Monday, Oct. 21, 2024
By Madi Nolte, Community Engagement Coordinator
One function of conservation is “to provide homes for wildlife.” Story County Conservation’s (SCC) newest park—74 acres of refuge, including prairie and wetland habitat along Ioway Creek, is doing just that. Through a new and unique partnership, homes for people are also being provided at the same area.
Prairie Valley Preserve, west of Gilbert, is composed of 50 acres of prairie, including scattered remnant prairie and a 20-acre constructed wetland. A one-mile mowed trail and other amenities will be completed soon.
This story begins with a developer seeing ecological value in a piece of land and working with local partners to preserve it – something that is not often the story these days.
After purchasing the land for development, Kurt Friedrich with Friedrich Iowa Realty learned of the property’s high-quality prairie. Together, Friedrich and SCC developed a plan to protect these ecological resources while still providing a place for homes. Developers added a seat at the table for SCC and other Story County experts while drawing plans to create sewer systems and other infrastructure, ensuring protection of the surrounding fragile prairie ecosystem. Safeguards are in place through the developer and homeowner’s association for long term protections over these natural resources.
The wetland is the first example in Story County of a drainage district pumped wetland. SCC saw opportunity to use this land to impact water quality through the creation of a wetland. Wetlands serve as both a sponge and filter, providing immense water storage during times of heavy rain and reducing flood risk and severity downstream. In this case, protecting Ames. It will also provide rich habitat for wildlife, water fowl, and plants.
Working with the City of Ames, and the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, who funded the wetland construction, this wetland will treat 2,000 acres of drainage before it enters Ioway Creek. Water from the drainage district will be pumped into the wetland, allowing for nutrient removal from upstream agricultural and residential land.
Other partners include Ducks Unlimited, and Story County Soil and Water Conservation District.
Historically, this land was either grazed or row cropped, and only scattered hillsides protected patches of prairie remnants from being plowed. Today, less than 0.1% of Iowa prairie remains, so it is especially important to prioritize protection of these relics. We do our best to reconstruct prairies, but they’re very complex ecosystems. Many species of seeds aren’t readily available on the market. For example, this remnant contains Chapman’s blue grass (Poa chapmaniana). It is listed as a threatened species in Iowa, only known to occur on three sites in the state.
SCC staff conducted a prescribed burn in April, bringing fire to refresh this prairie for likely the first time since pre-European settlement. The fire stimulated great numbers of prairie larkspur (Delphinium carolinianum), prairie blue-eyed grass (Sisyrinchium campestre), Fringed puccoon (Lithospermum incisum), and hairy grama (Bouteloua hirsuta).
The park’s remnant prairie is named Landers Prairie, after Dr. R. Q. “Jake” Landers (1932-2024). Landers taught at ISU for 17 years (1962-1979) and was an early leader in identification of prairie remnants, reconstruction methods, and teaching management practices.
It is a win-win-win: Wildlife that have called this land home will remain and with enhanced habitat, water quality will be improved while protecting Ames downstream, and residents will have this amenity right in their backyards. Homeowners may look forward to the spectacular views of the vast and diverse wetland, home to many bird species. This land will add valuable habitat to the Ioway Creek corridor.
This park is a product of partnerships. SCC has a history of finding creative ways to meet important goals for the community. The Tedesco Environmental Learning Corridor illustrates the synergy between conservation and economic development. Prairie Valley Preserve uses similar concepts.
It doesn’t have to be nature or neighborhoods—both can exist symbiotically. By educating Iowans about these natural spaces and building appreciation for them, and through partnerships with property owners of all kinds, it is our hopes that we can continue to connect people with nature and improve natural resources – making Story County a great place to live, work, and recreate.
Wetland construction is nearing completion. Trail construction, a picnic area, and other park amenities are planned to be complete by spring of 2025. Once these items are complete, the park will officially open to the public!
For more information about Prairie Valley Preserve, click here.
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