Wild Ones, Cedar Rapids Iowa City

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Wild Ones, Cedar Rapids Iowa City Our local Wild Ones chapter! We strive to spread awareness of native plants and native ecosystems.

Wild Ones Mission: promote environmentally sound landscaping practices to preserve biodiversity through the preservation, restoration, and establishment of native plant communities.

10/06/2026

We could not have dreamed up a more perfect, sunshiny day for a Wild Ones table at the Wings & Wild Things Festival - with volunteers Molly, Matthew, Jo, Andy and Carol.

Molly must have set a new record for giving out temporary tattoos! And special thanks to Matthew for donating flats of Prairie Dropseed, Switchgrass, and Little Bluestem to give away.

Most of all, we appreciate Michelle Wiegand and the team at Johnson County Conservation for envisioning and creating this celebration of the wild and wonderful flora and fauna of our region.

Join us for a fall hike at Ciha Fen Preserve, an 80-acre sand prairie/savanna complex and wildlife preserve on a wind-de...
10/05/2026

Join us for a fall hike at Ciha Fen Preserve, an 80-acre sand prairie/savanna complex and wildlife preserve on a wind-deposited sand ridge. It contains the Ciha Fen, which is one of the only two documented remaining nutrient-poor fens known in the state of Iowa. It has numerous rare plant and animals species.

The site is a wonderful place to find solitude, stroll through short-grass prairie and under ancient oak trees. Read more about Ciha Fen's history and features, and the science and significance.

Fall Hike at Ciha Fen
🗓️ Saturday, October 10th, 2026
🕚 10:00 am to 12:00 pm
📍 Ciha Fen Preserve, 5656 145th St NE, Lisbon, IA, 52253.
Meet at the small parking lot and “trailhead” at the south-east corner of the preserve.

⚠️ What to expect ⚠️
The site is an ideal wildlife refuge, but is primitive for human visitors with ​no restroom facilities, and a small parking area at the entrance.

Hiking is welcomed throughout the property, though there are no maintained trails. The terrain can be uneven and damp. We recommend wearing pants and closed-toe shoes for poison ivy protection.

This event is open to Wild Ones members and their guests, and there's no need to RSVP.

🍔 Optional: We may have lunch afterwards at Baxa's Sutliff Store & Tavern!

Cancellation/Reschedule
If the hike gets canceled due to weather, we will announce it on our chapter calendar page for this event at the link in the comments.

Pop-up volunteer opportunity alert!We will be removing invasive species from Hickory Hill Park, a wonderful wildlife par...
10/01/2026

Pop-up volunteer opportunity alert!

We will be removing invasive species from Hickory Hill Park, a wonderful wildlife park within Iowa City. This event is open to the public, and all are welcome!

This is dirty work digging up invasive species which have taken root in the park, like Amur Honeysuckle, Barberry, and Multiflora Rose. We expect muddy conditions after all of the recent rain.

Invasive Species Removal at Hickory Hill Park
🗓️ Saturday, October 3rd, 2026
🕚 9:00 am to 12:00 pm
📍 Hickory Hill Park, Conklin Ln, Iowa City, IA, 52245

We will meet at 9:00 a.m. in the parking lot at the Conklin Lane entrance to the park to gather any tools we need and then hike to the worksite.

What to bring: Wear work clothing for getting messy and bring water, bug spray, and sunscreen. Tools and gloves will be provided.

The Wings & Wild Things Festival showcases the wild and wonderful flora and fauna of our region, as well as outdoor recr...
09/29/2026

The Wings & Wild Things Festival showcases the wild and wonderful flora and fauna of our region, as well as outdoor recreation activities in our area.

The event hosted by County Conservation will feature hands-on learning activities, guided exploration, and animal meet & greets. Meet a live owl, study Iowa’s threatened box turtles, get your hands dirty making milkweed seed balls, pick up native plants for your yard, practice fire-building techniques, learn about local wildlife, and more. Visitors can also enjoy guided bird walks, mushroom forays, and fishing activities, and grab food from local food trucks. Full details are here: https://www.mycountyparks.com/County/Johnson/Park/JOHNSON-COUNTY-EDUCATION-PROGRAMS/Events/29642/Wings-Wild-Things-Festival

Wild Ones Cedar Rapids Iowa City Chapter will have a table at this event for community outreach. Stop by and say hello, get a temporary tattoo, and chat with us about gardening with native plants

Wings & Wild Things Festival
🗓️ Sunday, October 4th, 2026
🕚 10:00 am to 2:00 pm
📍 Kent Park Lake, Oxford, IA.
*** Note: The event is at Kent Park Lake (not Kent Park Conservation Center, as previously mentioned.)***

Volunteers needed!If you’re a Wild Ones member and have a little extra time at the festival to help staff the outreach table, we’d love to have you join us! Sign up to volunteer: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1JBBJCiwWYjevyJghi_SrXpVGLhOkeANUn-IBxijG6FU/edit?usp=sharing

The weather forecast has spoken! With more rain on the way, we are rescheduling the Fall hike at Wickiup Hill.New day AN...
09/25/2026

The weather forecast has spoken! With more rain on the way, we are rescheduling the Fall hike at Wickiup Hill.

New day AND time:
🗓️ Sunday, September 27th, 2026
🕚 11 am to 1 pm
📍 Wickiup Hill Learning Center, 10260 Morris Hills Rd, Toddville, IA, 52341

Meeting point: Meet in front of the Wickiup Hill Learning Center, where parking is plentiful and restrooms are available.

The Wickiup Hill Natural Area is a 700-acre piece of the Cedar River Greenbelt in Linn County which has benefited from protection efforts since the 1980s.

With more than five miles of scenic trails, we can stroll the wetland boardwalk to a peaceful observation deck, take in prairie, woodland, and savanna habitats alive with wildlife, and hike past Native American mounds.

This event is open to all, and there's no need to RSVP.

Cancellation: If the hike gets canceled due to weather, we will announce it here: https://cedarrapidsiowacity.wildones.org/events/?wo_event_id=13618 �

Calling all Wild Ones members… Our chapter is growing and we need your help.You’re invited to get involved! Wild Ones Ce...
09/25/2026

Calling all Wild Ones members…
Our chapter is growing and we need your help.

You’re invited to get involved! Wild Ones Cedar Rapids Iowa City is recruiting Chapter Directors, Officers, and Committee Members.

Joining chapter leadership is a great way to be an advocate for native plants in our community, and to help expand and improve the experiences we are able to offer.

Are you interested in being involved with chapter leadership, planning events, joining a committee, or volunteering your time?

📥 Check your email for a link to take the poll. Whatever your skillset, interests, and time available, we are eager to hear from you.

🗓️ Mark your calendar to join us to vote at our Annual Meeting and Election on November 15th!

Join us this Saturday afternoon for a Fall hike at Wickiup Hill. The Wickiup Hill Natural Area is a 700-acre piece of th...
09/21/2026

Join us this Saturday afternoon for a Fall hike at Wickiup Hill.

The Wickiup Hill Natural Area is a 700-acre piece of the Cedar River Greenbelt in Linn County which has benefited from protection efforts since the 1980s.

With more than five miles of scenic trails, we can stroll the wetland boardwalk to a peaceful observation deck, take in prairie, woodland, and savanna habitats alive with wildlife, and hike past Native American mounds.

This event is open to all, and there's no need to RSVP.

Fall Hike at Wickiup Hill
🗓️ Saturday, September 26th, 2026
🕚 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm
📍 Wickiup Hill Learning Center, 10260 Morris Hills Rd, Toddville, IA, 52341

Meeting point: Meet in front of the Wickiup Hill Learning Center, where parking is plentiful and restrooms are available.

Cancellation/Reschedule: If the hike gets canceled due to weather, we will announce it here: https://cedarrapidsiowacity.wildones.org/events/?wo_event_id=13618
with a possible reschedule date of Sunday, September 27th.

On Sunday September 13th, Wild Ones member Gina Bartleson will be speaking about The Host Plants Nobody Plants for Johns...
09/12/2026

On Sunday September 13th, Wild Ones member Gina Bartleson will be speaking about The Host Plants Nobody Plants for Johnson County Conservation's native plant speaker series. Troutleaf Native Plants will also be onsite with plants for sale.

Wild Ones Cedar Rapids Iowa City Chapter will have a table at this event for community outreach.

Native Plant Series and Plant Sale: The Host Plants Nobody Plants
🗓️ Sunday, September 13th, 2026
🕚 9 am to 12:30 pm
📍 Kent Park Conservation Education Center, 2048 US-6, Oxford, IA, 52322

Program Schedule:
• 9:00-9:40 am - Native Plant Sale (Optional)
• 10:00 - 11:15 am - The Host Plants Nobody Plants (Registration required)
• 11:15 am - 12:30 pm - 1/2 mile Guided Prairie Seed Harvest (Optional)

Gina will explore native plants through wildlife's eyes with a focus on seasonal bloom times and specific wildlife that depend on these plant species throughout the year. After the presentation, join Gina in a guided native seed harvest around the Conservation Education Center prairie.

Register for Gina’s session, here: https://www.mycountyparks.com/County/Johnson/Park/JOHNSON-COUNTY-EDUCATION-PROGRAMS/Events/29602/Native-Plant-Series-Planting-More-Than-Flowers-The-Value-of-Native-Grasses

Join us for tours through three beautiful native plant gardens in Iowa City, hosted by Longfellow Native Plant Group in ...
09/09/2026

Join us for tours through three beautiful native plant gardens in Iowa City, hosted by Longfellow Native Plant Group in partnership with Northside Native Plant Group and Wild Ones Cedar Rapids Iowa City Chapter.

Fall Native Garden Tour
🗓️ Saturday, September 19th, 2026
🕚 8:45 am to 12:00 pm
📍 Bowery Street, Iowa City

The Gardens

Gina’s large and sunny pollinator garden is in the Eastside neighborhood. In its tenth year, Gina has steadily expanded the garden annually adding new features like a pond and a handwoven obelisk. There is also a vegetable garden and an inviting archway covered in native roses each spring.

Mike’s native plant garden sits on a large corner lot in the Northside neighborhood. His yard features native herbaceous plants, shrubs and trees. A rain garden infiltrates the rainwater collected from the house’s roof. A small vegetable garden provides tomatoes, watermelon, basil, and other homegrown produce.

Ryan’s garden is situated on a quarter acre in the Lucas Farms neighborhood. The north end is a mature sunny garden running from the front of the house to a veggie garden out back, while the south end is a shaded woodland garden with winding paths and a seating area tucked between a sprawling maple and large oak.

All yards will be shared “as is” with minimal preparation.

Spots are limited! Please register here: https://FallGardenTour.eventbrite.com

Calling all Wild Ones members! We will be hosting a community outreach table at two upcoming events at Kent Park Conserv...
09/08/2026

Calling all Wild Ones members! We will be hosting a community outreach table at two upcoming events at Kent Park Conservation Education Center. Would you like to help staff the table for a couple hours?

These events are a lot of fun! We will be giving out temporary tattoos, talking about native plants, sharing information about Wild Ones, and talking even more about native plants. 🤓

Native Plant Speaker Series
🗓️ Sunday, September 13, 9 am - 12:30 pm
📍Kent Park Conservation Education Center, 2048 Hwy 6 NW, Oxford IA 52322
This event includes a native plant sale. Chapter member Gina Bartleson will speak about The Host Plants Nobody Plants and lead a guided prairie seed harvest (registration is required for her session).

Wings & Wild Things Festival
🗓️ Sunday, October 4, 2026, from 10 am to 2 pm
📍 Kent Park Conservation Education Center, 2048 Hwy 6 NW, Oxford IA 52322
This festival is BIG! It features hands-on learning activities, guided exploration, and animal meet & greets, and local food trucks.

If you’re willing and able to assist on either day, we'd love to see you there! Sign up to volunteer, here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1JBBJCiwWYjevyJghi_SrXpVGLhOkeANUn-IBxijG6FU/edit?usp=sharing

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Iowa City, IA
52240 - 52246

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