Raccoon River Greenbelt Newsletter Published by the Dallas County Conservation Board FALL EQUINOX EDITION 2016

Inside This Issue Woodland/Prairie Perspectives Habitat is the Key

Unique Wildlife Habitat is the Key Three New Exhibits By Mike Wallace, Director

at Forest Park For about a week in mid-August we were entertained by a Bobwhite Quail roosting in our trees Museum and shrubs at Forest Park Museum. The Bobwhite was actually hanging around close to our main entrance area and parking lot. In the morning coming to work its “bob white” call welcomed us. Fall Destinations It’s really not that unusual to hear quail in this area, but The Beauty Behind most of the time it’s about a the Passion ½ mile down the road on the RRVT that the quail are Calendar of Events normally found. I guess that spending some time visiting It’s Just A Bug “Forest Park” Museum was justifiable and appropriate for a bobwhite quail. Spend a Night In A Dallas County Park As autumn approaches, thoughts of different Milkweed Research outdoor activities come to Update mind. In the case of quail, pheasant, dove, deer, waterfowl, and perhaps a few others, these are considered the more traditional hunted species here in Iowa. As sportsman get out in the field to What’s In A Name? participate in this annual tradition, they should actually be thinking and planning for next year on how they can make their outdoor activities and experiences better. By planning for next year, I am The 2016 Summer actually talking about what you can do to improve and enhance the wildlife habitat in our area. Is it planning to plant trees, establish butterfly habitat, plant prairie, put in food plots, or contact Youth Volunteer your legislators and voice your opinion on improving our water quality and quality of life? Many Program factors determine and control the wildlife populations of an area. Weather certainly can have a major impact on wildlife, but usually the bottom line is that Habitat is the key to a successful and Thank You healthy population. ~continued on page 2 Email: [email protected] ♦ www.dallascountyiowa.gov\conservation

Woodland/Prairie Perspectives

Habitat is the Key ~continued from pg 1

Yes, HABITAT IS THE KEY! It seems as though the successful management of our natural resources always comes down to the basic ingredient of HABITAT. The better habitat that is present, the more diverse your natural resources are. As the natural resources becomes more numerous and diverse so does the makeup of the different types of wildlife that are found. In other words the more trees, shrubs, prairies, wetlands, ponds and lakes present, the more songbirds, herons, pheasants, hawks, eagles, deer, butterflies, squirrels, chipmunks, bass, bluegill, mink, raccoon, and the list can go on and on. Sounds simple doesn’t it.

One should be planning and beginning the process of enhancing habitat areas this fall. Dollars poured into short term fixes drain money away from beneficial habitat practices. Let’s look at the habitat concept as if it was a bucket with water in it. The wildlife species is the water and the existing habitat available is the bucket. There is only so much water that can be held in the bucket. There is only so much wildlife that can exist in a given habitat area. The bigger the bucket the more wildlife, and the more buckets we have the more wildlife we could have. There are many different types of wildlife, not just those that are hunted or harvested. The success of the species still comes down to the same ingredient, HABITAT.

Interests in our natural resources vary, some of which includes: hunting, fishing, hiking, bird watching, searching for mushrooms, listening to the sounds of the critters at night, camping, picnicking, or just having the opportunity to see the beautiful changing of colors of the leaves in the fall. Programs such as CRP and Buffer strips, which are administered by the NRCS and FSA offices, provide numerous opportunities for good conservation management practices on your land. The support of the Wildlife Habitat Stamp program, Fish Habitat Program, and REAP are other significant ways to create or enhance our natural resources.

There has been much debate about what can be done to improve water quality in this state which would result in, due to good sound habitat management principles, an enhancement of our wildlife habitat. How can we do this, what program should we use to implement sound habitat management principles, which ultimately translate to improved water quality for all of us? Over the last few years our state legislature has been trying to come up with a way to improve our water quality. Plans were put together by several sides and from various interest groups. Still nothing has happened. But why create something new? We already have a plan to improve our natural resources and quality of life and it has already been made part of the Iowa law. This of course is the Natural Resources and Outdoor Recreation Trust. This is sometimes referred to as the Iowa’s Water and Land Legacy fund or (IWILL). This was passed by the Iowa legislature in 2008 and 2009. It then went before the voters of Iowa in 2010 and was passed by 63% of the voters and was signed by the governor. This created the constitutionally protected Natural Resources and Outdoor Recreation Trust. The funding mechanism for this protected trust was a 3/8 of one cent tax increase. This however is where the trust fund has now stalled out. The law was created but the funding has not been officially adopted or implemented. The funding source and therefore the mechanisms to significantly improve our overall environment and quality of life have already been created. We just need to take that final step to make it happen.

ASSUMPTIONS FOR THE PURPOSE OF DISCUSSION: A 3/8 of one cent sales tax will generate $180 million in annual sales tax revenues. The trust fund will serve as a central depository for the revenue and will distribute the funds to the seven funding vehicles. As defined by Iowa Code Chapter 461, when funds are credited to the account, the distribution percentages are designated as: • 7% Lake Restoration $12.6 million • 10% Trails $18.0 million • 13% REAP (Resource Enhancement and Protection program) $24.3 million • 13% Local Conservation Partnership program (LCP) $24.3 million • 14% Watershed Protection $25.2 million • 20% Soil Conservation and Water Protection (IDALS) $36.0 million Fishing at Glissman Pond • 23% Natural Resources (DNR) $41.4 million

So, plan to plant a tree, plant prairie, create habitat for the monarch butterfly, plant cover crops, or contact your legislators this winter and support the funding of the Trust Fund. Any and all are important things that can help and now is the time to plan to do it.

If you are interested in creating or enhancing wildlife habitat on your land, contact the Dallas County Conservation Board. We will help guide you through the process or point you towards the appropriate agency that can help you.

Conservation Update

Unique Wildlife By Justin Smith, Deputy Director./Biologist

While I am sure that everyone reading this article is familiar with White-tailed Deer, Turkey Vultures, and Garter Snakes, there are other rare or at least unique critters that also occur here. While some of these might just be temporary visitors during migration, others are Iowa resident wildlife.

I recently wrote an article about a Gray Fox killed on a Dallas County road brought to me by our roadside biologists. These animals are not very common anywhere in Iowa and this was the first Gray Fox that I have been able to document, and after asking around many life long Dallas County residents could not recall the last one that they have seen. Shortly after finding this animal, I received several reliable reports of Gray Fox being captured on trail camera footage in the vicinity of the road killed fox. It does appear that there may be more Gray Fox in that general area. A tissue sample was collected from our fox for DNA analysis that will be used in a regional Midwest study of gray foxes. Gray Fox

Another rare, but often mistaken animal that we occasionally find is the Bullsnake. I have been on several snake “rescues” where the caller reports a large Bullsnake in their basement, garage, or barn. It has always turned out to be the much more common Fox Snake. While the snakes can look similar to the untrained eye, the Bullsnake is much less common and is currently listed as a species of special concern in Iowa. Several years ago, I witnessed a Bullsnake raiding a nest of young rabbits at Forest Park. As I approached the animal, it sensed by presence and in typical Bullsnake fashion went into defensive mode. It began vibrating its tail and striking at me similar to how you might expect a rattlesnake to react. This bluffing action is used to make predators think they are dealing with a Rattlesnake. Along with habitat loss, I speculate that this behavior Bullsnake has contributed to their population decline because humans who believe they are rattlesnakes may be likely to kill them. Since my encounter with this snake, other staff have sited these animals at Forest Park and the Kuehn Conservation Area.

Recently, a maintenance worker with the City of Perry, brought me a snake to identify. He had stopped his vehicle to pick up a discarded Gatorade bottle on the roadside and discovered a snake inside the open bottle. This small snake he had was a Smooth Green Snake, which is also listed as a species of special concern in Iowa. The Smooth Green Snake is a small, secretive snake that is rarely seen. The day this snake was brought in was relatively cool for the time of year, and I suspect the greenhouse effect inside the bottle lured the snake in to warm up. Ironically, that same week I was at a nephew’s birthday party and a group of kids brought me another Smooth Green Snake that they captured in the lawn. I sometimes wonder if these snakes might be more common than we realize, as Smooth Green Snake spotting a green snake in the green grass where they live would be like seeing a needle in a haystack. ~Continued on page 4

DCCB

Unique Wildlife ~ continued from page 3

One other uncommon, but conspicuous animal has recently made a return to Dallas County. I have received numerous reports of Pileated Woodpeckers at various locations throughout the county. This Crow sized woodpecker is not easily confused with anything else. They are the real life “Woody Woodpeckers” of woodpeckers. Staff have reported seeing them at the Kuehn Conservation Area and Sportsman Park. They prefer to live in old growth bottomland forest. Their population has begun to recently expand with the return of bottomland forest after much early logging. While I have yet to see one of the birds in person, I have seen the evidence that they can leave behind. In their search for food, Pileated Woodpeckers will often excavate many large rectangular holes in trees and fallen logs. They can leave behind an impressive pile of wood chips. Pileated Woodpecker A classic example of this can be found on a standing Maple tree at Sportsman’s Park near the Raccoon Lodge.

The idea for this article was sparked by another article that I read in the newspaper just today. A dead armadillo was found on a roadside in southern Iowa by a DOT worker. No, we don’t have a population of Armadillos in Iowa. Others have occasionally been found in the state. In fact former DCCB employee Bob Myers picked up a road killed Armadillo a few miles south of Perry. It is thought that these animals hitch-hiked in from further south on grain trains or semi trucks. The cold winters that we have here in Iowa will not allow a population of Armadillos to survive here. However, recent research has shown the Armadillos range moving further north as our winters continue to get warmer in North America.

C. Scott Finneseth DuWayne J. Dalen Mark J. Powell John C. Powell G. Robert Sackett James R. Hinchliff

Museum News Three New Exhibits at Forest Park Museum By Pete Malmberg, Curator I always enjoy the challenge of coming up with new exhibit ideas that are inexpensive, don’t take up too much space, and above all, interesting to the public. In 2016 I am very pleased that no less than three of these ideas became reality.

For several years I wanted to put a small, lockable display case in the front reception area of Hastie Building. This case would display some of the strange and very interesting relics in the museum’s collection. These unique items range from a piece of Mary Todd Lincoln’s dress to battlefield relics and oddities like a rock from Fidel Castro’s yard. One piece that I’ve always wanted on permanent display is the photo of Babe Ruth with Perry baseball players in 1920s Dallas County. The case is now installed! I will be putting some of these items and many others in it over the coming weeks. Every few weeks I will rotate which items are on display.

I work closely with many local and regional groups each year. For the past decade, I worked closely with the Perry PACES program. This program has enriched the lives of many Perry area students and makes a real difference in the community.

This summer the students put together an exhibit on the increasingly rare and possibly endangered Blanding’s Turtle. This secretive water turtle has been described as a “leaky box turtle” and is rarely seen by Iowans. It was discovered by the Fox River in Illinois by Dr. John Blanding, an avid naturalist, in 1830. For the past few decades, this yellow throated “smiling turtle”, has seen population decreases throughout the Midwest due to nest destruction by Raccoons and other predators. Trying to cross roads between fragmented habitats is not helping matters and contributing to more casualties.

Blanding’s Turtle Exhibit PACES students designed a habitat for our young female turtle and a small male Midland Painted Turtle. The turtles are now known as April and Memphis and live in a rock filled aquarium with several hiding places and climbing areas. Both are eating well and April in particular is becoming very personable with visitors. Blanding’s are known for becoming very friendly and begging for food when they are used to people.

Sometimes I think our entire world is largely a giant marketing campaign for a huge number of products and services. I find that some of the best marketed items aren’t always the best. Nowhere is this more evident than the art world. Many of Iowa’s finest artists have yet to receive any recognition for their work.

One of our state’s great unknown artists is the late William Sturdevant. A Des Moines native, Sturdevant was born in 1922 and attended Drake University and earned a Master’s Degree in Art Education. A younger contemporary of Grant Wood, he won many different prestigious awards throughout his early career and was a very skilled painter and sculptor who experimented with many different styles. In spite of his early successes, he never became well known and instead chose to concentrate on his career as an art teacher. Consequently, many central Iowa art educators were trained or heavily influenced by him.

Over 1,200 Sturdevant works are preserved by a nonprofit organization set up by his daughter. Forest Park Museum will display a revolving selection of these pieces over the next year. We hope to introduce many local residents to this truly outstanding artist and promote awareness of other Iowa artists in the future.

I look forward to showing these new additions to museum visitors. Don’t forget we are open on weekdays year round from 8 to 4:30. From May 1 to October 31 we are open from 1-4:30 on Saturdays and Sundays.

www.raccoonvalleybank.com 1-800-772-8115

Trail Talk

Fall Destinations By Curt Cable, Natural Resources Manager

As I have gotten older, time seems to go by quicker and quicker each year. For some reason this summer seemed to go by particularly fast. Some of that may be due to the constant attention that we put into our trail systems which keeps me busy. It seems like I have had a weed eater or tree pruners in my hands and if it wasn’t one of those, I was on the mower. It may seem like I am complaining, but I am not. I love it when summers fly by because that means fall is just around the corner.

Fall is by far my favorite of the four seasons. I could go on for days about every little thing I love about fall, but I am sure that a lot of us share the same sentiment for the autumnal equinox. There are certain things that cannot go unnoticed during this time of year, whether it be the influx of migrant birds or the beautiful shades of red, yellow and orange leaves.

With this being my first year in Dallas County I’m not able to tell you where the most beautiful scenery will be, but I have a feeling there will be no shortage of areas to check out. Since my articles mainly focus around the Raccoon River Valley Trail (RRVT) and the High Trestle Trail (HTT) I will talk about areas near the trails that will be must see destinations this fall.

We will start in the Northwest corner of the trail at Sportsman Park just a ½ mile northeast of Dawson and less than a ¼ mile off the RRVT. This 40 acre park and campground sits above the North Raccoon River and is surrounded by a beautiful stand of oak and hickory trees. There are two all season cabins, 8 primitive and 10 modern camping sites available with restrooms and shower facilities that close October 31.

As we move down the trail to the southeast you will find Forest Park Museum, which is just south Sportsman Park Entrance of Perry and is connected via a trail spur off the RRVT. Forest Park Museum sits on 17 acres consisting of a re-established prairie and small woodland area. If the cool northwest wind is chilling you to the bone and you need a place to warm your hands up for bit, you can step into one of Iowa’s finest small museums. The museum hosts a wide range of artifacts and exhibits from farm machinery to an electric Dynamo. ~ Continued on page 14

Wildlife Management

The Beauty Behind the Passion By Greg Sieck, Natural Resource Manager

The thought of a cool breeze on a crisp fall day can excite any bow hunter. Sitting atop of a burr oak over looking corn fields while hearing the quacks of mallards on a nearby marsh takes me back to my very first deer hunt when I was a kid. Sitting on the base of an old oak tree my mother and I watched as my father climbed into his tree stand. As the sun began to set we saw a doe by herself making her way toward us. In excitement I whispered to my mom asking if I could go for it. As I drew back my youth bow, with little knowledge on the logistics of bow hunting, I flung an arrow 10 feet in the direction of the doe. It fell 20 yards short as my little heart raced., but I was hooked and couldn’t wait to try again. This is where my journey started and my love for the outdoors and nature began.

How were you introduced into the outdoors? Whether it was hunting, fishing, hiking, bird watching or kayaking, whatever the activity may be, we have a responsibility to protect and preserve the wilderness so future generations will be able to enjoy it as much as we do.

There are several mentor programs you can be affiliated with that get people of all ages involved in the outdoors. One way is through the Iowa Department of Natrual Resrouces (DNR). They put on Hunting and Conservation Camp (HACC) for boys designed to introduce a variety of outdoor skills to young men ages 12 - 15. Participants are allowed to experience various outdoor skills. You can take part in being a mentor to these young adults by filling out the form on the DNR website and submitting it. Also here in Dallas County we offer an array of activities and programs - owl prowls, star gazing, peregrine falcon watch, winter survival, snow skiing just to name a few. You can learn more by visiting our website at http://www.co.dallas.ia.us/ department-services/conservation/programs-events.

The beauty and nature of the outdoors is indescribable. It gives us so many opportunities to capitalize on from careers to hobbies to spending time with family. I urge you to take the time and assist in the effort to keep the outdoors great.

Calendar of Events Fall 2016 On Call Programs On Call Programs When It Snows, We Ski! NOTT In My County! Nature On Call Program 2016 Nature On-Call – April through October 2016 Voas Nature Area Raccoon River Valley Trail There are certain years when the NOTT (Naturalist On The best snow comes before winter Trail) is a great learning actually starts. If that happens experience. Do you know this time around, we want to which snake is sunning take advantage of it! Selected itself on the warm trail? weekends and school holidays Which warblers are in November and December, if migrating through our there are 4 or more inches of areas? Which flowers have snow on the ground and a the pollen that is making naturalist is available, we will host a ski program. We have you sneeze? One day per month (April through October) boots and skis for people with shoe sizes ranging from a Dallas County Naturalist will be on a section of the youth 12—1 on up to adult sizes 10.5. The specific dates, Raccoon River Valley Trail ready to talk with you about times and places will vary. You can call or email to put the nature you are seeing as you enjoy our longest park. your name on a contact list for personal notification Please check our website and Facebook page for of dates, look for updates on our website and updates on dates, times and trail sections. No Facebook or contact us on a Friday before a registration is required for this program. weekend that looks likely. We hope to see you on

skis! Cost is $3.00 per person. Salamander Crossing Web Watch Program 2016 Voas Nature Area, near Minburn In early October October w h e n t h e Growing Up Wild Workshop weather is cool Saturday, October 8, 2016 a n d d a m p , 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. hundreds of tiger Dallas County Extension Office, Adel salamanders Calling educators of 3 – 7 year olds who are interested in migrate from the learning how to incorporate outdoor explorations into field and ditches their curriculums! This $10 workshop will provide a s u r r o u n d i n g manual, training, and support materials to help you lead Voas back into their overwintering wetlands. If you’d like nature explorations while teaching math, science, to witness this amazing yearly journey, add our website language, literacy, healthy living, play and creativity. (www.dallascountyiowa.gov/conservation ) to your list of Registration is required. Register with Myra Willms favorites or friend us on Facebook. The day we notice a by Oct. 1. Contact Myra at [email protected] or lot of salamanders starting to move, we’ll post it. That call 515.993-4281. evening (which is when the greatest number of salamanders is likely to be seen), we’ll be on hand to For more information or to register for introduce you to a salamander and send you out to any of our programs, contact: search. Dress in clothes that are warm and Dallas County Conservation Board waterproof, and drive carefully as the salamanders 14581 K Avenue ♦ Perry, IA 50220 don’t look both ways before crossing the roads! If 515-465-3577 you do not have easy access to a computer, please Office Hours: M-F 8 am - 4:30 pm contact our office for alternate notification [email protected] arrangements for this free program. www.dallascountyiowa.gov\conservation

Calendar of Events Fall 2016

High Trestle Hawk Watch The Voice of a Drum Saturday October 8, 2016 November 6, 2016 10:00am-4:00pm 2:00-3:30pm High Trestle Trail overlook Dexter Round House, Dexter Iowa Come join several “hawkers” as November is the time of year when many of our thoughts they watch the river of raptors turn to turkey, pilgrims and Native Americans. If you have move south along the Des Moines heard the drum at Prairie Awoke and was curious to know River. They will be helping new more about its story, this is an opportunity to spend an and experienced birders identify the birds as they pass by. afternoon listening, learning and possibly sitting at a Viewing will be on the west overlook on the Woodward traditional drum. Registration required for this free side of the HTB. Parking is on the east side off of QF in program. Boone County. A half mile walk on level ground is required. Dallas County Christmas Bird Count Canoe Float– Fall Colors Float Saturday, December 17, 2016 Sunday, October 9, 2016 Come join DCCB and RRWA Middle Raccoon River (Raccoon River Watershed Assoc.) for 1:00 to 5 p.m. a day of birding with a purpose. Each The focus of this river float will be year local bird clubs gather around the to get out on the Raccoon one last Christmas holiday to take a time to catch the magic of the fall “snapshot” of what birds are in their season’s colors splashed across the river valley. Few area. This information is sent to the places in central Iowa are more beautiful this time of year National Audubon Society which looks at the long term than the wooded valleys of the Raccoon. Spend a lazy health of bird populations over the last 100 years. afternoon with us, floating the river without a care, Participants are divided into groups, each with an enjoying the colors of the season. In the words of Mark experienced birder in a different location in the county. Twain, from the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, “It was We usually hike in the morning and drive the area in the kind of solemn, drifting down the big, still river, laying on afternoon. It does not matter if you are a beginning or our backs, looking up….., and we didn’t even feel like experienced birder, the day is filled with beauty and talking aloud. Registration is required for this opportunities for learning. Registration is required for program. this free program.

Build a Barn Owl Box If you are a group leader and your group is Sunday, October 23, 2016 interested in attending one or more of these 2:00-3:30pm programs, please contact our office for Forest Park Museum, Perry alternate arrangements. Barn owls are currently on Iowa’s endangered species list. They have been attempting to nest in grain elevators, deer stands and in silos. They are present here in Dallas County but are having difficulty finding safe nesting sites. At this make and take program you can build a barn owl box for DCCB to place in one of our public areas and build a second for you to take with you. $10.00 fee. Registration is required. If you are able, please bring your own drill.

Nature & The Naturalist

It’s Just A Bug By Chris Adkins, Environmental Education Coordinator / Naturalist

As you sit reading this article in the Fall Equinox newsletter, our 2016 migrating monarchs are wending southward, carrying our hopes, prayers, kisses and tags. Their story began for me this year on May 12th when the first returning monarch of the year graced the prairies of Kuehn. This bug was the grandchild of the monarchs we tagged in the fall of 2015 and I had begun to wonder if they were ever going to show. Buoyed by optimistic news from Mexico of an overwintering population of 4.1 hectares, about 10 acres, up from the nadir of 1.14 hectares in 2014, hopes were high. But then came the news of an ice and sleet storm on March 8 & 9 in the wintering grounds with mortality rates estimated as high as 50%. The observations on the northward spring migration warned of low numbers and late arrivals. But, as you know if you joined us for a monarch tagging program this fall, the miracle continues.

Close your eyes a moment, and take flight with a monarch we tagged in the prairies of Kuehn this fall. Have you reached Texas yet? Has the weather been favorable? Did the plantings of late blooming prairie species along the Interstate 35 corridor fuel your wingbeats? Do our well wishes provide lift beneath your wingbeats as you travel 1,500 miles to your winter sanctuary? Their fates as they traverse this migratory path from our wild prairies, to the oyamel fir forests of central Mexico are inexorably linked to our actions.

Wait a minute here. Isn’t this getting a little absurd now – after all, we are talking about a bug. I mean it is just a bug.

Let me share a story with you that will pull the above article and title together. Setting the stage- mid-September early evening in the lower prairies of Kuehn. The late blooming forbs are prolific and create an all you can eat buffet for the migrating monarchs. Participants in our tagging program have joined the monarchs in the wilds and are having much success. My role is to distribute tags as I share the joy, witnessing taggers, catch, carefully un-net, determine gender, record the data, and delicately apply the research tag from the University of Kansas’ Monarch Watch program. Adhering to Kuehn tradition, the tagged miracle is released with a kiss and a salutation of blessings and luck – adios amigos. Monarch Butterfly with tag The shadows begin to grow across the prairie. The monarchs retire to their roosts in the trees bordering the prairie and my party of taggers ascend the south river valley wall, headed to the Nature Center for a closing. The young of the group far out pace the elders, leaving us huffing up the hill together. During a strategic pause in our climb to lower our heart rates – the question is posed.

A Dad in the elders’ group, lays this query on the table – Chris, he states, you have been like a pied piper of the prairie this evening to these children. You shared the miracles of the monarch’s natural history, enacted the wonders of their migration, warned of the threats presented by disappearing habitat, and foremost, engaged the kids in the joy of experiencing the wild monarchs through the tagging process. My kids, he stated, now are thoroughly convinced that a future devoid of this wild miracle is a future that can not be accepted. BUT – there are no kids within earshot now, let’s get real, after all – monarchs are just bugs!

JUST A BUG? What a great challenge for an interpreter – the teachable moment is at hand. What answer would you craft?

Rule one – know your audience. Dad had somehow escaped the magic of a bug in his hand. We need something more utilitarian, no fluff, emotional nonsense, just the facts. My answer was to return a question to him – What did you have for supper tonight? Huh? No, I’m serious – one out of every three bites on your plate, as an average North American consumer, you owe to a bug. Monarchs are not just a bug, they represent an entire suite of organisms in the ecosystem known as pollinators: butterflies, bees, wasps, birds, bats. Bugs, pollinators, function to translocate pollen from one flower to another, the result – pollination / fertilization / fruit, nut, berry and seed on your plate. Opening blow landed to the solar plexus. Monarchs, just bugs, they are linked to your very sustenance.

~ continued on page 11

Nature & the Naturalist

It’s Just A Bug ~ continued from page 10

The second salvo, remaining in the realm of logic – Money Talks. A study by the federal government estimates that the importance of bugs, pollinators, to agriculture, to be $24 billion annually in crop production. That is billion with a B! Those are some very busy bug$.

And now for a cautionary tale. You seem to be a prudent, responsible soul. When the check engine light comes on in the dash of your vehicle, do you blow it off and speed forward, or do you heed the warning of the early detection of a potential threat to the vehicle’s continued function? Another analogy here, the use of a canary in the mineshaft by miners to warn of an unperceived threat. Monarchs are the canaries of the prairies. Their population numbers, mirrored by the population numbers of other pollinator species, have shown up to a 90% decline in the past decade. No one has set out to purposefully eliminate these bugs. Their population collapses are the unintended consequences of the control mechanisms of industrial agriculture – pesticides, herbicides and habitat destruction. A 90% decline in monarch populations in the last decade is the check engine light of our planet blinking, warning of system failure. We can chose to heed the canary, or ignore the warning. It’s just a bug.

My final tactic to address this father’s just a bug position was to encourage him to understand that perhaps the reason we are asking this question, is because we have been asking the wrong question all along. The three answers that I have laid out above, all begin with the premise of what good is the bug to humans. The core of the issue is found here in this anthropocentric approach. What if the bug did not need to serve a value to humans to garner protection? What if we began from the premise that the bug has a right to exist completely devoid of it’s value to us? It’s value was intrinsic, originating from the tenant that all beings have a inalienable right to exist. To get to this point, we humans would have to expand our circle of ethics, redefining the us and them boundaries.

Aldo Leopold, in his book A Sand County Almanac, encouraged us to do just this. Examining the social evolution of our country, one can document this process. Originally, we excluded individuals from our circle of ethics based on the pigmentation of their skin, their gender, religion, physical attributes. Over time we have expanded our circle, including the former them, into a position of equal rights. These historic expansions are still limited by a anthropocentric bias. The circle needs to be expanded once again, this time to include non-human beings.

Robert Greenway, noted ecologist sums it up in this statement -The core of the environmental crisis arises from a culturally created and maintained mode of thinking that dominates Western culture, that in essence creates a dualistic split between the knower and the known - thus between humans and nature. This split diminishes our circle, and in the process, diminishes us. During my more than three decades of chasing monarchs in the prairies of Iowa, I have witnessed this bug erasing the split. Monarch, miracle bug in hand – I have watched the knower and the known stand side by side within an expanding circle.

This spring, consider pushing out against the walls of that circle. Plant a pollinator plot, be it a few square yards in you backyard, to hundreds of acres in a conservation reserve program. Stepping out into a widening circle not only gives life to these wilds, but also to these wild parts of us that we have forgotten. In the end, it is “just” a bug, but if you personally expand the circle, this bug has the power to change the course of our shared futures. Please contact DCCB for information on pollinator plantings.

Naturalist

Milkweed Research Update By Cindy Blobaum, Naturalist

On June 7, 2015, I planted 5 plants of 9 different species of native milkweed plants in a plot near the Education Building at Kuehn Conservation Area. The nine types are: Common, Poke, Swamp, Prairie, Green, Showy, Whorled, Butterfly and Bluevine. The seedlings were provided by Iowa State University as part of a research project they are conducting throughout the area. It is my understanding that the research is multi-faceted, with questions including: how well each type of milkweed plant survives Iowa’s varied weather conditions, which species (if any) are preferred by monarchs for their egg-laying, and what, if any other species, use the milkweed for various purposes.

I put in the plant plugs, watered them (the only time all season!) and mulched around them. My next task was to survey each leaf of each plant at least once a week until all the plants had died for the winter. I learned a lot – have my favorites, and am eager to share the results. The summary is as follows: - On July 8, 2015 I found our first monarch eggs on at least one plant of each species. - I had to move caterpillars from plants that had too few leaves to support the ravenous larva to more lush specimens. For example, the Poke milkweed never grew more than a foot tall! - The plants began to show signs of budding/blooming as follows: - Butterfly milkweed on 7/20, Swamp milkweed and whorled milkweed on August 5 Bluevine on August 17 The Green, Prairie and Showy milkweeds never bloomed. - During the Prairie Awakening Children’s Festival on September 11, the garden was literally crawling with monarch caterpillars. The school children were amazed. - There were eggs and/or instars on at least one type of milkweed plant until September 28 - The garden was no longer recognizable as a milkweed plot by October 28.

This year has already produced noticeable differences. Most of the plants are living up to their name, and have spread like weeds throughout the plot. Instead of 5 individual plants of each species, now there are BUNCHES – especially of whorled, common and Bluevine. These plants are running rampant (and I LOVE it). So this year, I have not been able to keep track of individual plants and each leaf of each plant (I do have other things I am supposed to work on!). Highlights thus far this year: - Butterfly, Poke and Showy milkweeds were all in bud by June 1! - On July 11, there was a stage 4 instar on the showy milkweed. On the same day, the volunteers for the Milkweed plot July 31, 2015 Milkweed plot June 28, 2016 ~Continued on page 14

Naturalist

What’s in a Name? By Mike Havlik, Naturalist

Solomon Seal is a common Iowa plant emerging during late spring Solomon Seal Root and lasting well into the fall. The ladder-like leaves and graceful, drooping stem make it easy to recognize and it is routinely planted as a popular ornamental in shade gardens. This plant gets its name from King Solomon, whom legend says received a circular “seal” from heaven. The historic seal is two triangles in opposite directions creating a six sided star, the symbol most often associated with the Jewish faith. The symbol is supposed to represent good and evil, heaven and earth and the harmony of opposites. You can actually age a Solomon’s Seal based on the number of seals that appear on the top part of the root. Solomon’s Seal has a horizontal root which means instead of growing down the root grows out. After each year the stem part of the plant falls off leaving a circular star.

The 2016 Summer Youth Volunteer Program By Mike Havlik, Naturalist

The 2016 Summer Youth Volunteer Program was a tremendous success. In the six week time period the group of fourteen volunteers were able to clear an acre of oak savanna at Voas Nature Area. On the final day they shared a short presentation to the District 1 County Conservation Board members. Best Summer Ever! Presentation by the 2016 Summer Youth Volunteers

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Raccoon River Valley Trail

Steve & Pauline DeVries Mike Murray Laura Jean Herrity Jeff Voorhees

DCCB

Fall Destinations ~continued from pg 6

A few more miles south of Forest Park is Voas Nature Area. The nature area encompasses 705 acres which includes 90 acres of oak/hickory forest with the remaining in a prairie and wetland complex. The wetlands are adjacent to the trail starting at the 180th St. intersection if you are heading south. This is a great place to stop and see the migrating waterfowl. A little bit further to the southwest lies another large prairie and wetland along with the aforementioned 90 acres of oak/hickory forest. This is another great area to check out migrating birds.

The last area on my list of stops along the RRVT is Hanging Rock Park, which is just a few blocks off of the trail in Redfield via a trail spur. Hanging Rock is comprised of 469 acres of wetlands, re-established prairie and native timber stands. This is also home to a massive outcrop of sandstone hanging over the Middle Raccoon River. If you want to bring your fishing pole, this is a great place to test your luck fishing as well.

Finally, we will move on over to the High Trestle Trail starting in Woodward. If you head east out of Woodward you will soon run out of Dallas County and into Boone County where the famous HTT Bridge lies. This one of a kind ½ mile bridge overlooks the Des Moines River. It sits 13 stories above the river, which allows you to see for miles up and down the river.

For more information regarding the destinations highlighted in this article and all other DCCB areas please visit our website: www.dallascountyiowa.gov/conservation. I hope you are able to get out and enjoy some of our beautiful parks and nature areas this fall.

Milkweed Research Update ~continued from pg 12 milkweed rescue transferred about 6 eggs and 8 young caterpillars to the garden. - By July 14, the Poke milkweeds were done – as in completely gone. Meanwhile the Swamp, Bluevine, and Prairie milkweeds were in full bloom. - It took until July 26 for the Green milkweeds to get to the bud stage. The Whorled milkweeds continued to dominate the garden, with the Bluevine climbing up every other species as well as its locator post.

An added benefit to this project/study has been the outreach and education with visitors. Many parents who came along with their children’s school class would express a desire to plant milkweed. The only trouble was, they each had a spouse who had had to pull/ hoe/spray milkweed on the farm, and they couldn’t bear the thought of having it in their own garden, ON PURPOSE! I happily passed along packets of whorled milkweed seed pods. I explained that these plants are basically milkweed in disguise. They look more like a fern, and I have photographic proof the monarchs liked them just fine. VIVA LA MILKWEEDS!

DCCB

Raccoon River Valley Trail Permits Available! Trail fee required for all users ages 18 and older. $2/daily pass or $10/annual pass (valid January - December)

Children under age 18 ride free anytime.

The RRVT Permit Order Forms (Daily & Annual) can be found in the yellow tubes at each of the trail heads. Fill out the information needed on the envelope, place the correct amount of money in the envelope, drop it in the permit tube, and the permit will be mailed to you. Or download our Annual Permit Order Form at: www.dallascountyiowa.gov/department-services/ information-services-department/remote-assistance/ annual-trail-pass

Raccoon River Greenbelt Newsletter

Phone: (515) 465-3577 Fax: (515) 465-3579 Email: [email protected] Website: www.conservation.co.dallas.ia.us

Dallas County Board of Supervisors Dallas County Conservation Board Staff Kim Chapman Mike Wallace ...... Executive Director Brad Golightly Sherry James ...... Administrative Assistant Mark Hanson Justin Smith ...... Deputy Director/Biologist Pete Malmberg . . Museum Curator/Hist. & Cultural Resources Coord. Dallas County Conservation Board Chris Adkins . . . . . Environmental Education Coordinator/Naturalist Mark Powell - Chairman Cindy Blobaum ...... Naturalist Nancy DeLong - Vice Chairman Mike Havlik ...... Naturalist Glenn Vondra - Secretary/Treasurer Curt Cable...... Natural Resources Manager Greg Sieck...... Natural Resources Manager Jim Miller Connie Miller...... Office Assistant Lorinda Inman Doug Menz ...... Natural Resource Technician Jim Brauckman ...... Natural Resource Technician Mike Murphy ...... Seasonal Natural Resource Technician I No qualified individual with a disability will be excluded on the basis of a Dan Archip ...... Seasonal Natural Resource Technician I disability from participation in meetings, hearings, programs, activities or Denny Sutherland...... Seasonal Natural Resource Technician I services conducted by the Dallas County Conservation Board. To request John Chapman ...... Park Attendant information in an alternative format or request an accommodation to participate in a meeting, hearing, program, activity or service, contact the Dallas County Conservation Board, Forest Park, 14581 K Avenue, Perry,

Iowa, 50220, (515) 465-3577

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