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| Jackson County Conservation Calendar of Events |
| Programs are free unless otherwise noted. Pre-registration is not required for some events. To do so, please contact Jackson County Conservation at (563) 652-3783 or email. |
March
Bird House Workshop
Sunday March 7th at 1:00 PM
Hurstville Interpretive Center
Bird houses are a wonderful addition to your yard and can increase the success of seeing birds around your home.
Materials and information are provided. Cost: Wren- $5, Bluebird- $7, Kestrel-$16. Pre-registration and payment
required by Sun. Feb 28th in order to prepare materials.
Duck Waddle
Saturday March 13th at 7:00 AM
Green Island Wildlife Area
Join Dubuque Audubon Society for their spring waterfowl count. See if you can identify one waddle from another!
Dress warm, bring binoculars, scopes will be available.
Winter Glow
Sunday March 14th between 3:00 - 7:00 PM
Hurstville Interpretive Center
Friends of JCC Meeting
Tuesday March 16th at 7:00 PM
Hurstville Interpretive Center
Get involved with projects and events throughout the county with the conservation staff!
Aldo Leopold Reading
Sunday March 21st at 1:00 PM
Hurstville Interpretive Center
Join us in celebrating Aldo Leopold—ecologist, forester, and father of wildlife management. Leopold's book A Sand
County Almanac has been read by millions and has informed and changed the environmental movement and a
widespread interest in ecology as a science. Join us as portions of his book are read aloud by community members.
Iowa DNR Hunter Education Course
Saturday March 20th from 9-3 PM at the
Hurstville Interpretive Center
Saturday March 27th from 9-3 PM at the
Izaak Walton Clubhouse in Maquoketa
Participants must be at least 11 years old to enroll and must attend both days. Class size is limited. Register at http:
//www.iowadnr.gov/law/hunter/education.html.
Pure Water For All
Sunday March 28th at 1:00 PM
Hurstville Interpretive Center
The Hays Pure Water for All Foundation helps people living in developing countries who do not have clean water by
make drinking water safe with handheld units. Tracy Fromm, from Miles, IA and water ambassador for the foundation,
will educate us about unsafe drinking water in the world and how these units are helping so many individuals. Fromm will
also demonstrate how the chlorine producing units work to disinfect water.
April
Waterfowl Viewing
Sunday April 11th at 1:00 PM
Hurstville Interpretive Center
Join Dubuque Audubon members Charlie Winterwood & Bob Walton, along with fellow bird watchers in viewing the
migrating waterfowl and shorebirds at the Hurstville Marsh. Learn to identify different birds. Scopes will be set-up; bring
binoculars.
Basket Weaving Workshop
Sunday April 18th at 12:15 PM
Hurstville Interpretive Center
Make your very own basket! Beginners to
experts can make this fun melon shaped basket. Cost is $15/basket. Registration and prepayment is required.
Workshop limited to 8 participants.
Earth Day
Wednesday April 22—Anytime… Anywhere
Plant a tree, participate in a litter clean-up, or anything else that helps the environment and our planet.
May
The Birds and the Bees (mostly Bees)
Sunday May 2nd at 1:00 PM
Hurstville Interpretive Center
Who helps make 1/3 of the food you eat? That job rests on the tiny shoulders of bees, butterflies (and a couple birds
and even bats!). Join naturalist Ann Burns to learn some of the fascinating stories of pollinators and what you can do to
make the world a better place for these friends of farmers and gardeners. Attendees can make a “bee box” to place in
their yard or garden to invite native bees to their home. Pre-registration is required by April 19 to make a bee box. Cost
for the bee box is $2.00
Iowa DNR Boat Education Course
Tuesday May 4 from 5:30—9:00 PM
Saturday May 8 from 8:00—3:00 PM
Sabula, Iowa
This course is open to anyone who would like to learn/review general information on boating: maintenance, operation,
safety, and laws/regulations. Students under the age of 18 must complete a boat safety certification course before
operating alone on public land. Pre-registration required by Sunday May 2nd.
1st GEAR Bike Ride
May 15 and 16
Bellevue to Maquoketa & back
Are you up to the challenge of our hills, ridges and bridges? Camp overnight in Maquoketa, or make your own
arrangements for a room in Maquoketa. There will be comfort stations and a couple food stops along the route.
Website
Flyer
Tallgrass Prairie: Past, Present, & Future
Saturday May 29 – July 21
Hurstville Interpretive Center
Come and check out this fun and informative
traveling exhibit about Iowa’s tallgrass
prairie heritage.
June
Free Fishing Weekend
June 4, 5, 6
Iowa
Iowa residents of all ages can cast a line for free this weekend! No license is needed to go fishing for these 3 days.
Free Fishing Clinic
Saturday June 5th from 9 -11 AM
Hurstville Fishing Pond
Practice casting, learn how to clean a fish, learn who’s who in the water, plus other activities. Then, see if you can catch
the biggest or smallest fish to win a prize! Bring your own equipment or borrow from us.
River Clean-Up/ Canoe Trip
Sunday June 13th
Maquoketa River
Enjoy the beautiful scenery in Jackson County while cleaning up along one of our precious streams. Participants will
canoe and pick up trash along a portion of the Maquoketa River. A limited supply of canoes will be available or you can
bring your own. Pre-registration is required by June 10th, in case of bad weather or changing river conditions. Call us
to reserve a free canoe!
Naturalist Lunch Box
2nd & 4th Thursday during the summer
June 10th & 24th at Noon
July 8th & 22nd at Noon
August 5th & 19th at Noon
Hurstville Interpretive Center at Noon
Bring a lunch and join a naturalist for a program on natural resources. You will be entertained while you dine and
hopefully will learn something new to share with your co-workers, friends, and family. Topics TBD—call ahead.
Bird House Workshop
Sunday March 7th at 1:00 PM
Hurstville Interpretive Center
Bird houses are a wonderful addition to your yard and can increase the success of seeing birds around your home.
Materials and information are provided. Cost: Wren- $5, Bluebird- $7, Kestrel-$16. Pre-registration and payment
required by Sun. Feb 28th in order to prepare materials.
Duck Waddle
Saturday March 13th at 7:00 AM
Green Island Wildlife Area
Join Dubuque Audubon Society for their spring waterfowl count. See if you can identify one waddle from another!
Dress warm, bring binoculars, scopes will be available.
Winter Glow
Sunday March 14th between 3:00 - 7:00 PM
Hurstville Interpretive Center
- Lighthouse Program at 3:00 PM
Don’t miss a great presentation about the Rock Island Lighthouse by Bill & Wendy Hainstock and Rich & Mary
Hayward. The Hainstocks and Haywards have spent several vacations serving as volunteer guides and lighthouse
keepers at this “light station” located off the northern tip of Door Peninsula, Wisconsin. They will share the history
of the light station and stories of how they spend their volunteer week greeting visitors, shining the Fresnel lens,
and carrying water to their living quarters during their volunteer vacations at the station.
Soup Supper served from 4:30—7:00 PM
A hearty supper of vegetable beef or chicken noodle soup with rolls, beverages, and desserts. Cost for the meal
is $7/adults and $5/child 5-10 years. There will be a $1 discount for buying tickets in advance as well as a 50 cent
discount at the door for bringing your own place setting (to help reduce waste).
Silent auction from 4:00—6:00 PM.
Funds raised by Friends of Jackson County Conservation help us do so many projects such as purchasing
equipment for school and public programs, matching funds for exhibit grants, building picnic shelters in parks, and
much, much more!
Friends of JCC Meeting
Tuesday March 16th at 7:00 PM
Hurstville Interpretive Center
Get involved with projects and events throughout the county with the conservation staff!
Aldo Leopold Reading
Sunday March 21st at 1:00 PM
Hurstville Interpretive Center
Join us in celebrating Aldo Leopold—ecologist, forester, and father of wildlife management. Leopold's book A Sand
County Almanac has been read by millions and has informed and changed the environmental movement and a
widespread interest in ecology as a science. Join us as portions of his book are read aloud by community members.
Iowa DNR Hunter Education Course
Saturday March 20th from 9-3 PM at the
Hurstville Interpretive Center
Saturday March 27th from 9-3 PM at the
Izaak Walton Clubhouse in Maquoketa
Participants must be at least 11 years old to enroll and must attend both days. Class size is limited. Register at http:
//www.iowadnr.gov/law/hunter/education.html.
Pure Water For All
Sunday March 28th at 1:00 PM
Hurstville Interpretive Center
The Hays Pure Water for All Foundation helps people living in developing countries who do not have clean water by
make drinking water safe with handheld units. Tracy Fromm, from Miles, IA and water ambassador for the foundation,
will educate us about unsafe drinking water in the world and how these units are helping so many individuals. Fromm will
also demonstrate how the chlorine producing units work to disinfect water.
April
Waterfowl Viewing
Sunday April 11th at 1:00 PM
Hurstville Interpretive Center
Join Dubuque Audubon members Charlie Winterwood & Bob Walton, along with fellow bird watchers in viewing the
migrating waterfowl and shorebirds at the Hurstville Marsh. Learn to identify different birds. Scopes will be set-up; bring
binoculars.
Basket Weaving Workshop
Sunday April 18th at 12:15 PM
Hurstville Interpretive Center
Make your very own basket! Beginners to
experts can make this fun melon shaped basket. Cost is $15/basket. Registration and prepayment is required.
Workshop limited to 8 participants.
Earth Day
Wednesday April 22—Anytime… Anywhere
Plant a tree, participate in a litter clean-up, or anything else that helps the environment and our planet.
May
The Birds and the Bees (mostly Bees)
Sunday May 2nd at 1:00 PM
Hurstville Interpretive Center
Who helps make 1/3 of the food you eat? That job rests on the tiny shoulders of bees, butterflies (and a couple birds
and even bats!). Join naturalist Ann Burns to learn some of the fascinating stories of pollinators and what you can do to
make the world a better place for these friends of farmers and gardeners. Attendees can make a “bee box” to place in
their yard or garden to invite native bees to their home. Pre-registration is required by April 19 to make a bee box. Cost
for the bee box is $2.00
Iowa DNR Boat Education Course
Tuesday May 4 from 5:30—9:00 PM
Saturday May 8 from 8:00—3:00 PM
Sabula, Iowa
This course is open to anyone who would like to learn/review general information on boating: maintenance, operation,
safety, and laws/regulations. Students under the age of 18 must complete a boat safety certification course before
operating alone on public land. Pre-registration required by Sunday May 2nd.
1st GEAR Bike Ride
May 15 and 16
Bellevue to Maquoketa & back
Are you up to the challenge of our hills, ridges and bridges? Camp overnight in Maquoketa, or make your own
arrangements for a room in Maquoketa. There will be comfort stations and a couple food stops along the route.
Website
Flyer
Tallgrass Prairie: Past, Present, & Future
Saturday May 29 – July 21
Hurstville Interpretive Center
Come and check out this fun and informative
traveling exhibit about Iowa’s tallgrass
prairie heritage.
June
Free Fishing Weekend
June 4, 5, 6
Iowa
Iowa residents of all ages can cast a line for free this weekend! No license is needed to go fishing for these 3 days.
Free Fishing Clinic
Saturday June 5th from 9 -11 AM
Hurstville Fishing Pond
Practice casting, learn how to clean a fish, learn who’s who in the water, plus other activities. Then, see if you can catch
the biggest or smallest fish to win a prize! Bring your own equipment or borrow from us.
River Clean-Up/ Canoe Trip
Sunday June 13th
Maquoketa River
Enjoy the beautiful scenery in Jackson County while cleaning up along one of our precious streams. Participants will
canoe and pick up trash along a portion of the Maquoketa River. A limited supply of canoes will be available or you can
bring your own. Pre-registration is required by June 10th, in case of bad weather or changing river conditions. Call us
to reserve a free canoe!
Naturalist Lunch Box
2nd & 4th Thursday during the summer
June 10th & 24th at Noon
July 8th & 22nd at Noon
August 5th & 19th at Noon
Hurstville Interpretive Center at Noon
Bring a lunch and join a naturalist for a program on natural resources. You will be entertained while you dine and
hopefully will learn something new to share with your co-workers, friends, and family. Topics TBD—call ahead.