So without a lot of hoopla or cake, Golden Hills quietly celebrated our 40th year of existence this year, in service to the people and places of rural western Iowa. We have a few more gray hairs, some worry lines, and a whole lot of gratitude for still being here.
During this year's Giving Tuesday, we need your help to reach our goal of raising $4,000 to support our Loess Hills Native Prairie Seed project. For the past two years, our staff and volunteers continued to gather (safely, and socially distanced...) local eco-type prairie seed to be cultivated, grown, and returned to conservation partners who are working to re-establish prairies in the Loess Hills. Some of the seed will be directly sown in prairie areas, while some seed will be grown over the winter through our partnership with Iowa Western Community College's greenhouses, to be made available to the public, conservation partners, and Loess Hills prairie enthusiasts. Prairies and native plants are vital to flood resiliency, water quality, erosion, and sustaining pollinators - not to mention the beauty and
Did you know that the majority of remaining native prairies in the state of Iowa are located in the Loess Hills? The 220 mile-long geological area is unique in the United States - the only other place in the world with significant loess deposits and bluffs like ours is located in the Yellow River Region of China.
Over the past two years, and in response to the pandemic, our regional parks, trails, and wildlife areas continue to see a huge surge in use, as more and more people found solace, joy, and appreciation for our natural spaces. Won't you help us work together to protect and preserve this natural wonder in our own back yard?
