Golden Hills RC&D

Loess Hills Pasque Flower Walk Saturday, April 5, 2025 10:00am-11:30am Loess Hills State Forest Join Golden Hills & Iowa Prairie Network on a hike to see the first-blooming flowers of the year! Free & Open to the Public. Meet near the shelter at 1369 Geneva Pl. Pisgah, IA https://lnkd.in/gj8v9qkU

Calling all veterans! Save the date and sign up for our hike on Brent's Trail with Operation 22 Til Freedom on May 10. Spending time outdoors can be an effective way to improve mental and physical health, and doing so with other people provides additional benefits of socializing and building community. Our goal is to help create a sense of community, get veterans outdoors in nature, and help veterans improve their mental health. Details & sign-up at https://lnkd.in/gjv3ci-y

What do you love about Iowa’s outdoors? Iowa’s parks, trails, wildlife, soil and water are all part of our quality of life and cause for celebration! Join Golden Hills with numerous conservation and outdoor recreation partners from across Iowa at Celebrate Iowa's Outdoors Day at the Iowa State Capitol on Thursday, March 20. You'll have a chance to talk with legislators and meet other Iowans passionate about protecting spaces for outdoor recreation and caring for our natural resources This family-friendly event will feature breakfast, interactive displays, engaging speakers and the opportunity to share your own motivations for celebration. The event will not emphasize any specific policy proposals but create a space for a wide array of partners, people and ideas to come together in celebration of Iowa’s great outdoors! Sign up at https://lnkd.in/g8VdxrGa

Our next East & West Nishnabotna Watershed Coalition is Wednesday, March 19 from 9am-Noon at the Oakland Community Center. This meeting will include?two guest speakers discussing grazing practices: Chad Hensley with?Big Creek Farms?and Meredith Stamberger with the?Savanna Institute.? Hensley?will?be discussing his grazing operation and?sustainable grazing practices such as?rotational grazing?that?he’s?implementing on?his farm.?Stamberger will be following that with an introduction and overview to?silvopasture,?one of a few types of agroforestry practices. Contact?Project Coordinator?Shaun?Ahern?to RSVP or with any questions:?[email protected] Details at goldenhillsrcd.org/wma

The first class in our Land Stewardship series with Iowa Western Business & Community Education is next week at Hitchcock Nature Center! Land Stewardship Series: Wildland Fire Planning & Management Tuesday, March 11, 2025 5:30pm - 8:30pm This course covers the fundamentals of wildland fire planning and management. Participants will learn how to develop fire management plans, assess wildfire risk, and implement strategies for fire prevention and response. Topics include fire behavior, safety protocols, prescribed burning, and managing fire-prone landscapes to protect ecosystems and communities. Learn about this class series and sign up at goldenhillsrcd.org/iwcc

Thank you to everyone who joined last week's farmer meetup, and thanks to Garden of Paradise for hosting! Our next one is coming up quickly, on Saturday, March 15 with Mud Ridge Ranch and Resilient Farms near Red Oak. https://lnkd.in/ghnqH4N5

?? Explore the Business of Eco-Tourism! ?? For businesses and communities, eco-tourism presents an opportunity to boost local economies while preserving nature for future generations. That’s exactly what the upcoming Business Development for Eco-Tourism Symposium will explore! Want to be part of the conversation? Join us on February 28! Iowa Western Community College in partnership with Golden Hills RC&D is hosting an exciting Business Development for Eco-Tourism Symposium on February 28 at the IWCC Looft Hall Auditorium! If you're passionate about sustainable tourism and its impact on businesses, communities, and the environment, this event is for you! Expect insightful keynotes, breakout sessions, networking opportunities, and a panel Q&A with industry leaders. Date: February 28 Location: IWCC Looft Hall Auditorium Cost: $50 per attendee Register by: February 25 Join us for a day of learning, collaboration, and fresh ideas to grow eco-tourism in our region! Registration Link: https://lnkd.in/g6AUirdC #EcoTourism #SustainableBusiness #Networking #IowaWestern #GoldenHillsRCD We encourage you to share this opportunity with your members, business partners, and community pages—it’s a fantastic way to foster sustainable growth in our region! Advance Southwest Iowa Corporation Iowa Western Community College Iowa West Foundation Pottawattamie County, Iowa Mills County Economic Development Foundation - Iowa Community Foundation for Western Iowa Stacie Kinney Council Bluffs Area Chamber of Commerce Metropolitan Area Planning Agency Megan Blakely Southwest Iowa Planning Council SWITCH - Southwest Iowa Technical Career Hub

Pottawattamie County Trails Association worked with Iowa Bicycle Coalition to get county-level data on the economic impacts of cycling. Pottawattamie County is home to nearly 28,000 cyclists, 11,000 of whom ride at least twice a month. Cyclists in Pottawattamie county contribute $34 million to the local economy & support about 360 jobs every year. The statewide study estimates that Iowa’s cycling and trail use are responsible for $1.4 billion to gross state product per year, supporting over 21,000 jobs, $690 million in wages, $23 million per year in state income taxes, and $11 million per year in state sales taxes. Check out the full statewide report: https://lnkd.in/g9irGQyy

Golden Hills is looking for conventional rowcrop farmers interested in implementing regenerative agricultural practices in southwest Iowa. Cost-share up to $10,000 is available for eligible farmers. Find eligibility info & apply at https://lnkd.in/g_G9xPTp

Golden Hills is looking for conventional rowcrop farmers interested in implementing regenerative agricultural practices in southwest Iowa. Cost-share up to $10,000 is available for eligible farmers. Find eligibility info & apply at https://lnkd.in/g_G9xPTp