HUD) housing with HUD-style light fixtures. It was then fully occupied by tenants. Importantly, the dog legged yellow pine staircase has been preserved.

Built in anticipation of the Lincoln Highway’s construction, America’s first transcontinental highway, the property is associated with events that made a significant contribution to the broad patterns of our history. The original construction of the hotel started in March of 1915 by Cecelia Clemmens and her husband to coincide with the construction of the Lincoln Highway and was one of the first businesses in Lowden established to serve the automobile.

The historic Lincoln Hotel is located at the junction of Old Lincoln Highway and Hoover Highway in Lowden, Iowa. Built in 1915, the hotel originally hosted automobile travelers on the coast to coast Lincoln Highway. In 1996, after a complete rehabilitation, the Lincoln Hotel was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

With the construction of the new highway, came a demand for food and lodging from automobile travelers. The hotel provided an alternative to railroad hotels, campgrounds, and motor courts. At its beginning, a stay at the Lincoln Hotel cost $2 a night and a steak dinner was only 75 cents.

No longer $2 a night, the hotel still offers very affordable rates for each of its four suites that feature private baths, queen size beds, and luxury linens. And as their website notes, “guests can enjoy a quiet small-town setting surrounded by beautiful farms and scenic byways”. Most notably, the Lincoln Highway Heritage Byway. It’s a great place to experience history while getting away from the craziness of everyday life. Don’t worry though, they do have Wi-Fi if you need a “reality check” during your stay.

Another factor of the hotel’s significance is the modern Prairie School architectural style, one of the only examples in Lowden. Elements that make up this style are the low-hipped roof, wide overhangs, and textured stucco with a neutral color. The building faces south with a wide front porch to cover guests from the elements.

In the 1990s, owners took the exterior down past the old stucco and rebuilt using a similar building method of pebble dash stucco. Everything on the outside is preserved close to its original state. The windows, the Tuscan-style columns on the porch, and galvanized pipe railings are all original.

More work was done in 2019 to incorporate modern amenities. “It has been fun and wonderful to restore,” according to Owner-Proprietor Melissa Schliff-Hardman, “We are very proud to operate the hotel.”

Today local events drive visitors according to Schliff-Hardman. “We see people come for birthdays, family reunions, and the occasional wedding,” she reveals. Bicyclists feel at home too includung a place for bike storage inside. Lincoln Highway enthusiasts and car clubs stay from time to time and appreciate the history. “Some visitors are train enthusiasts too and stay for the soothing night train sounds,” adds Melissa.

A Preservation Iowa “Preservation at Its Best” award winner, the Lincoln Hotel is a fine example of what can be done to preserve Lincoln Highway in Iowa cultural and historic places. Visit them on the web at www.lincolnhoteliowa.com to learn more and make your reservation. You will enjoy your stay!

Visit Here for Area Dining Options

Visit Here for Things to Do

The Historic Lincoln Hotel
408 Main Street
Lowden, Iowa 52255
(818) 430-2942

Trees for the Bees: How to Support Wildlife this Arbor Day!

by Jessica Butters | Mar 31, 2023

A native bee visiting a redbud tree.

These warmer days make it hard to sit still; we all want to get a jump on our yard and garden plans! Maybe you’re thinking of adding some small pockets of pollinator habitat. Or perhaps you’ve finally decided to add a tree or two for shade. While there’s a dizzying number of guides for “pollinator flowers”, there’s less advice on how homeowners can utilize trees and shrubs to support wildlife.

Planting a tree can be an investment not only of money but of time as well. When thinking about the long-term goals for your property, it’s important to think about the legacy you want to leave behind, as the tree may outlive you. Planting the right trees can not only increase your property’s appeal; it can also provide habitat for songbirds and pollinators for decades to come! So which trees are attractive to pollinators, are native to Iowa, and look great in our yards? We’ve put together a list to answer some of these questions, just in time for Arbor Day, which falls on April 28 this year!

But first: why trees?

Native trees and shrubs provide excellent wildlife habitat in several ways. Many provide an early flower source for pollinators such as bees and butterflies, and they are also great habitat for birds! Trees provide nesting and hiding areas for birds, and can attract insects that birds need to feed their chicks (more on that later). Planting native trees will especially invite butterflies and moths to visit your yard and lay their eggs, which hatch into caterpillars. These caterpillars then snack on tree and shrub leaves (they won’t do any real damage) until they spin their chrysalises or get plucked by a bird. Caterpillars and other insects are fundamental to the food web: they are the juicy, protein-filled link between plants and larger animals. If you want to see beautiful butterflies and songbirds, you should plant native trees that support native insects!

A blue jay with an acorn.

Native trees are central to an exciting, diverse yard!

The nonnative ginko tree (the one with fan-shaped leaves) supports about 4 species of caterpillars. In contrast, native oak trees alone can support 534 species of caterpillars (according to Dr. Doug Tallamy*). Consider the fact that black-capped chickadees need at least 300 caterpillars a day to feed their chicks – that’s about 5,000 caterpillars needed in a few weeks while the chicks grow! And this is just one example. Imagine if you had three chickadee families in your yard, or five other species of birds visiting your feeders. Suddenly, native trees just seem practical, and planting nonnative trees, such as a ginko, seems, as Tallamy put it, “equivalent to erecting a statue” in terms of its usefulness.

A young chickadee and parent.

Unhelpful trees:

Let’s address the elephant in the room: some trees and shrubs commonly planted in yards are pretty damaging; they easily spread from our yards and choke out native plants that wildlife depend upon, and cost cities and counties thousands of dollars to remove from natural areas and building foundations (some of these trees’ roots can actually compromise the integrity of buildings). Some trees and shrubs to stay away from include: Bradford or Callery pear trees (Pyrus calleryana; also their flowers smell bad), Norway maples (Acer platanoides), buckthorn (Frangula species), multiflora rose (Rosa multiflora), tree of heaven (Ailanthus altissima), and Amur and Morrow’s honeysuckle (Lonicera maackii and L. morrowii, respectfully).

Lastly, do your best to avoid planting cultivars and hybrids that promise better color, bigger flowers, etc. Most native trees (especially maples) produce spectacular fall color anyway, and the hybrids you see in the nurseries will likely be sterile, and won’t produce flowers that attract pollinators or birds (if they produce any at all). It is also important to note that nonnative shrubs, trees, and hybrids may tout that they produce berries, and therefore support wildlife. Birds in particular may feed on berries only certain times of the year, and that time may not coincide with berry production on hybrid plants. Additionally, these nonnative plants will not come close to supporting the number of caterpillars needed to keep birds nesting in or near your yard.

Bradford pear tree with smelly flowers.

Multiflora rose choking out trees.

Now for the main event: the best shrubs and trees to plant!

How the lists are set up: Shrubs, small trees, and larger trees that are native to Iowa and beneficial to pollinators are listed below in order of bloom time. Each table describes a specific genus or species of tree, which is pictured to the right of the table (or below in mobile format).

Shrubs and small trees are listed first, and larger trees are listed afterwards. A small picture of the blooms produced by a shrub or tree may be displayed in the corner of the picture of the mature plant. These are not exhaustive lists; they are meant to get you started!

{ See end of article for a list of places to purchase native shrubs and trees! }

Shrubs

The following native plant species are shrubs and small trees reaching a maximum height of 30 feet. These trees are perfect for small yards, or large yards that want to add visual interest and diversity by planting trees of varying heights. Some of these shrubs also make great hedges or borders near property lines! Be sure to look up how some of these shrubs spread to make sure their maintenance needs meet your expecations.

Common Name	Bloom Period	Sun and Soil Needs
Pussy Willow	Early to Mid-Spring	Full Sun, Wet – Moist
Species Name	Bloom Length	Wildlife Supported
Salix discolor	2 Weeks	Pollinators, Birds
Max Height	Bloom Description	Fall Color
6 – 20 ft	Small, fluffy white catkins	Dull green – yellow

Common Name	Bloom Period	Sun and Soil Needs
Serviceberry (Juneberry)	Mid-Spring	Part – Full Sun, Moist – Dry
Species Name	Bloom Length	Wildlife Supported
Amelanchier arborea	1 – 2 Weeks	Pollinators, Birds, and more
Max Height	Bloom Description	Fall Color
6 – 20 ft	White, 1-inch flowers	Red-orange

Common Name	Bloom Period	Sun and Soil Needs
Eastern Redbud	Mid-Spring	Part – Full Sun, Moist – Dry
Species Name	Bloom Length	Wildlife Supported
Cercis canadensis	4 Weeks	Pollinators
Max Height	Bloom Description	Fall Color
15 – 25 ft	Showy pink flowers	Yellow

Common Name	Bloom Period	Sun and Soil Needs
American Plum	Mid- to late Spring	Part – Full Sun, Medium
Species Name	Bloom Length	Wildlife Supported
Prunus americana	2 Weeks	Pollinators, Mammals
Max Height	Bloom Description	Fall Color
10 – 15 ft	Showy white flowers	Red to Yellow

Common Name	Bloom Period	Sun and Soil Needs
Prairie Crab Apple	Late Spring	Part – Full Sun, Moist – Medium
Species Name	Bloom Length	Wildlife Supported
Malus ioensis	1 – 2 Weeks	Pollinators, Birds, and more
Max Height	Bloom Description	Fall Color
10 – 25 ft	Showy white-pink flowers	Brown-orangeish

Common Name	Bloom Period	Sun and Soil Needs
Gray Dogwood	Late Spring to Mid-Summer	Part – Full Sun, Moist – Medium
Species Name	Bloom Length	Wildlife Supported
Cornus racemosa	3 Weeks	Pollinators, Birds, and more
Max Height	Bloom Description	Fall Color
8 – 15 ft	Showy white flowers	Red-purple

Common Name	Bloom Period	Sun and Soil Needs
American Elderberry	Late Spring to Mid-Summer	Part – Full Sun, Moist
Species Name	Bloom Length	Wildlife Supported
Sambucus nigra canadensis, or Sambucus canadensis	3 – 4 Weeks	Pollinators, Birds
Max Height	Bloom Description	Fall Color
4 – 12 ft	Showy white flowers	Brown-reddish to Yellow

Trees

The following species are taller native trees ranging from 40 to 120 feet tall. These trees will provide high-quality habitat in larger yards, and are sure to attract and support wildlife, especially if mutlitple species are planted. Be sure to check if these trees create any fruits or seed pods so you can determine which trees best match your expectations.

Common Name	Bloom Period	Sun and Soil Needs
Maples (Sugar, Black, and others)	Early to Late Spring	Part – Full Sun, Medium
Species Name	Bloom Length	Wildlife Supported
Acer species	1 – 2 Weeks	Pollinators, Birds, and more
Max Height	Bloom Description	Fall Color
60 – 100 ft	Small yellow-green flowers	Striking colors, varies by species

Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum)

Common Name	Bloom Period	Sun and Soil Needs
Black Cherry	Late Spring to Early Summer	Part – Full Sun, Moist – Dry
Species Name	Bloom Length	Wildlife Supported
Prunus serotina	2 – 3 Weeks	Pollinators, Birds, and more
Max Height	Bloom Description	Fall Color
50 – 80 ft	Showy white flowers	Yellow to reddish

Common Name	Bloom Period	Sun and Soil Needs
Kentucky Coffeetree	Late Spring to Early Summer	Part – Full Sun, Moist – Medium
Species Name	Bloom Length	Wildlife Supported
Gymnocladus dioicus	2 – 3 Weeks	Pollinators, Birds
Max Height	Bloom Description	Fall Color
60 – 90 ft	Small white flowers	Yellow

Common Name	Bloom Period	Sun and Soil Needs
Basswood (Linden)	Early Summer	Part – Full Sun, Medium
Species Name	Bloom Length	Wildlife Supported
Tilia americana	2 Weeks	Pollinators
Max Height	Bloom Description	Fall Color
50 – 100 ft	Small white flowers	Dull green – yellow

Common Name	Bloom Period	Sun and Soil Needs
Oaks (Red, White, and others)	Varies	Varies
Species Name	Bloom Length	Wildlife Supported
Quercus species	Varies	Invaluable to countless wildlife
Max Height	Bloom Description	Fall Color
40 – 80 ft	Varies	Dull to striking colors

Northern Red Oak (Quercus rubra)

* = According to research by Dr. Doug Tallamy, author and faculty member at the University of Delaware.\

This article used a number of resources, including:

Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center Michigan Department of Natural Resources

Missouri Botanical Garden Michigan State University

University of Minnesota Extension USDA NRCS PLANTS Database

Some great native shrub and tree nurseries:

The State Forest Nursery: Ames, Iowa. 1-800-865-2477 or 515-233-1161

Iowa Native Trees and Shrubs: Woodward, Iowa. 515-664-8633

Blooming Prairie Nursery: Carlisle, Iowa. 515-689-9444

Happy Arbor Day, and happy tree planting!

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