We're hiring a Trails Coordinator!

Golden Hills RC&D is seeking a Trails Coordinator to lead the development, maintenance, and promotion of recreational mixed-use trails for Pottawattamie County as part of our outdoor recreation and tourism team.

This position will work closely with the Pottawattamie County Trails Association, County Conservation, local governments, and regional partners to implement a collaborative, long-term vision for trails and bike-related initiatives.

Download the full job description & application details at https://www.goldenhillsrcd.org/job-openings.html

Applications due Friday, August 8.

photo by Jeff Funk for Pottawattamie County Trails Association.

PFI Field Day Tomorrow near Elliott

Golden Hills is sponsoring this event by Practical Farmers of Iowa.

"Health and Happiness With Pastured Farrowing" Field Day

Tuesday, July 22

10 a.m.-Noon

54808 Youngstown Road

Elliott, IA 51532

Join Ron, Denise and Michael Mardesen on July 22 in Elliott, Iowa, from 10 a.m. to noon for an exciting field day on pastured farrowing.

The Mardesens began selling pigs to Niman Ranch in 2002. At this field day, you'll learn how they pasture-farrow and incorporate livestock into their field crop rotations.

You’ll also see the cover crops Ron planted as part of a trial comparing finishing pigs on a diverse cover crop mix versus in a barn.

Details & RSVP here.

Golden Hills is also sponsoring these PFI FIeld Days in September:

•September 3 – Implementing Small Grains, Diverse Cover Crops, & Livestock at Whiterock Conservancy (Coon Rapids)

•September 4 – Planting Trees & Grazing for Farming’s Future (Clarinda)

•September 18 – Agritourism, Infrastructure, & Collaboration at Long Walk Farm (Council Bluffs)

Land Stewardship classes continue

Classes started in March and continue one Tuesday evening per month until November from 5:30-8:30pm. The next session, Soft Trail Planning & Development, is August 5th.

This hands-on series is designed for landowners, natural resource professionals, and outdoor enthusiasts looking to deepen their knowledge of managing Iowa’s unique ecosystems. Participants will explore topics such as tree and plant identification, invasive species management, herbicide application, equipment operation, trail design, tree and shrub removal, wildfire planning, and ecosystem restoration. Some classes will include fieldwork at off-site locations, offering real-world application and insights.

Registration closes 3 days prior to each class.

For registration questions, contact Megan Blakely at Iowa Western.

Each class is $65, or register for all classes in the series for a total of $499. 

Detaills & registration.

Land Management Field Day Held at Vincent Bluff

Thank you to everyone who joined our Land Management Field Day at Vincent Bluff on June 17!

Special thanks to Glenn Pollock & Tabitha Panas with Loess Hills Preservation Society, Matt Vermeersch with Mud Ridge Range, Mud Ridge Ranch, Aric Ping with Pottawattamie Conservation, and Laura Ferguson with Natural Resources Conservation Services for sharing their knowledge about all the restoration work that's been completed at Vincent Bluff! If you attended this event, please complete this evaluation if you haven't yet.

This field day was part of our Regenerative Ag program.

Streambank Stabilization Is an eligible RCPP Practice

Many streambanks in the deep loess soils region of western Iowa have severe to extreme bank erosion. Find information & resources about river restoration on our website: goldenhillsrcd.org/riverrestoration

Bank stabilization is an eligible practice in our RCPP program.

Are you a landowner in the West Nish watershed? Please help us by completing this quick survey!

Photo above of bank stabilization project underway along the West Nish as part of RCPP, from East Pottawattamie SWCD Facebook page. Photo of restored streambank below by Lance Brisbois.

East Nishnabotna Fish Kill Updates

In March 2024, a massive fertilizer spill in Red Oak caused significant ecological damage to the East Nishnabotna River, impacting more than 60 miles downstream and killing at least 800,000 fish of 20+ species.

Since then, state and federal agencies have been working together to determine the severity of the spill's impacts on the river and restore aquatic wildlife.

Check out our blog post for updates on the assessment & restoration process.

As the coordinator of the East Nishnabotna River Watershed Coalition, Golden Hills is eagerly awaiting more updates and will share them as they become publicly available. We look forward to working collaboratively to help restore the East Nish's water quality and habitat.

Golden Hills Remembers Board Member Doug Klahn

We are deeply saddened by the recent passing of one of our newest board members, Doug Klahn, of Treynor. Doug also served on the boards of the Treynor Community School District and Iowa West Foundation, and was active in the First Christian Church in Council Bluffs.

Memorials are suggested to The Mayo Clinic or Treynor Fire & Rescue. Read Doug's obituary here.

Meet Our Team

Golden Hills staff have a wide variety of backgrounds and skillsets that help us fulfill our mission of collaboratively developing and leading community, conservation, and cultural initiatives to improve our quality of life in rural western Iowa.

Our work includes outdoor recreation & tourism, water resources, local foods, land stewardship, arts & culture, and other community partnerships.

Learn more about our team and how to contact us at goldenhillsrcd.org/staff

First row: Angie Remington, Executive Director; Dawn Harder, Office Assistant; Jamie Smidt Fowler, Local Foods Coordinator; Jackie Johnson, Development Coordinator; Jynell Miller, Operations Coordinator

Second row: Lance Brisbois, Deputy Director; Seth Brooks, Project Coordinator; Shaun Ahern, Project Coordinator.

Golden Hills RC&D  |  712-482-3029  | goldenhillsrcd.org