Hitchcock Nature Center

06/11/2026

Don't forget to register for our Grazing Field Day!

Join us at Hitchcock Nature Center on Wednesday, June 17th, for a Conservation Grazing Field Day. The morning session will include discussions on grazing public lands, the benefits of native forage, and conservation grazing strategies. Lunch will be served, and a field tour will follow. Field tour highlights will include fire-grazing interactions, mobile mineral feeder impacts, exclosures, hiker gates, and solar water pumps.

Check out our amazing line-up of guest speakers:

Aric Ping | Natural Resource Technician, Pottawattamie Conservation

Amy Crouch | Little Sioux Project Director, The Nature Conservancy

Matt Vermeersch | Owner, Root and Raise Land and Livestock

Kayla Creek | Livestock Specialist, Iowa NRCS

Tucker Lutter | Iowa Conservation Manager, Audubon Upper Mississippi River

Chris Helzer | Nebraska Director of Science and Stewardship, The Nature Conservancy

Pre-registration is required. Save your spot today or learn more!
Registration closes Monday, June 15th, at 11:59 p.m.
https://www.pottconservation.com/.../grazing.../2026-06-17/

06/11/2026

Cooler weather is on the way this weekend! Enjoy a beautiful morning with the littles this Saturday during Wild Sprouts and explore Badger Ridge Trail to see what is blooming during a color scavenger hunt.

Pre-registration is required for this event. Make sure to save your spot: https://www.pottconservation.com/calendar/wild_sprouts_ndash_empowering_little_ones_to_grow_and_thrive_in_the_wild/2026-06-13/

06/10/2026

Honored to be featured alongside so many other beautiful areas across the county!

Don't forget to subscribe to Unleash Council Bluffs for local events, eats, stays, and more.

Get out and explore the beauty of Pottawattamie County, where every stop is worth snapping a photo. From rolling hills and peaceful rivers to charming streets and hidden gems, these scenic spots are perfect for making memories, capturing breathtaking views, and discovering the natural charm of South...

06/10/2026

Are you passionate about protecting Iowa’s natural areas? Do you have ideas for improving parks, water quality, and your community? Make your voice heard this Saturday, June 13th during a REAP Assembly with Iowa Department of Natural Resources at Hitchcock Nature Center!

Hitchcock has been the proud recipient of more than $1.8 million in Resource Enhancement and Protection program funds that have supported park expansion, environmental education, and habitat improvement projects at the park since 1991.

Attendees will learn how REAP funding has transformed communities across Cass County, Harrison County, Pottawattamie County, and Shelby County, connect with like-minded citizens who are interested in natural and cultural resource work, and have an opportunity to share how REAP can better serve their community and region. YOUR input will form the basis of regional recommendations and inform each county’s 5-year REAP plan.

Pre-registration is not required, but will help us plan for seating and light refreshments: https://www.pottconservation.com/calendar/reap_assembly/2026-06-13/

Please meet in the Goldfinch Room at the Loess Hills Lodge at 10:30 a.m. Attendees do not need to pay park entry fees. The assembly will commence around noon.

We hope to see you there!

06/10/2026

Happy ! Any guesses on which species this is for this week’s ?

06/09/2026

Do you want a chance to take home a piece of the park? Join us July 18th for the Crescent Hill 5k | Tow Rope Trot for a chance at winning an eco-friendly medal. Medals were cut by Park Ranger Chad Graeve from trees cleared during a prairie restoration project, and designed by Crescent Hill’s very own Site Manager, Chris Andrew.

Register today at: https://runsignup.com/Race/IA/HoneyCreek/CrescentHill5K

🏃 Through June 18th - $35
🏃‍♀️ June 19th through July 17th - $40
🏃‍♂️ $45 on July 18th/Race day (Payments must be made onsite by card)

Can't make it? You can still support this 5K fundraiser by making a donation here: https://runsignup.com/Race/Donate/IA/HoneyCreek/CrescentHill5K

06/08/2026

Join community members like you who are passionate about protecting Iowa's natural resources this Saturday, 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at Hitchcock Nature Center.

Pre-registration is not required but is encouraged and will help us plan for seating and refreshments.
https://www.pottconservation.com/calendar/reap_assembly/2026-06-13/

If you love views like this, thank a REAP Assembly. Better yet, bring your ideas for local conservation efforts to your regional REAP assembly meeting this summer!

You can take in this stunning view at one assembly meeting site, the Hitchcock Nature Center in Pottawattamie County, which received its first REAP grant in 1991. Since then, the site has successfully secured at least five additional REAP grants, including a major award in 2024, to protect and enhance this incredible rugged landscape.

At a REAP Assembly meeting, you'll hear info on projects in your area and be able to help identify potential REAP projects, and elect five local folks to serve in the REAP Congress. Many sites are planning special events around the assembly meeting to showcase local projects.

You can find the full schedule of assemblies at iowareap.com.

REAP, or Resource Enhancement and Protection, is a State of Iowa program that invests in enhancement and protection of the state's natural and cultural resources through grants. Common projects include trails, river corridor protection, wetland restoration, soil erosion prevention, conservation education and resource inventories.

REAP is funded from the state's Environment First Fund (Iowa gaming receipts) and from the sale of the natural resource license plate. The program is authorized to receive $20 million per year until 2028, but the state legislature sets the amount of REAP funding every year.

Photo courtesy of Christopher Ruhaak, Pottawattamie County Conservation

06/06/2026

Want to sprout your little one's love for the outdoors?
Come out and discover new places, faces, and the world around them!

Join us with your little ones (ages 0-3) from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, June 13th, as we take a short hike on Badger Ridge trail to see what is blooming for our color scavenger hunt while talking about the importance of mattering in early childhood: the feeling of being valued.

Pre-registration is required. Save your spot today!
https://www.pottconservation.com/calendar/wild_sprouts_ndash_empowering_little_ones_to_grow_and_thrive_in_the_wild/2026-06-13/

06/06/2026

Have you ever been interested in public grazing partnerships? Now is your chance to come out to Hitchcock Nature Center on Wednesday, June 17th, for a FREE Conservation Grazing Field Day.

Hear from a list of amazing guest speakers who will touch on topics such as grazing public lands, the benefits of native forage, and conservation grazing strategies.

Guest speaker lineup includes:

Aric Ping | Natural Resource Technician, Pottawattamie Conservation

Amy Crouch | Little Sioux Project Director, The Nature Conservancy in Iowa

Matt Vermeersch | Owner, Root and Raise Land and Livestock

Kayla Creek | Livestock Specialist, Iowa USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service

Tucker Lutter | Iowa Conservation Manager, Audubon Upper Mississippi River

Chris Helzer | Nebraska Director of Science and Stewardship, The Nature Conservancy in Nebraska

Pre-registration is required. Save your spot today or learn more! https://www.pottconservation.com/calendar/grazing_field_day/2026-06-17/