Clayton County Conservation

05/29/2026

Meet Osborne Nature Center's oldest staff member, Ed the Box Turtle. Ed travels with our naturalists for educational visits across the county in schools, care centers, and libraries helping people of all ages learn about native reptiles. Due to his age (these turtles can live 25 years or longer) no one currently on staff is quite sure where Ed came from or when he arrived.

Box turtles are currently threatened in Iowa, requiring open and sandy habitats. If you happen to spot one in the wild be sure to observe from a distance. Although they can swim, these turtles live fully on land. Sporting bright yellow colors, the males also have red- or orange-colored eyes while females tend to have brown eyes. You can definitely tell Ed's eye color in his closeup!

Ed's sponsorship is currently open, if you are interested in "adopting" him please let us know!

05/28/2026

The Iowa DOT has notified the City of McGregor that the Bloody Run Bridge repair project in Marquette (near the casino) is now scheduled to begin June 15, 2026. The project is expected to take approximately four weeks to complete, weather permitting.

🚧 Traffic Update: Bloody Run Bridge Repair Project 🚧

The Iowa DOT has notified the City of McGregor that the Bloody Run Bridge repair project in Marquette (near the casino) is now scheduled to begin June 15, 2026. The project is expected to take approximately four weeks to complete, weather permitting.

During construction, the riverfront road between McGregor and Marquette will have limited access. Access along the riverfront route will be restricted to:
• Casino visitors
• Residents and visitors accessing “The Bench” neighborhood

All other traffic traveling between McGregor and Marquette will be detoured via Highway 18 and White Springs Hill.

We encourage residents, visitors, commuters, and businesses to plan accordingly. While temporary inconveniences are expected, these repairs are important to improving the long-term safety and reliability of the corridor.

Additional updates will be shared as they become available.

Questions? Please contact the City of McGregor at (563) 873-3795.

05/27/2026

In 2010, Iowans voted overwhelmingly to create the Natural Resources and Outdoor Recreation Trust Fund—committing to cleaner water, healthier soil, better wildlife habitat, and more outdoor opportunities for future generations. Yet years later, the Trust Fund remains unfunded.

That’s why we’re bringing people together across the state this summer. Join us at a grassroots meeting near you to learn more about the effort to Fund the Trust, connect with others, and be part of the work moving this forward.

Meetings are happening throughout Iowa, and meals will be provided. Take a look at the schedule below and RSVP for a location that works best for you. We’d love to see you there!

05/27/2026

Turtles are on the move right now, and they're STUBBORN. That's because they're out looking for a place to lay eggs (sometimes in gravel near the road, unfortunately). 🐢 🚧

Give them a hand during World Turtle Week (and beyond) without making them grumpier 👇

If you see a turtle trying to cross the road and it's safe for you to do so:
Pick up the turtle with both hands (with gloves if you have them) by the shell, and from behind. Do NOT pick up a turtle by its tail! (It can cause spinal damage.)

For snapping turtles, you may want to just encourage it across the road rather than picking it up. If you do pick it up, grab the snapper by its back legs with its head facing AWAY from your body. ***Trust us on the "away from your body" part.***

Always move the turtle in the direction it was already moving. Otherwise, it will just try to cross again after you leave. We said they're stubborn, remember? Do not take the turtle to a different location, and especially not home with you. They don't need to be rescued, just a crossing guard. 🐢🚸

If the turtle is sitting in gravel, leave it be, as it's likely nesting.

Wash your hands thoroughly after handling a turtle.

05/26/2026

We are having phone issues again. If you need to reach us call 245-1220

05/24/2026

To honor our heroes on Memorial Day, Monday, May 25th, the Osborne Welcome Center will be closed.

05/22/2026

The Turkey River Safari Begins! this weekend!

You can pick up your kits over the weekend at our nature centers!

⏰ Nature Center Hours ⏰
🌱 Clayton County Conservation's Osborne Welcome/Nature Center summer hours (April-October) are Monday-Saturday 8:00 AM-4:00 PM & Sunday 12:00-4:00 PM (Kits are also available at Motor Mill Historic Site 10:00 AM-5:00 PM each day)
🌱 Fayette County Conservation's Gilbertson Nature Center summer hours (Memorial Day-Labor Day) STARTING TOMORROW are Wednesday-Sunday 11:00 AM-4:00 PM (Also open May 25th 11 AM-4 PM!)

Kits are also available during regular hours at the Visit Fayette County office inside the West Union Together office in West Union and at the Clayton County Development Group office in Elkader! Call ahead for these locations to make sure they are open! 😉

Please consider registering to help us keep track of how many people are enjoying the program throughout the summer here: https://turkeyrivercorridor.com/turkey-river-safari/

05/22/2026

If you've visited Osborne's native wildlife exhibit in the last 12 years you've likely seen our Black Bear Wally, a visitor favorite! Born in captivity in April 2013, Wally came to us from a wildlife sanctuary in Northern Minnesota. He was named after a former staff member who retired the same summer Wally came to live at Osborne. As part of his enrichment activities, Wally loves using his keen sense of smell to scavenge nuts hidden in his enclosure by staff.

Iowa does see the occasional black bear visitor in the wild, usually in the spring, but they have yet to reestablish a breeding population in the state. Recent studies by the Iowa DNR indicate Northeast Iowa could support just over 1,000 individuals. Black bears rarely harm humans, but as a precaution give them plenty of space to move on and also take away food attractants if you catch a glimpse of these magnificent animals in the wild!

https://www.iowadnr.gov/news-release/2025-04-29/black-bear-sightings-rise-northeast-iowa

05/20/2026

** Our regular line is now working

If you are trying to reach the office at Osborne you will need to call 245-1220 until our main line is fixed. Thank you.

05/19/2026

Will you consider a donation to the Osborne Partners for Education Endowment? Great Give Day is a great way to help our our organization reach more people through conservation education.
https://www.greatgiveday.org/organization/Osbornepartnersforeducation

The Osborne Partners for Education Endowment Fund is proud to be participating in Great Give Day, a 24-hour charitable challenge organized by the Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque. The online giving holiday will take place on May 20. Mark your calendars, because we will need your help! We will be joining more than 200 local nonprofits to raise money together and compete for additional prize money.

Great Give Day is a community-wide event to show off Eastern Iowa’s spirit of giving, raise awareness about local nonprofits, and celebrate the collective effort it takes to make our region great. Learn more at GreatGiveDay.org.

How can you help the Osborne Partners for Education Endowment Fund during Great Give Day?
• Save the date. May 20, 2026 will be a great day of generosity. Get excited and ready to share your enthusiasm for Osborne Partners for Education Endowment Fund throughout the day.
• Schedule a gift. For your convenience, you can schedule gifts beginning May 1. We
encourage you to donate early if you cannot participate on May 20.
• Donate to us on May 20 at GreatGiveDay.org!
• Spread the word. Tell your friends that you will be giving to us during Great
Give Day on May 20 and that you need their help.
• Share your love and rally behind the cause with a new cheer page. This can help
friends, family, and coworkers to donate on and before Great Give Day.
• Post about Great Give Day on your social media pages. Let your friends and followers know how they can give and how their donations can help us win prize funds. Don’t forget to use to reach more people.
• Cheer us on. On May 20, watch the leaderboard on GreatGiveDay.org and stay up to date on our progress via social media.

Thank you for your ongoing support of the Osborne Partners for Education Endowment Fund. We can’t wait to see the community band together again to give big.