On the way home from work tonight I took back roads, as I do
maybe once or twice a week. Different set this time, but a
route I've done maybe 30 times.
I'm crossing over a small bridge and a little "No Trespassing"
sign catches my eye. Lock them brakes up, hit reverse. What do
I see? A tiny parking area in the trees big enough for maybe
three vehicles. But there's another sign. Hmm.
I stumbled onto the Conard Environmental Research Area of
Grinnell College. Seeing a map sign, I photograph it and study
it for a minute. Well, I'll be. There's a main entrance up the
road a mile. So up I go and find it. I've passed this thing
dozens of times and never saw it before. In I go and find a
nice sized (one mile squarish) prairie research facility open to
the public and with very good access trails everywhere.
>From what I could see, this is on my HIGHLY RECOMMENDED visit
list here in Iowa.
Instructions:
I-80 in mid-Iowa
Take Exit 173
Go North on Hwy 224 and take the first gravel road to your right
(S 12th Ave E)
Follow it east about 1.5 miles to the main entrance of CERA.
Here is their website:
http://www.grinnell.edu/academic/biology/cera/
So, as you travel on Interstate-80 through Iowa and you need to
take a break for a little while, stop in to this gem of a
facility and check it out.
Another nearby prairie restoration project (minus the test
plots) is the Jacob Krumm Nature Preserve just off exit 179.
This facility is directly north of the rest areas and is
operated by Jasper County Conservation Board. I walk these
trails (and photograph) at least once per week.
http://www.co.jasper.ia.us/conservation/
Finally, not to be ignored, is the Neil Smith National Wildlife
Refuge just outside of Prairie City, Iowa. This is about 20
minutes drive away from I-80 (Colfax exit 155), but encompasses
over 5000 acres of restored prairie. This is complete with
bison and elk.
http://www.tallgrass.org/
Summer is almost over, but for anybody still hoofing it across
flyover country, these are locations just in one humble little
county that are suitable for the traveller to stop in and enjoy.
AG
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