Roadsides provide a great opportunity to achieve multiple benefits like reductions in soil erosion, improved water quality, pollinator habitat, beauty, and more. The network of roadside managers in Iowa work hard to establish and maintain more than 700,000 miles of roadsides throughout the state. Meet your local roadside manager and learn about what they do to make roadsides in Dickinson highly functional and beautiful. We will be visiting some stunning roadsides popping with color.

Iowa has over 700,000 miles of roadsides many of them planted to low quality brome or indiangrass or worse chocked with invasive species.  Learn from Franklin County Resource Manager Alex Meyer what a roadside manager does and how he advocates for native plantings in our roadsides. 

We’re talking trees!  Kaylynn Sieber and other staff will lead a fun and engaging tree walk around the conservation center and finish with an informative visit to the center to see all the great displays and learning areas they have.  Don’t miss this chance to see the wonderful facilities and immerse yourself in nature.  This is a Saturday field day starting at 10:00 am

Roadsides are an important component to Iowa’s landscape with over 700,000 miles cross crossing the state.  Meet your local roadside manager to learn about what they do to make those roadsides more appealing and functional to achieve a wide range of benefits including pollinator habitat and improved water quality.  Learn why native prairie plants are preferred for inclusion in roadsides and the benefits they provide. 

Join Nick McGrath and Iowa DNR District Forester Mark Vitosh for our 2023 TreeKeepers kickoff! We will be talking about the history and work of Trees Forever and take a deep dive into tree biology. There is no fee but registration is preferred so our hosts at Big Grove know how many to expect. Food is not provided but will be available to order on an individual basis.