Some good quality habitat work going on at both of these places. Good chance to see it. MJ -----Original Message----- From: Description for iowa-native-plants List [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Mottl, Larissa Sent: Wednesday, September 13, 2006 8:59 AM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: [IOWA-NATIVE-PLANTS] Sept 16 INPS Field Trip Jasper County September 16th: Jasper County (south-central Iowa) Larissa Mottl, biological field station manager for Grinnell College, will lead a tour of the college's 365-acre Conard Environmental Research Area (CERA). The tour will focus on remnant prairie, diverse prairie reconstructions and bur oak savanna restorations. The area also contains second growth woods, high quality oak-hickory forest, bottomland forest along the North Skunk River and a 14-acre pond. Participants will learn about fire and mowing experiments underway, biological monitoring efforts plus other research and restoration projects, including a study evaluating the effectiveness of direct seeding for woodland wildflowers. Participants can also tour and eat lunch in the new 7,500 square foot Environmental Education Center and greenhouse. The Center received a gold-level certification from the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program, the first building in Iowa to receive this rating. Following the CERA tour and lunch, we will visit a 40-acre prairie, savanna and woodland restoration owned by Karl DeLong, emeritus professor of biology at Grinnell College. Karl, also the former director of CERA, planted the prairies and savannas at CERA. The DeLong property is located a few miles southwest of the U.S. Interstate Highway 80's Grinnell exit (#182), less than 10 minutes from CERA. Directions to CERA: From U.S. Interstate Highway 80 about 10 miles east of Newton, take exit #173 north towards Kellogg. Turn right (east) at the first gravel road (South 12th Avenue East) and follow for about 1.5 miles to the main entrance of CERA. Drive into CERA and park in the gravel lot before the road forks. Driving directions to the DeLong property will be given out at CERA. Larissa Mottl, Manager Conard Environmental Research Area (CERA) & Center for Prairie Studies Grinnell College Grinnell, IA 50112 office: 641-269-4717 cell: 641-990-3109 fax: 641-269-4877 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - To view the Sierra Club List Terms & Conditions, see: http://www.sierraclub.org/lists/terms.asp