Easter Lake Watershed Project

04/09/2024

Daryl Smith, UNI emeritus professor of biology and founder of the Tallgrass Prairie Center, will be the featured speaker April 14 at the 2nd Sunday Speaker series at Hartman Reserve Nature Center in Cedar Falls. Daryl’s presentation, “Nurturing Iowa Prairie,” will be at 2 p.m. in the Community Room at Hartman. Daryl has played an integral part in prairie preservation, management, and restoration in our state, including his leadership in the development of a statewide program of utilizing native vegetation in Iowa’s roadsides. A tallgrass prairie that he planted in 1973 was dedicated and renamed the Daryl Smith Prairie to honor his 50-plus years of dedication to prairie education and preservation. Registration is not required.

04/09/2024

We need your help to learn more about ground-nesting bees! 🐝

Many of us might be used to seeing bees living in hives, but actually 70% of bee species nest in the ground! Surprised? There’s a lot we don’t know about these beautiful animals. Which is why the Ground-Nesting Bees project needs your help! By documenting these bees and their nests, we can learn how to provide and conserve the right nesting habitats.

Getting involved is easy!
1️⃣ Follow Project Ground Nesting Bee
2️⃣ Join the iNaturalist project: https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/ground-nesting-bees-3e6882c0-a112-4ddb-b043-1da25638ce96
3️⃣ Add your photos (new or old) of ground-nesting bees entering or exiting their nest! Look for nest entrances amidst grass or in bare ground from early spring to late summer.

You can also learn more at gnbee.org

04/09/2024

Dragonflies for Mosquito Control… get ready for this summer 🌿🌿
Full article in the first comment 👀

04/09/2024

01/04/2024

The Nature Conservancy in Iowa is hiring!

We are seeking a Western Iowa Assistant Land Steward to join our team. This full-time position is based at our Broken Kettle Grasslands Preserve in Westfield, Iowa.

This position will conduct preserve operations and perform maintenance of infrastructure and equipment, repair fences, invasive species control, monitor easements, conduct prescribed fire, and assist with the bison herd at Broken Kettle Grasslands Preserve.

For more information and to apply, please visit: https://nature.ly/3RISslb

01/04/2024

The rift between traditional urban landscapes (lawn) and natural gardens can't be bridged until folks converting their lawns to meadows begin employing garden design strategies that welcome both people and wildlife home. While anything but a monoculture w

12/29/2023

If you're searching for a scenic winter hike, consider one of Polk County's many prairies! Here are a few suggestions for your winter adventure!

12/29/2023

Learn on Saturdays starts Saturday, January 6 and we're kicking the series off with a behind the scenes look into the Botanical Garden and and introduction to vegetable gardening!

This weekly educational lecture series, presented by Country Landscapes, brings experts from across Iowa to cover a variety of garden-related topics.

Tickets include in-person, virtual, and recorded viewing options: https://dmbotanicalgarden.com/programs/adult-education/learnonsaturdays/

Check out this year's topics:
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January 6⁠
🛠️ Behind the Scenes at the Botanical Garden⁠
🥕 Introduction to Vegetable Gardening⁠
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January 13⁠
☘️ Houseplant Hype⁠
🌸 Introduction to Orchids⁠
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January 20⁠
🌳 Terrific Trees in Iowa⁠
🍎 All About Apples⁠
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January 27⁠
🥔 Composting for Gardeners⁠
🍄 A Walk in the Woods: Mushroom Foraging⁠
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February 3⁠
🌱 Magical Microgreens⁠
🥗 Salad Greens 101⁠
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February 10⁠
💮 Diving into Dahlias⁠
🌿 Look Into Lavender⁠
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February 17⁠
👩‍🌾 Farming with Diversity⁠
🌰 Agroforestry in Iowa: The Future is Nuts!⁠
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February 24⁠
🚂 Special Exhibits at the Botanical Garden: Train Boards⁠
✍️ Getting to Know Your Garden: Nature Journaling⁠
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March 2⁠
🏡 A New Garden Ethic⁠
🌱 Native Plant Seed Collecting⁠
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March 9⁠
🥕 Creating an Edible Landscape⁠
🌿 Gardening for Herbs⁠
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March 16⁠
🌻 Creating a Backyard Prairie⁠
🐦️ Backyard Birding⁠
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March 23⁠
🌼 Look into Lilies⁠
🌾 All About Milkweed⁠
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March 30⁠
💧 Hydroponics in the Heartland⁠
💐 Spring Garden Festival Preview