Saturday, Nov. 21, 10 a.m.
MUSHROOM CULTIVATION. Coralville Public Library, 1401 Fifth St., Coralville. Learn how to grow mushrooms at home. Michael Mahoney from Rot’s Bounty and Todd Fackler from Prairie States Mushroom Club will present on mushroom cultivation. Registered participants will receive a free grow bag to start their own mushrooms at home. Free and open to everyone. Details here.
City of Iowa City icgov.org
Now Available through May 15, 2027
ROOT FOR TREES DISCOUNT VOUCHER PROGRAM. The City of Iowa City continues working to grow and expand our tree canopy coverage and tree diversity with the Root for Trees program. Get 50% OFF on the purchase of a tree at participating Iowa City locations.Tree vouchers are valid for half off the retail purchase price of one tree for Iowa City residents, up to a total cost savings of $125 (a $250 tree). Details and registration here.
Iowa City Bird Watchers iowacitybirdclub.org/
Wednesday, Nov. 4, 8-10 a.m.
KENT PARK BIRD WALK. Conservation Education Center parking lot, F.W. Kent Park, 2048 Hwy. 6 NW, Oxford. Join leader Chris Edwards on the first Wednesday of every month for a bird walk in Kent Park. In the winter months, we’ll spend time in the bird blind and then go for a walk. No registration required. Details here.
Sunday, Nov. 8, 8 a.m.-12 p.m.
FIELD TRIP: TERRY TRUEBLOOD RECREATION AREA. 579 McCollister Blvd., Iowa City. Mark Madsen will lead us along the flat, paved trail around the lake, and then into the woods on an unpaved mulch trail. The target birds will include ducks, geese, raptors, forest songbirds, and sparrows. Park near the boat launch area and concessions building. Details here.
Wednesday, Dec. 2, 8-10 a.m.
KENT PARK BIRD WALK. Conservation Education Center parking lot, F.W. Kent Park, 2048 Hwy. 6 NW, Oxford. Join leader Chris Edwards on the first Wednesday of every month for a bird walk in Kent Park. In the winter months, we’ll spend time in the bird blind and then go for a walk. No registration required. Details here.
ISU Extension and Outreach extension.iastate.edu
Monday, Nov. 9, 12:30-1:30 p.m.
GARDEN Q&A LIVE – NOVEMBER. Join Iowa State University Extension and Outreach horticulture specialists and ask your gardening questions. Hosted by Aaron Stiles, sessions are held monthly on Zoom. Here’s how it works: Sign up in advance for the monthly program. Join us via Zoom that day and ask your personalized gardening question. No topic is too big or small. A panel of horticulture experts can offer tailored advice based on your situation. You can even share photos to further help the experts get to the bottom of your question. After you register, you will receive an email with a confirmation and a link. Click on that link to join the program on the scheduled date at the scheduled time. Details and registration here.
Johnson County Conservation johnsoncountyiowa.gov/department-of-conservation, facebook.com/johnsoncountyconservation
Wednesday, Nov. 4, 10-11:30 a.m.
PRAIRIE SEED HARVEST. Knight Prairie Pavilion, F.W. Kent Park, 2048 Hwy. 6 NW, Oxford. Prairie seed harvests are great volunteer events to get the public involved in JCC’s prairie reconstruction projects. Join us to hand-harvest prairie seeds that will be planted later this year at upcoming prairie reconstruction sites on county land. Volunteers receive training at the start for species ID and how to harvest. Free and open to everyone. This is an Accessible Seed Harvest, with no hiking to harvest area. Registration is required. Details and sign-up here.
Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2-4 p.m.
JOHNSON COUNTY CONSERVATION SEED PROCESSING WORKSHOP. Coralville Public Library, 1401 Fifth St., Coralville. Join Johnson County Conservation for a volunteer prairie-seed processing event. Help break down and process native seeds for fall planting. This activity is a relaxed way to volunteer and a great way to learn more about native prairie plants and how to help restore native habitats in Johnson County. Free and open to everyone – no need to register. Details here.
Wednesday, Nov. 11, 10 a.m.-noon
PRAIRIE SEED HARVEST. Ciha Fen Preserve, 145th St. NE, Lisbon, Iowa. Join us to harvest prairie seeds that will be planted later this year at upcoming prairie reconstruction sites on county land. Volunteers receive training at the start for species ID and how to harvest. This free program is open to all. Registration required. Details and registration here.
University of Iowa College of Law Hubbell Environmental Law Initiative heli.law.uiowa.edu/
Monday, Nov. 9, 12:30-2 p.m.
HEALTHY IOWA: ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE, PUBLIC HEALTH DATA, AND THE LAW. 225 Boyd Law Building, 130 Byington Road, Iowa City. Environmental contaminants, from PFAS and pesticides to emerging toxins that may not yet be fully understood, raise complicated questions for communities: What are we being exposed to? What are the potential health effects? How do we know when there is a problem? Who is responsible? And what can communities and individuals do when contamination is discovered? A panel of experts across disciplines – science, public health and environmental law – will explore those questions and provide insights about how environmental contamination moves from a scientific concern to a public-health issue and, then, sometimes to a legal and policy response. Panelists include The panel will include Larry Weber, director of IIHR-Hydroscience & Engineering at UI; David Cwiertny, director of the Center for Health Effects of Environmental Contamination; Mary Charlton, the Iowa Cancer Registry’s director and principal investigator; and John Lande of Dickinson Bradshaw Law. The moderator is Jennifer Terry, director of the Hubbell Environmental Law Initiative. No cost to attend; also available via Zoom.. Registration is required. Details and registration here.
Wild Ones – Cedar Rapids, Iowa City Chapter cedarrapidsiowacity.wildones.org
Wednesday, Nov. 18, 6 p.m.
THE HABITAT CHECK-UP WITH WILDR PLACES. Is your yard providing everything wildlife needs to thrive? Planting native species is an important step toward creating habitat, but how can you tell what’s working, what’s missing, and where to focus your efforts next? Join Wild Ones and Wildr Places for The Habitat Check-up, a free webinar exploring a practical, science-informed approach to evaluating your home landscape. Presenter Zoe Evans, Cornell Master Naturalist and VP of Education & Partnership at Wildr Places, will introduce five key areas to consider when assessing habitat and share how thoughtful observations can help guide your next steps. Whether you’re just getting started with native plants or have been gardening for years, this webinar will help you look at your landscape through a new lens. Link provided with registration. This webinar will be recorded and shared with registrants after the premiere. Free and open to everyone. Details and registration here.
