Our Mission:
To preserve our natural heritage through protection and management of land and water with significant environmental value.

Johnson County Heritage Trust
Tammy Richardson
320 Kirkwood Ave., Suite 2
P.O. Box 2523
Iowa City, IA 52244-2523
319.338.7030
Fax: 319.341.2228
info@jcht.org

About JCHT

The Johnson County Heritage Trust is a land trust which accepts donations of land from residents and landowners who want their natural areas to be in the public trust, available for present and future generations.

The Johnson County Heritage Trust can also arrange and hold conservation easements, facilitate transfers of land from private to public ownership, and advise land owners on donations, sale, and preservation of their land. For more information on these conservation options, click here.

The JCHT cooperates with other groups which promote and preserve natural areas, including the Johnson County Conservation Board, the Johnson County Soil and Water Conservation District, the Iowa City Parks and Recreation Department, the Iowa Nature Conservancy, the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation, and the Iowa Environmental Council. We are a member of the national Land Trust Alliance.

We currently maintain and preserve five local natural areas, for the enjoyment and education of the public, and hold conservation easements on nine contiguous properties.

Our Mission
To preserve our natural heritage through protection
and management of land and water with significant environmental value.

Our Values

• Stewardship:
  - Responsible stewards of the land.
• Integrity:
  - Trustworthy in all that we do.
• Respect:
  - Honoring the people, land, wildlife, water, air and plants of our county.
• Collaboration:
  - Working with land owners and public and private organizations to achieve our goals.
• Commitment:
  - Focused on fulfilling our mission.

Our Goals

• Identify and protect land and water with significant environmental value, both directly and indirectly, and encourage and assist community in doing the same.
• Develop and implement management plans that encourage biological diversity and site-appropriate native ecosystems for each Johnson County Heritage Trust property.
• Obtain national accreditation from the Land Trust Alliance.
• Collaborate with private and public organizations to encourage responsible land use and watershed management.
• Be readily recognized by the public as a conservation leader, educator and advisor.

Our Vision
Land and Water:
A Johnson County renowned for its preservation and restoration of prairies, woodlands, stream corridors, and wetlands:

• colorful prairie plants line its roadways, native wildflowers carpet its forest floors, native wildlife species abound;
• carefully planned residential and commercial developments and working farms co-exist harmoniously with natural areas.

Community:
The Johnson County Heritage Trust appreciates and encourages:

• an informed citizenry that understands the wisdom of strategic land preservation, native biodiversity and sustainable natural communities;
• the agricultural heritage of our county and the scenic, historic and economic value of our working farms;
• sustainable human communities that balance population growth with land preservation and unite fragmented natural areas with recreational trails and other corridors;
• the commitment of local governments to well-planned growth and to a land ethic that preserves native remnants for future generations; and
• local residents who become engaged in preserving and restoring our unique biological resources.

Organization:
The Johnson County Heritage Trust will:

• work with other groups and local governments.
• actively identify special places and foster the voluntary preservation of unique natural areas,
• generate sufficient funding through membership, donations and grants,
• be responsible in managing properties entrusted to us, and
• have an active membership and a board with a passion for achieving our mission.

History

The impetus for the founding of the Johnson County Heritage Trust was, ironically, a lost opportunity. In late 1977 or early 1978 the owner of land on the south side of Hickory Hill Park and north of Rochester Avenue, along what is now an extension of 7th Ave., offered to sell it to the City as an addition to the Park. But the City could not meet the owner’s deadline, and the land was sold to a developer. This tragic loss led Nancy Seiberling and other public-spirited people to realize that Iowa City needed a private, non-profit organization that could act quickly to seize such opportunities and then hold land on its own or resell it to a public body. The answer was a land trust, something familiar to many people in the East and West but less known in the Middle West. There was then only one other land trust in Iowa, in the Dubuque area.

The earliest surviving minutes of the “Johnson County Heritage Trust” are from March 28, 1978. A board of Jean Lloyd-Jones, William Hines, David Ferree, Betsy Hillman, Russ Schmeiser, Donna Epley, Fremont Isaacs, and Richard Baker elected Hines President, Epley Vice Preesident, Hillman Secretary and Schmeiser Treasurer. They say that “the majority of the meeting centered around discussion and revision of the bylaws.” They also say that as a result of an earlier meeting, March 9, “we have 50 paid members for a total of $810.”

Enthusiasm was high. There was another board meeting April 12, and another general membership meeting April 27, at which four committees were formed: Membership-liason, Donations, Land Search, and Public Relations. Incorporation followed on May 3, handled by Bill Meardon. The first purpose of the trust, as stated in the Articles of Incorporation, was to be the “preservation of natural resources of Johnson Co., Iowa and surrounding area, including, but not limited to, water resources, woodland and open spaces, and the plant and animal life therein and the preservation of unique historic and scenic sites.” Other purposes were scientific study; public education; and property acquisition, use, or transfer “to carry out such purposes.”

Board meetings in June, September, and November 1978 took up the printing of brochures, appearances on radio shows, and possible acquisitions. Places listed were a riverfront tract north of I-80, Turkey Creek, the Rotary Camp, Lover’s Leap, Brown’s Woods, Ryerson Timber, Douglas Woods, and Elmira or Gardiner’s Woods.

The next surviving minutes are of a board meeting January 9, 1980. Discussion was of a “Turkey Creek Easement” and “Ryerson Timber.” There was also talk “of linking up with other groups such as Nature Conservancy, Johnson Co. Conser. Bd or the new State land preservation group appointed by Governor Ray.” The last was to become the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation. Its first Director, Gerald Schnef, asked Jean Lloyd-Jones for copies of our by-laws and articles of incorporation.

On Nov. 6, 1980 at “the Story Hour Room” of the I.C. Public Library the general membership reviewed acquisition of the Turkey Creek Nature Area, and the Board unanimously accepted the donation of it from the owners (the Gelmans, Howes, Lasanskys, and John Greenleaf and Barbara Greenleaf Buckley). At the same meeting Cathy Johnson “explained her attempts to preserve the Rock Island RR Depot.” Fortunately, the Depot was later preserved by private individuals. But preservation of buildings, although allowed for in the Articles of Incorporation, was not to become a JCHT interest.

So nearly three years after its initial organization, the JCHT acquired its first property, the beautiful 105 acres of woods, bluffs, and former pasture along Turkey Creek south of Sugar Bottom Road. Dedication of the property, with a sign honoring the donors, was planned for June 27th, 1981, liability insurance was purchased, and work-days were proposed. Management of Turkey Creek became a major concern of the JCHT.

For the annual meeting of June 8, 1983 Dick Baker invited Paul Christianson of Cornell College to give a slide presentation on prairies, and later that evening members voted to authorize up to $750 for the establishment of 5 acres of prairie on the pasture land. This was the beginning of the Trust’s interest in prairie preservation and reconstruction. Minutes from following years mention efforts to control multiflora rose (including the hiring of students in the Mayor’s Youth Program to dig it up), trying to keep out stray cattle, controlled burns, and additional prairie planting, sometimes with money from Project Green. Another item is that in 1987 the Army Corps of Engineers paid the Trust $3500 for a flood easement. That was our first major cash inflow.

But the Trust also continued to try to acquire and protect woodland. In 1981 Bill Meardon told the Board that he knew of property east of East Amana called Hanging Rock Woods. Eventually a group led by Dr. Fred Stamler, that had owned and managed this 212-acre forested tract for 30 years, arranged for its transfer to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. Ryerson Timber / Woods, the 33 acres south of the Fair Grounds, remained on the JCHT agenda until 1986, when President Hines announced that it had been transferred to the City. Also in 1986 Dick Baker announced that he had received a call from an attorney about the possible donation to the Trust of 20 acres between West Branch and Iowa City. At a special meeting November 17, 1986, the Trust formally accepted that donation – which we know as Hora Woods, for its donor, Mabel Hora.

1986 also saw the first JCHT newsletter, which Connie Mutel was to edit for many more years. Previously, information about the Trust was disseminated only by mailing out the minutes of each annual meeting. But the Trust now had more to report. Land conservation was becoming a nation-wide issue, and the Newsletter was an effort to reach a larger audience and expand our influence. Two years before, Jean Lloyd-Jones had said in her “Legislative Report,” a feature then of annual meetings, that the Governor had just signed a bill allowing private, non-profit organizations to hold conservation easements, which previously could be held only by governmental bodies. She also reported that the State was expanding the “Chickadee Checkoff” and improving non-game conservation efforts.

By 1988, our tenth anniversary, membership was at 45, and the newsletter wrote that Edwin B. Green, the former managing editor of the Press-Citizen had bequeathed the Trust $5,000, approximately doubling its bank balance. At that year’s meeting Connie Mutel proposed our making an annual Conservation Award, saying it would both recognize the winner’s service and increase recognition of the Trust. (See separate list of the winners and their achievements.)

A sign of our growing community presence came in 1992 with the offer to the JCHT of 13 acres of oak-hickory forest that had been purchased by seventeen home-owners in the Ridge Road area to protect them from development. The home-owners insisted that they also did not want these woods and ravine “to be a formal park,” as Dr. Isacson (one of the neighbors) said, but to remain in their “natural state.” We accommodated their wish and also changed our by-laws to make sure the land remained that way even if the JCHT were dissolved. In our files is a moving letter from Richard Bovbjerg, one of the neighbors, describing the Ridge Road Preserve (or Shimek Ravine, as we usually call it) as it then was – the ravine, woods, flowers, birds, and animals.

The Ridge Road Preserve represented a new function the Trust as an instrument that could not only protect land but protect the ambiance of a surrounding neighborhood that depended on that land for its privacy, quiet, and natural beauty.

Another function of the Trust was as a forum to which people could come with news of land anywhere in our area that was of special interest. In 1993 Aaron Basten of Solon reported on the unique features of land on the Ciha farm near Sutliff, on which he and Paul Christiansen had identified a sedge bog and 192 different plant species. The Trust voted to pay Aaron and Paul $200 towards the rental of the property, so that they could continue to study it. Eventually they identified over 250 plants there.

Our function as a forum had begun with the talks at the annual meetings. In 1985 Wendell Simonson gave two slide presentations, “The Story of Williams Prairie” and “Requiem for a Railroad.” In 1987 Jean Prior talked about the State Preserves. In 1988 Bill French spoke on the Muscatine Prairie Endowment. In 1990 President Seiberling reported on the new Natural Areas Survey (led by Steve Hendrix) that was being funded by the County Conservation Board and the replacement of the of County Weed Commissioner by a new position, Roadside Vegetation Manager (to be filled by Russ Bennett). The JCHT has strongly supported the collecting of more information about our local land and landscape. We can protect it only if we know about it. In 1995 we became more involved in State-wide conservation efforts, when we joined the new Iowa Environmental Council.

By 1996, as a result of these increasing activities, President Seiberling and others saw a need to expand the Board of Directors. In its first eighteen years there had been only three different Presidents (Hines, Baker, and Seiberling) and little change in Board composition. The Board voted to increase its size from 9 to 15 members and to amend the By-Laws so as to limit members to only two consecutive terms of three years each. In 1997 Dick Sjolund became the new President, with Sam Fahr re-elected Vice President and Russ Schmeiser continuing as Secretary and Treasurer.

A different expansion of the Trust came in 1998 with the donation by David and Kathy Belgum of their 40 acres of land along Dirty Face Creek west of Hills. This former cropland and pasture, with a small garden, orchard and stable was not woodland or prairie. On the other hand, the Belgums wanted it preserved for educational and recreational purposes, and it had the potential for both. Professor Steve Heard soon conducted pollination experiments there, and Hills elementary school was interested in the land as an outdoor classroom. The Belgums retained the right to use the garden and orchard, and in 2001 the Trust put 13 acres into the Conservation Reserve Program, for which we are receiving $1400 per year in rent for 15 years. We have also participated in a Johnson Co. Soil and Water Conservation District plan to reduce flooding and pollution in Dirty Face Creek. In the summer of 2002 Dick Baker led a group in monitoring the water there and in Turkey Creek.

But we saw that management of Belgum Grove would present new challenges to the Trust. Moreover, Johnson Co was growing so fast that there were additional roles for the Trust. So in 1999 President Mary Neuhauser headed a Planning Committee that met seven times that autumn and also heard from other private and public conservation groups. Its recommendations, approved by the Board in February 2000 and later by the general membership, included:

• joining the national Land Trust Alliance;
• doing more to identify land worthy of protection and then working with land owners and other groups to do so, by acquisition or holding of conservation easements;
• developing management plans for all our properties;
• developing funding strategies;
• and expanding our educational activities, via more newsletters, a new brochure, and participation in more public events and activities.

Since then these recommendations have guided the Board. In 2003 Judith Klink, David Curry, and Carol Spaziani developed a new brochure. Terry Dahms developed our first website. And the four management committees, chaired by Dick Baker (Turkey Creek), Alan Nagel (Hora Woods), Wayne Petersen (Belgum Grove), and David Curry (Shimek Ravine) presented long-range funding needs for each property. At the same time, negotiations with Dick Schwab began for a bargain sale to the Trust of 40 acres of his “Natural Woodlands” property in the County’s North Corridor and the Trust’s taking of conservation easements on 75 more acres. These 40 acres, now called Big Grove, were acquired in the summer of 2004.

Thus the JCHT currently owns five properties, totaling 228 acres, and has the responsibility of monitoring 75 acres. Providing for the management of this land and and the building of a reserve fund for future acquisition is the purpose of the “Watershed Moment” campaign to raise $400,000. The new strategic plan, which was developed in the Fall, 2004, outlines the policies which will guide the Trust in this management, acquisition, and growth.

The Johnson County Heritage Trust has grown a lot in 25 years, perhaps not as much as we would like, but solidly. Although begun in reaction to a lost opportunity, it has constantly tried to be more proactive – to look ahead and work with change, so that change can make us better stewards of our land and natural heritage. This is not always possible. Surprises happen, for better and for worse. But as we grow in size and experience, we become better prepared to anticipate opportunities and to seize them when they come. Today, as in its beginnings, the Trust is a meeting place for people with diverse skills – legal, financial, scientific, and custodial – dedicated to the common goal of land preservation. The great strength of Johnson County is the talent and expertise of its many different citizens. The Johnson County Heritage Trust has been a very effective means by which people with these many skills can work together in protecting our land, with its glorious woodlands, prairies, creeks, and rivers.

Robert F. Sayre
JCHT President, 2000-04

2009 Accomplishments

Accreditation (VanRybroek – chair, Jane McCune, Lorie Reins-Schweer and Tammy Richardson)
Purpose – To obtain national Accreditation from the Land Trust Alliance.

a. 2009 – made significant progress toward accreditation. Identified the Easement policy as a major hurdle toward accreditation.

Land Acquisition and Protection (Casey Kohrt – chair, Amy Bouska, David Curry, Dick Schwab, Mark Madsen and Dan Black)
Purpose: Identify and protect land and water with significant environmental value, both directly and indirectly, and encourage and assist our community in doing the same.

a. Identified and kept a map of land in Johnson County with significant environmental value
b. Evaluated properties of interest using the land acquisition criteria
b. Recommended to the board acquisition of, or taking easements on, properties of interest
c. Worked to be more proactive with the Board of Supervisors to understand their stand on land use to cooperate with them more in the future
d. Worked more closely with the Johnson County Conservation Board on natural areas inventory plan

Resource Development (Dick Schwab – chair, Robin Butler, Lorie Reins-Schweer and Bob Sayre)
Purpose: Guide JCHT’s efforts in growing membership and generating sufficient resources to fund our initiatives.

a. Recognized all gifts
b. Cultivated existing members
c. Asked in journal for members to remember us in their will
d. Worked to be proactive with other committees with membership engagement
e. In the process of a successful property management capital campaign with a goal of $150,000 in cash and pledges to sustain a part-time property steward and hire and professional property management services.
f. Expanded membership to over 500 members.
g. Cultivated or built new relationships/donor development/”friend raising”
h. Created a list of potential major donors
i. Working on documentation of Resource Development policies in support of our Accreditation initiatives.
1) membership renewal procedures
2) honorary members
3) recognition of gifts for “Under a Cider Moon . . .” event.
j. Assisted our Executive Director in seeking out and writing grants.

Publicity (Steve Semken – Chair; Adam Galluzzo, Mary Somerville, Liz Hall, Barbara Beaumont, Anne Hesse and Lorie Linder)
Purpose: Increase awareness and support for JCHT by publicizing our events and publishing the “Heritage” environmental journal.

a. Publicized all events, activities and accomplishments of the JCHT
b. Informed membership that JCHT going through Accreditation process in future
c. Worked toward developing and maintaining a media and associated clubs mailing list
d. Provided oversight and guidance to JCHT Executive Director for JCHT website
e. Regularly communicate JCHT mission and activities via news releases to print and electronic media
f. Compiled and edited “Heritage” JCHT’s environmental journal four times per year
g. Posted “Heritage” on website and mailed, with cover letter, to approximately 300 businesses for display in waiting areas
h. Maintained outreach and held events that promote Johnson County Heritage Trust
i. Assisted in promoting events, such as “Under a Cider Moon . . . a Celebration of Autumn with the Johnson County Heritage Trust” along with the Resource Development Committee and “Cider Moon . . .” committee.
j. Assisted in promoting events such as Annual Meeting, Prairie Preview and Family Day Event

Governance and Investment (Lorie Reins-Schweer – Chair; Mary Somerville and Dick Schwab)
Purpose: Provide guidance and oversight on all aspects of the governance process and cultivate and recommend prospective board members.

a. Recommended a slate of nominees for conservation award by April, 2009
b. Recommended a slate of officers to Board
c. Identified, recruited and provided orientation and training to new board members
d. Identified independent reviewer of JCHT financial records by April, 2009
e. Launched Accreditation Task Force to complete Accreditation process by 2014
f. Created an “elevator statement”
g. Provided leadership to the organization in implementing the new organizational model for JCHT

Property Manager’s Committee (Gene Szymkowiak – Chair; Wayne Petersen, Don Bolin, Mark Vitosh, Lorie Reins-Schweer, Terry Dahms, Casey Kohrt, John VanRybroek and Tammy Richardson
Purpose: Ensure that JCHT has a program of responsible stewardship for our properties and develop and implement management plans that encourage biological diversity and site-appropriate native ecosystems for each Johnson County Heritage Trust property.

a. Continued to develop and refine management plans for each property.
b. Hired Conservation Corps Iowa team.
c. Established and prioritized necessary and desirable qualifications for paid Property Manager.

Individual Property Accomplishments:

Belgum Grove – Wayne Petersen, Chair; Dan Black and Bob Sayre

a. Burned existing prairie planting in the spring.
b. Planted soybeans in the north field in 2008. Seeded north field on 2/15/09. The south fields were
treated with RoundUp in 2008. They were mowed during the summer of 2009 and RoundUp was applied in early Sept. They were burned on Sunday 11/8/09 and planted to prairie on Friday 11/13/09. (Over an inch of rain fell from Monday 11/16 – Wed 11/18 to help pack seed in).
c. Started rebuilding grade stab structure August 2009 and finished in early Sept 2009. Applied temporary seeding of Oats (with annual rye) on Saturday 9/12. Seeded with prairie mix and Western Wheatgrass on Friday 11/13. Applied complimentary seeding with lots of liatris on Saturday 11/14 to demonstrate the vicon seeder.
d. Removed interior fencing.
e. Initiated under story removal in oak slope - savanna restoration. (As time allows - probably a multi-year effort). Got a good start on this with CCI in the fall of 2009.
f. Seeded prairie reconstruction 11/13/09.
g. Initiated removal of woody species along stream corridor. (As time allows – probably a multi-year effort). Mostly completed with Americorp in fall 2008 and on a spring work day in 2009.
h. Removed trees from west fence line
i. Built new fence and gate on west property line
j. Constructed fenced in parking area and rocked the entrance
k. Removed/recycled old fencing materials
l. Cleaned up downed pines
m. Cleaned up (pruned) apple orchard
n. Constructed campfire ring in the orchard
o. Stocked bluegill fry in the pond on 10/20/09
p. Burned creek corridor on the south side and cleaned up/burned down timber
q. Applied straw mulch on the new dam for erosion control during the tour
r. Held a successful tour of the property on 11/14/09

Big Grove – Don Bolin, Chair

It was planned that in the spring of this year, the entire open area west of the parking lot would be sprayed with Roundup, then re-seeded with a meadow/prairie mixture. However, re-evaluation of the area, especially by Connie Mutel, showed that annual spring burnings, removal of brush, and hand-pulling of many weeds like wild carrot and foxtail, had already caused quite a resurgence of native sedges and wildflowers. Therefore it was elected to just continue conservative management, rather than "wiping the slate clean". This year, a start was made in controlling some of the blackberries that are fairly thick in some parts of the meadow; initially I tried spraying them with Roundup late in the summer, but this caused too much collateral damage to other vegetation, so instead I've decided to just lop them off every year at the base, which over a period of years should cause gradual diminishment. I also want to add more variety to the plant base in the meadow, so I've cleared all the vegetation from two areas, each about 100 square feet in size. These areas next spring will be seeded with wildflower mix. This fall I also gathered seeds from Turkey Creek and scattered those about. My plan is to continue spot clearing a couple of areas each year that are more degraded, and seed those heavily, and to continue gathering seeds from other preserves and broadcasting those.

In the wooded areas of Big Grove, each year I've been progressively clearing all the woody invasives; each year a new quarter has been cleared, and this year the last quarter was cleared. All the areas that have already been cleared are gone over again, so the entire reserve was grid-walked and cleared this year. Starting next year, it will be basically a matter of maintenance, grid-walking the entire woods each year. Garlic mustard continues to diminish, and all known areas were carefully hand pulled several times. This will need to be done every spring and fall in future years. The main problem now is from new colonies being tracked into Big Grove, especially from Croshek's property to the east, which was becoming almost solidly overgrown with mustard. Starting last year I've been gradually pulling the garlic mustard from Croshek's land west of the small stream that bisects their woods. The mustard is probably now 95% gone from there, which will make Big Grove more manageable. Garlic mustard was also spreading into adjacent Corps land, and that is also being pulled. The next planned stage in management of the woods in BG will involve starting to thin the understory trees, and it is hoped this will begin this winter and continue next year.

Hora Woods – Gene Szymkowiak, Chair

a. Removed a pick-up truck’s worth of trash. (Disposed of by Terry D.) Burned old shed at SE corner.
b. Exotic control: garlic mustard- several new areas identified and weeded. (Likely introduced by deer, etc.) Multiflora rose- cut and sprayed multiple clumps around the borders
c. Burned cleared area at SE corner.
d. Posted No Hunting signs.
e. Conservation Corps of Iowa aided in continuing TSI in areas already started on SE end, about 1.5 acres. Began TSI in the center on the west end where oaks are concentrated.
f. Sprayed reed canary grass at NE corner with Round-Up. Sprayed brome on the SW border.
g. Sprayed black locust resprouts in center of south border.

Natural Woodlands – Tammy Richardson, Chair

a. Schwab attended all association meetings.
b. Schwab lead the invasives removal on lots 5 and 7 last fall with University students.
c. Schwab participated in the AmeriCorps work on Lot 2
d. Schwab answered questions from lot owners and purchasers as needed.
e. Richardson completed conservation easement monitoring on all lots, sent follow-up letters and created a powerpoint presentation of results.

Newport-O’Mara Woods – Mark Vitosh and Lorie Reins-Schweer, Co-Chairs

a. Invasive species management on 7 acres (Garlic mustard, Oriental bittersweet, honeysuckle, barberry, privet, and Autumn olive).
b. Firebreak (leaf blown and raked) around 1 ac of large white oak. Plan to burn fall of 2009
c. Corner posts set at all survey corner markings of the property line.
d. Walked the property with the Massey-O’Mara family in the fall of 2009

Shimek Ravine – Terry Dahms, Chair

a. 4/23/09: Mike Fallon, under contract, started to burn the brush piles from AmeriCorp work in 2008. As I recall there were 11 piles of brush to be burned. Unfortunately it got out of control and Fallon called the IC Fire Dept. The trucks drove out on the Shimek playground and created some deep ruts in the soft soil from work done to create a water retention basin in 2008. Only 3 or 4 brush piles were partially burned; therefore leaving 7 or 8 remaining to be burned.
b. 6/6/09 The ruts were repaired. This work was done by Wayne Petersen and Dan Black.
c. October 22 and 26,27, 28, 2009: We hired Conservation Corp Iowa to clear brush. They worked very hard in some unpleasant weather and cleared approximately 3 acres. They created some wide 'trails' for access into Shimek so we could either burn, and be able to surround the burn which was something we could not do when Fallon attempted his burn, or clear the area surrounded by the trails.

Strub Prairie – Casey Kohrt and Erin Irish, Co-Chairs

a. Conducted a burn
b. Continued invasive species control

Turkey Creek – John VanRybroek, Chair; Adam Galluzzo, Connie Mutel and Dick Schwab

a. Continued to clear Brome #2 in preparation for prairie reconstruction. A large area of brush was cut for burning. The brush was removed with the help of the Iowa Conservation Corps.
b. A walking trail was relocated and marked on the east side of Turkey Creek. The trail begins at the gate adjacent to the Buckley property. Numerous large autumn olive and honeysuckle were removed and burned. This was an Iowa Conservation Corps project.
c. The east side trail was also enhanced with a rock crossing over a drainage creek.
d. Brome Field #2 was sprayed twice with herbicide in preparation for prairie reconstruction.
e. The spring burn of original reconstructed prairie planned for this year not accomplished as planned.

2010 Goals

Accreditation (John VanRybroek – chair, Jane McCune, Lorie Reins-Schweer and Tammy Richardson)
Purpose – To obtain national Accreditation from the Land Trust Alliance in 2012.

Ongoing Objective
a. Place JCHT in a position to apply for National Accreditation from the Land Trust Alliance in 2012.

Land Acquisition and Protection (Casey Kohrt – chair, David Curry, Dick Schwab, Mark Madsen and Dan Black)
Purpose: Identify and protect land and water with significant environmental value, both directly and indirectly, and encourage and assist our community in doing the same.

Ongoing Objectives
a. Identify and keep map of land in Johnson County with significant environmental value
Major Initiatives
a. Evaluate properties of interest using the land acquisition criteria
b. Recommend to the board acquisition of, or taking easements on, properties of interest
c. Meet with Johnson County Supervisors, Johnson County Planning and Zoning, City Planning and
Zoning, Friends of Hickory Hill Park and Johnson County Conservation Board annually.
d. Work more closely with the Johnson County Conservation Board on natural areas inventory plan

Resource Development (Dick Schwab – chair, Robin Butler, Lorie Reins-Schweer and Bob Sayre)
Purpose: Guide JCHT’s efforts in growing membership and generating sufficient resources to fund our initiatives.
Ongoing Objectives
a. Recognize all gifts
b. Cultivate existing members
c. Ask in journal (at least twice) for members to remember us in their will
d. Be proactive with other committees with membership engagement

Major Initiatives
a. Complete a successful property management capital campaign of $150,000 in cash and pledges to sustain a part-time property manager and hire and professional property management services.
b. Expand membership to over 700 members.
c. Cultivate or build new relationships/donor development/”friend raising”
d. Maintain a list of potential major donors
e. Document Resource Development policies in support of our Accreditation initiatives.
1) membership renewal procedures
2) honorary members
3)recognition of gifts for “Under a Cider Moon . . .” event.
f. Assist our Executive Director in seeking out and writing grants with a goal of $25,000

Publicity (Steve Semken – Chair; Adam Galluzzo, Mary Somerville, Liz Hall, Barbara Beaumont, Anne Hesse and Lorie Linder)
Purpose: Increase awareness and support for JCHT by publicizing our events and publishing the “Heritage” journal.

a. Publicize all events, activities and accomplishments of the JCHT
b. Inform membership that JCHT is going through Accreditation process in future
c. Develop and maintain a comprehensive plan for publicity and communication
d. Provide oversight and guidance to JCHT Executive Director regarding Facebook and JCHT website
e. Regularly communicate JCHT mission and activities via news releases to print and electronic media
f. Compile and edit JCHT environmental journal four per year with community calendar section
g. Send “Heritage” our conservation journal to media
h. Organize annual Family Day collaborating with Mushroom Club and others
i. Keep people up to date on our Accreditation process
j. Create property specific brochures for Turkey Creek

Governance and Investment (Lorie Reins-Schweer – Chair; Mary Somerville and Dick Schwab)
Purpose: Provide guidance and oversight on all aspects of the governance process and cultivate and recommend prospective board members.

Ongoing Objectives
a. Recommend a slate of nominees for conservation award by April, 2010
b. Recommend a slate of officers to Board
c. Identify, recruit and provide orientation and training to new board members
d. Identify independent reviewer of JCHT financial records by May 2010
e. Provide oversight for investment of funds
f. Provide oversight for insurance coverage

Major Initiatives
a. Revise Conflict of Interest Policy be consistent with the LTA standards and procedures.
b. Implement a legislative and political activities policy.
c. Provide leadership to the organization in implementing the new organizational model for JCHT

Property Manager’s Committee (Gene Szymkowiak – Chair; Wayne Petersen, Don Bolin, Mark Vitosh, Lorie Reins-Schweer, Terry Dahms, Casey Kohrt, John VanRybroek and Tammy Richardson
Purpose: Ensure that JCHT has a program of responsible stewardship for our properties and develop and implement management plans that encourage biological diversity and site-appropriate native ecosystems for each Johnson County Heritage Trust property.

Committee Goals:

a. Continue to develop and refine management plans for each property.
b. Plan on at least one educational talk from an expert outside JCHT, e.g. Laura Jackson, UNI
c. Formulate plans for projects for Conservation Corps Iowa team, tailored to spring and fall activities.
d. Start prairie seed propagation at farm at Belgum.
e. Finalize and prioritize necessary and desirable qualifications for paid Property Steward.
f. Create job description for Property Steward.

Individual Property Goals:

Belgum Grove – Wayne Petersen, Chair; Bob Sayre and Dan Black
a. Burn the new seeding on the north side of creek.
b. Burn the bluestem stand.
c. Plant shrub clumps on the west side of pond in seep areas using species tolerant of wet conditions (goal: provide quail habitat and prevent traffic in wet areas).
d. Eradicate pampas grass along the north fence at the entry to the property.
e. Rip rap the toe of the dam at the pipe outlet and the north shore of the pond at the dam (and / or plant wave taming vegetation to reduce shoreline erosion).

f. Remove downed trees from stream corridor.
g. Strategic stabilization of eroding stream banks.
h. Expand excavated wetland area and plant the shoreline to wetland species.
i. Install trickle tube from pond to wetland.
j. Mow new prairie seedings on a monthly basis.
k. Continue understory removal on the oak slope.
l. Place gravel at the entrance and at strategic locations of the internal road.

Big Grove – Don Bolin, Chair
a. Gradually increase the plant diversity in the meadow by continuing to broadcast seed and each year clearing and totally seeding a couple of discrete spots.
b. Continue clearing garlic mustard, both in BG and adjacent properties.
c. Yearly grid-walking the entire woods, removing residual woody invasives.
d. Start to thin the understory trees.

Hora Woods – Gene Szymkowiak, Chair; Lorie Reins-Schweer
Dec.- Mar.
a. Burn east newly thinned area at west end.
b. Spring CCI project to finish this west area and begin a third area where oaks are found (NW area).

Mar.- Sept.
a. Exotics control: roses, garlic mustard, euonymus, honeysuckle
b. Label and begin deer protection fencing around new oaks and hickories.

Sept.- Dec.
a. Respray reed canary grass in meadow and SE corner, plus brome on periphery, after frost.
b. Burn (3rd time) east end TSI area.
c. CCI project in the fall

Ongoing goals
Figure out how to address run-off from adjacent properties—grants, purchase, easements?

Natural Woodlands – Tammy Richardson, Chair
a. Complete Conservation Easement Monitoring on all lots
b. Hold a Natural Woodlands landowner meeting or attend a Natural Woodlands Homeowners Association meeting
c. Continue invasive removal from all lots; lots 2 and 6, they need the most attention
d. Document lot status in pictures

Newport-O’Mara Woods – Mark Vitosh and Lorie Reins-Schweer, Co-Chairs
Property Management Goals 2010:
a. Continue Invasive species removal on all acres
b. Burn at least 1 acre of woodland in spring or fall 2010
c. Complete 5 acres of understory tree removal to complete EQIP contract. A private contractor has been hired to do this.

Shimek Ravine – Terry Dahms, Chair

a. Continue clearing invasives, concentrating on clearing the areas between the trails and the property line or perimeter.
b. Continue to cut ‘trails’ through the heaviest infestations of oriental bittersweet and autumn olive and cut trails along the ridge lines
c. Control regrowth of autumn olive and oriental bittersweet by mowing/bush wacking, chemical treatment, and experiment with a ‘weedwrench’ to pull sprouts.
d. Burn the brush piles
e. Try to do a controlled burn
f. Encourage the hiring of professional help for a period of time for intense clearing
g. Encourage and organize volunteers for work days, such as a garlic mustard pull.

Strub Prairie – Casey Kohrt and Erin Irish, Co-Chairs
a. Place the Strub rock
b. Invasive species control

Turkey Creek – John VanRybroek, Chair; Adam Galluzzo, Connie Mutel and Dick Schwab

a. Perform a spring burn of the original reconstructed prairie.
b. Apply chemical herbicide to Brome Field #2 one time in spring. This will be the last of chemical applications in preparation for prairie reconstruction.
c. Winter seed Brome Field #2 with prairie seed.
d. Clear invasive plants along the perimeter and within the original reconstructed prairie.
e. Continue to clear a walking trail from Sugar Bottom Rd. on the eastside of Turkey Creek for better access. This project primarily involves clearing autumn olive and would be accomplished with
the help of the Americorps volunteers.

JCHT Newsletter/Heritage

In 2009, our newsletter evolved into our Heritage Journal! Click below to download the publication of your choice.

• Winter, 2010
• Nov-Dec, 2009
• Fall, 2009
• Fall, 2008
• Summer, 2008
• November, 2006
• June, 2006
• December, 2005
• June, 2005

JCHT Award Winners

Members

Michael and Cathy Apicella
Robert and Claire Ashman
Richard G Baker
Jim and Nancy Baker
Laurel Bar
Douglas Baynton
Kathrine Belgum
Dan Black
Amy, Paul, Katherine, Jacob and Joseph Bouska
Kay Burke
D. Eugene Callender II
Enid & Pat Cancilla
Dwayne and Angela Capper
Theresa Carbrey
Charles and Lois Carroll/Geist
Jeanette/Wayne Carter/Patton
Cosmo and Josephine Catalano
Jim/Christine Clayton/Allen
Jim and Carol Cooper
James and Helen Crosheck
Terry and Laurie Dahms
Willa and Catherine Dickens
Dave and Sally Dierks
Judy and Drew Dillman
Kelley Donham
Lon & Barbara Drake
Chris and Anne Edwards
Scott Egerton
Gerald and Zoe Eskin
Michael and Cathy Feiss/Cole
John and Randee Fieselmann
James and Julie Fluck/Scott
Don/Dorothy Fowles
Karin Franklin
Bradley Friedhof
Jim and Karole Fuller
Roy and Deb Gaddis
David and Janet Gibson
Daryl and Nancy Granner
Mary Lynn and John Grant
Richard Grimlund
Adam and Shannon Hahn
Sally Hall
Ron and Sharon Hanson
Wayne Hartwig
Chuck and Anne Hesse
Mike Hodge
Donald Hodson
Richard and Janet Hollis
Barry Hopkins
Bob & Carolyn Howe
Julia Hromidko
William and Carol Hulbary
Dick and Deb Irwin
Dick/Ruth Javes/Baldwin
Juanita Kosier
Tim and Sarah Krumm
Diana Kruse
Steve and Karen Laughlin
Judd and Ericka Lawler
Kevin and Becky Leidal
Barbara Lindman
John Loomis
William Lounsbury

Nancy Lynch
Ryan and Elizabeth Maas
Mark and Judy Madsen
Bob and Judi McCown
Robert and Jill McKay
Gail McLure
Jerry and Carol Mennega
Evalee Mickey
MidwestOne
Jenny Olson
Duane and Jill Miller
Glen and Hanne Miska/Hierholzer
Kevin and Julie Monson
Susan Murty
Connie and Robert Mutel
Alan Nagel Arnold-Nagel
Neumann Monson,P.C.
New Pioneer Cooperative Society
Tom and Barabra Nicknish
Carrie Norton
Thomas and Sue O'Dorisio
Doug and Connie Parsons
Mark & Bonnie Penno
Dale and Kay Prediger
Dottie Ray
David and Harriet Reynolds
Tammy, Rusty and Richie Richardson
Barb and Bob Roelf
Andrew & Maureen Russo
James and Jean Sandrock
Robert & Hutha Sayre
Robert and Linda Scarth
Jeff Schabilion
Russ Schmeiser
Rodney and Jeanine Sedlacek
Selzer Werderitsch Associates
Pete and Lynn Sidwell
Terry and Ann Smothers
Mary Somerville
Carol Spaziani
Virginia Stamler
Barb Stein
Florence Stockman
John and Jackie Stokes
John and Elizabeth Stratton
Shel and Ann Stromquist
Rod Sullivan
Dick and Joyce Summerwill
Kristin Summerwill
Joan Summerwill
Gene Szymkowiak and Erin Irish
Transition Ecology LLC
John and Jean VanRybroek
Peter and Kathryn Wallace
Nancy and Steve Weber
Mike Welsh
Steve and Victoria West
Larry Wilson
Charlotte A Wilson
Mary Winder
Gene and Tonja Winekauf
Shirley Wyrick
Geralyn Zuercher

• Friends of Hickory Hill Park
• Iowa City Parks and Recreation
• Johnson County Conservation Board
• Johnson County Soil and Water Conservation District
• Indian Creek Nature Center
• Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation
• Iowa Prairie Network
• Iowa Environmental Council
• Iowa Department of Natural Resources
• Natural Resources Conservation Service
• The Land Trust Alliance
• The Nature Conservancy