The following hike focusing on fungus will be held the same day as our annual dinner. Thomas Mitchell Park, is located between Des Moines and Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge, where the dinner will be held. For those of you who want to make a day of it in Central Iowa, we can arrange a walk at Neal Smith NWR, too. There is a two-mile walking trail through the refuge prairie restoration and past the buffalo enclosure. Be sure to watch the center's wonderful video on the return to wildness theme. Please contact me if you have questions or if you want to make reservations for the annual dinner. Jane Clark [log in to unmask] Thomas Mitchell Park: Nature Walk Will Focus on Fungus Take a stroll through the woods and get up close and personal with fungi. Join Polk County Conservation Board for a fungus hike at Thomas Mitchell Park on Saturday, October 4, from 10:00 - 11:00 a.m. Fungi expert, Lois Tiffany, will lead the hike to identify mushrooms and fungus and learn why we call them nature's recyclers. Participants should meet at the parking lot near the pond. This is a free public program and pre-registration is not required. For more information on this special Polk County Conservation Board nature program, call 515-323-5300. Thomas Mitchell Park is located between Altoona and Mitchellville off NE 46th Avenue. The park entrance is on NE 108th Street, 4 miles east of Altoona and 2 miles southwest of Mitchellville. From Des Moines, take I-80 east to exit 149 at Mitchellville. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - To get off the IOWA-TOPICS list, send any message to: [log in to unmask]