Calendar of Events

Snowshoeing Whitewater Canyon - Older Wiser Livelier Souls -

Explore this winter wonderland with our Naturalist- led snowshoe hike!  Join us on Friday, January 23rd  at 1 PM at the Whitewater Canyon parking lot.  Bring your own snowshoes or reserve a pair to use when you register.   Pre-registration required.  Click here to register for this event.  No snow!  We'll hike it anyway!  This event is one of the many OWLS - Older Wiser Livelier Souls - events held throughout the year.  Owls events are open to all adults and are sponsored by Dubuque, Jackson, and Jones County Conservation.

Family Snowshoeing Animal Tracks & Sign Foray

Snowshoeing with the Naturalist: Winter Wildlife Tracking

Don a pair of snowshoes and join the Jones County Naturalist to explore Iowa’s winter wildlife! Test your tracking skills as we discover the stories written in the snow. This family snowshoeing program is open to all ages.

Participants may bring their own snowshoes or borrow a pair from the Nature Center.

Location: Central Park Nature Center
Date: Saturday, January 31
Time: 10:00 AM

Please dress for the weather with winter boots, a warm coat, hat, gloves, and snow pants as needed.

Click here to follow the link to register for this event.

Bluebird House Workshop

Learn about the amazing Eastern Bluebird

and build a bluebird house to take home!

Central Park Nature Center

February 7

10 AM

Lower Level Meeting Room

Registration Required:  $10 per kit  - ONE KIT per family limitation.

Bluebird House kits sponsored by the Friends of Jones County Conservation & Nature Center   

Click here to follow the link to register.

Great Backyard Bird Count

Join thousands of citizen scientists  around the world Feb 13 - 16th to count the birds! 

Count the birds for as little as 15 minutes in a location that is convenient for you.  Count the birds on only one or all of the days and count at as many locations as your would like. 

Every reported count helps make a difference!

Report your sightings on eBird   https://ebird.org/home   

Visit  https://www.birdcount.org/ to learn more!

Great Backyard Bird Count

Join thousands of citizen scientists  around the world Feb 13 - 16th to count the birds! 

Count the birds for as little as 15 minutes in a location that is convenient for you.  Count the birds on only one or all of the days and count at as many locations as your would like. 

Every reported count helps make a difference!

Report your sightings on eBird   https://ebird.org/home   

Visit  https://www.birdcount.org/ to learn more!

Great Backyard Bird Count

Join thousands of citizen scientists  around the world Feb 13 - 16th to count the birds! 

Count the birds for as little as 15 minutes in a location that is convenient for you.  Count the birds on only one or all of the days and count at as many locations as your would like. 

Every reported count helps make a difference!

Report your sightings on eBird   https://ebird.org/home   

Visit  https://www.birdcount.org/ to learn more!

Great Backyard Bird Count

Join thousands of citizen scientists  around the world Feb 13 - 16th to count the birds! 

Count the birds for as little as 15 minutes in a location that is convenient for you.  Count the birds on only one or all of the days and count at as many locations as your would like. 

Every reported count helps make a difference!

Report your sightings on eBird   https://ebird.org/home   

Visit  https://www.birdcount.org/ to learn more!

OWLS - Winter Seed Sowing

Learn how to start native seeds early!   

Join Naturalists from Dubuque, Jackson, and Jones County Conservation at the Hurstville Interpretive Center on Thursday, Febraury 26th from 10 AM to Noon.

Winter sowing for native plants is a low-effort, low-cost natural method for starting native seeds.  Learn more about growing native plants and prepare a milk jug with native seeds to take home. 

Cost is $5   

Registration required.

OWLS - Older Wiser Livelier Souls -  events are for adults interested in the outdoors!

Click here to follow a link to register for this event.  

FLY Tying Class - Older, Wiser, Livelier, Souls -

Learn to Tie Your Own Flies!

Join us Thursday, March 26, from 9:00 AM to Noon at the Central Park Nature Center for an introductory fly-tying class.

This hands-on class is perfect for beginners and includes expert instruction and guidance throughout the session. Each registered participant will be provided with a fly-tying vise, and all materials are included!

Participants will leave with 4–5 finished flies, ready to catch fish or share with friends!

Instruction provided by Hawkeye Fly Tyer, Mike Jacobs.

• $12 materials fee

• Pre-registration REQUIRED

• Space is limited

  Click here to register for this event.