Conservation Corps Iowa

09/11/2026

🌾 What a day at Violets Ridge Prairie!

Today, four of our Iowa AmeriCorps crews joined an incredible group of partners for a restoration workday at Violets Ridge Prairie Remnant in Boone County — a rare prairie remnant preserved through dedication from Boone County Conservation, the Iowa Prairie Network, and the Iowa Native Plant Society.

CCMI was the recipient of this year's Iowa Prairie Network (IPN) silent auction proceeds, and IPN members had the opportunity to direct those funds toward hands-on habitat work — voting to select Violets Ridge from among five ecologically significant sites identified with help from Dr. Thomas Rosburg.

Our crews and partners spent the day clearing invasive woody material — tackling work that wouldn't have gotten done without this partnership.

We were also glad to welcome staff from Volunteer Iowa and John Hollinrake and Dustin VandeHoef from Senator Joni Ernst's office, who stopped by to see the work firsthand.

Huge thanks to everyone who made today possible. This is what conservation looks like when a community shows up for it. 💚

📍 Violets Ridge Prairie Remnant, Boone County, IA



Image Description: Group photo of CCMI Corpsmembers, staff, board, and partners wearing safety helmets and vests, standing and kneeling on a grassy field with trees in the background.

07/21/2026

The 2025 Impact Report is now available and two Iowa members are on the cover! Avery, current Timbers crew leader and Josh, NPS crew member.
You can read the report here:
https://conservationcorps.org/about/impact/

07/06/2026

"Great working in the Loess Hills restoring beautiful prairie! We also had a great time spending the evening with our project hosts. :) "

📷 Madi Leuer, Iowa Field Specialist/ AmeriCorps member
📍 Prairie Hills Preservation, Iowa



Image Description 1: Loess Hills prairie with rolling green hills, a cloudy sky, and CCMI trucks visible in the distance.
Image Description 2: Iowa Corpsmembers with visibly dirty shirts after a workday pose with the project partners.

05/13/2026

05/05/2026

Water trails shenanigans!

04/29/2026

The National Park Service crews (Des Moines and Ozarks) got to see something pretty cool while working at Goerge Washington Carver National Monument in Missouri. They saw a number of crayfish impaled on branches. How and why would that happen? The likely culprit is a shrike, probably a Loggerhead shrike. Shrike’s, which are predatory songbirds, have the nickname of “butcher bird.” They impale their prey to immobilize them and cache them away in what are called “larders” or “pantries.” Nature is cool!

04/28/2026

Most of the Iowa Timber’s crew has been deployed for wildfire in northern Minnesota. Avery, Riley, Betsy and Jordyn started out in Bemidji and were then sent to Park Rapids. Thanks for your hard work Timbers!

03/31/2026

Ben!!

Let’s catch up with Benjamin Garcia! ✨ Benjamin served with CCMI as an AmeriCorps member in the summer of 2023 on the trails crew in Iowa. Now he lives in St. Louis, where he works as a Consulting Utility Forester with Eocene Environmental Group.

🌱 How did the experience shape your career/life? "The experience made me realize that I love conservation and love working outside. I’ve never really had fun at work until I came to the Corps, and after my term ended I wanted to continue working in the field." -Benjamin

📖 Learn more about Benjamin: https://conservationcorps.org/updates-stories/where-are-they-now-alumni-highlight-benjamin-garcia/



Image Description: "Where are they now? Alumni Highlight, Benjamin Garcia." With a photo of Benjamin wearing a yellow Conservation Corps helmet and dusty work clothes in a forest setting.

03/24/2026

The Rivers crew (Sydney, Maya, Blu, Sam and Dylan), joined by field specialists Madi and Tricia, recently worked at the Iowa Wildlife Center – Wildway. The crew removed invasive species and constructed oak cages. Good land stewardship and land conservation are key parts of the Iowa Wildlife Center mission.