Loess Hills Prairie Seminar: Imagining Conservation in Western Iowa

Join Monona County Conservation for a free, family-friendly weekend of hands-on learning, activities, and sessions with conservation partners to explore and experience the Loess Hills!

If you find yourself longing for a deeper connection to the outdoors, you're not alone. Many people feel isolated from the vibrant ecosystems around them, frustrated by a lack of knowledge and experiences. At Loess Hills Prairie Seminar, we provide engaging community events that focus on education and appreciation of nature. By participating, you’ll gain valuable insights, create lasting friendships, and rediscover the joys of the natural world.

This event spans three days:

• Friday, May 30th: 5:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
• Saturday, June 1st: 6:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.  
• Sunday, June 2nd: 6:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Free primitive camping is available.

Background Information: 

The Loess Hills Seminar began in 1977 with a group of approximately 25 people who wanted to study the unique characteristics of this special area. To get an accurate feeling of the “Hills,” and preserve the delicate ecology, the group backpacked into the interior for the first seminar. Since then the increased number of participants has necessitated a more convenient location. The original idea of preserving the “back to nature” concept of the seminar, however, is still a major goal of the organizers.

The Loess Hills are a geological formation created thousands of years ago during the glacial periods. The Missouri River Valley flooded every summer with the ice melt from these glaciers. During the cool months, however, the flows declined, creating expansive mudflats. Winds dried and picked up this soil causing huge dust storms. Much of the wind-blown soil or loess was dropped near the mudflats in “dirt drifts” exceeding 200 feet in depth.

There are several reasons why the Loess Hills are unique. The soil itself is composed of “silt-sized” particles. This allows water to rapidly pass, which creates an arid or dry condition. South- and west-facing slopes of the Hills are baked in sunlight, while slopes facing north and east are more shaded. These shaded slopes are often wooded with relatively young stands of Bur Oak.

The sunny, steep slopes have remained in native grasses and flowers, genetically tied to the same vegetation that was here before settlers arrived. The combination and quality of both timber and prairie make this ideal for study.