Giada Explorada

12/08/2024

River chronicles: Raccoon River from Walnut Woods to Water Works Park in Central Iowa. 🛶

The major thing about the rivers in this area is that they are so. damn. muddy. All of that fertile Iowa topsoil has runoff farm fields upstream and is sitting in the rivers and flowing downstream into the Mississippi and even into Gulf of Mexico where it contributes to a massive dead zone.

For kayaking, it means that the river levels are low due to all the soil/silt/sand at the bottom. My shoes sometimes get stuck in the muck, and it feels like quicksand. It also reeks. This isn’t just dirt. It’s full of animal manure and other chemicals that are so harmful to our water, wildlife, and general public health.

Beautiful day to be on the river. I wish the river was beautiful like it used to be.

8 miles start to finish, about 3.5 hours total.

Raccoon River Watershed

05/08/2024

DSM friends: tell city council not to criminalize homelessness!

I love camping. Love setting up a tent and cooking a meal on a camp stove or over a fire. I love the community I’ve found in the outdoors. And I love going home afterwards to a hot (or cold) shower, my bed, the AC, and all the other creature comforts that come with having a home.

This is why I have to speak up against the cruel ordinances being considered by the City of Des Moines right now. Chris Coleman, Des Moines City Councilman is leading the charge to criminalize homelessness through fines and faster evictions of camps.

Sleeping outside is a hobby, it should not have to be someone’s only option. People living in tents and other makeshift structures are by-and-large folks who just fell on hard times. Capitalism is crushing all of us daily. Some live outside as a result.

Instead of punishing people who are focused on survival, the city has a duty to provide services and resources. Build public housing. Create additional jobs in the green sector. Invest in mental health services and care for all.

If you live or work in Des Moines, PLEASE join me at City Council today at 5pm. Meeting info on the slides.

Please also take some time to contact the council members in support of the ordinances. Tell them to vote NO. desmoinesblm.org/homelessness

The last slide is a photo from late 2022, when Wander Women held their 1st annual gear swap and many folks donated their tents, sleeping bags, and other camping gear to be given to people experiencing homelessness. Our community can do great things. Let’s not allow our city council to interfere with that.

25/07/2024

Maquoketa Caves State Park 🌿

This may be one of Iowa’s best state parks! Maquoketa Caves is located in eastern Iowa outside the city of Maquoketa. There are 13 caves in the park, the highest concentration of caves in Iowa!

🧑‍🧑‍🧒‍🧒The park was busy when we visited, but there was still plenty of room to explore. If you don’t like crowds, I recommend going early in the morning or in the evening. I’ve heard it’s gorgeous at sunset because that’s when the bats start flying!

🦇 The caves do close in the colder months (Oct 15-Apr 15) to protect bats in hibernation.

🥾 I recommend wearing sturdy shoes, as there are lots of rocks and some slippery spots along the trails.

🗺️ Speaking of trails, I used AllTrails to navigate while in the park but cell signal was poor and the trails are in close proximity to one another so it was a challenge to find my way. You can grab a paper map at the visitor center or view one on the Iowa Department of Natural Resources website. Most of the trails do loop around and connect to other ones, so I recommend just wandering and seeing what you stumble upon!

🩵 Visited with Wander Women as part of the Iowa Caving Trip.

📍 Unceded land of the Sioux, the Sauk, the Fox, and the Kickapoo peoples.

Maquoketa Caves State Park Friends of the Maquoketa Caves State Park

23/07/2024

Iowa Caving Adventure with Wander Women! 🪨🔦🥾

Guided one of THE most fun trips ever this past weekend. We camped at Eden Valley, a park in Jackson County (which is actually owned and managed by Clinton County) that was peaceful and beautiful. We got to tour a cave hidden within a farm on private land, and were led by an amazing, encouraging guide- Jill from Clinton County Conservation. We also visited Maquoketa Caves State Park (separate post on that to come) and had amazing weather the whole time. I am so grateful that I get to do this as a job! Shoutout to my phenomenal co-guide and friend Paige! 🫶

17/07/2024

Saylorville Lake one month ago vs today💧🤯

Saylorville is a manmade reservoir lake that was completed in 1977 as a way to prevent the Des Moines River from flooding the metro. This massive lake is 26,000 acres and is surrounded by numerous public recreation areas managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Rock Island District, Saylorville Lake and Polk County Conservation.

The southernmost park of the lake ends at the Saylorville Dam, which is opened and closed as needed to control water levels on the lake and the river both upstream and downstream.

Heavy rains in central and northern Iowa have led to increased water levels on the Des Moines River and subsequently for the lake.

Today, Saylorville’s water levels sit at a total elevation of 876’, compared to one month ago on June 19 when the lake was at 842’. The shoreline has completely disappeared. Wetlands adjacent to the lake have filled up. Fallen trees are floating on the lake.

Lake levels are projected to drop rapidly over the coming days. Several recreation areas are closed until water levels subside.

More water is good, right? Not in Iowa. Heavy rains landing on agricultural fields are washing topsoil, nutrients, and more into our streams and rivers. This includes toxins like fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, and animal manure that most farmers spread on their fields as a form of “fertilizer.” All completely legal and highly unregulated poisoning of our drinking water supply.

More to come on this. Water is life.

08/07/2024

Cheers to Iowa Beers! 🍻Here are some upcoming craft beer, wine, + cider festivals in Iowa:

July 13 Brews on the Beach in Clear Lake

July 13 Feelin' Sour - A Sour Beer & Cider Festival by SingleSpeed Brewing Co. in Waterloo

July 20 Fayette's Wine Beer & Art Festival in Fayette

August 3 Boji Brew Fest 2024 in Arnold’s Park

August 10 Cedar Valley Stem & Stein: Wine, Beer & Spirits Fest in Waterloo

August 10-11 Key City Beer & Seltzer Festival 2024 in Dubuque

August 24 Iowa Wine and Cider Festival at Jasper Winery in Des Moines

August 24 Independence BrewBQ 2024 in Independence

August 29 Trailside Tastings at Indian Creek Nature Center in Cedar Rapids

September 1 Iowa Craft Beer Bash at Millstream Brewing Co. at Millstream Brewing Co. in Amana

Should I make a list for Oktoberfest events? 🤔 Let me know!

15/06/2024

Here’s what’s growing in central Iowa this week:

🍒 Cherries (I picked these from a friend’s tree)
☁️ Elderflower (I may attempt to make my own syrup using this)
🍇 Mulberries (been eating as many as I can find! also found a white mulberry tree but didn’t take any photos)
🌸 Hollyhock
🦋 Milkweed
🌳 Catalpa blooms
👀 Raspberries 🔜

20/05/2024

Raccoon River from Booneville to Walnut Woods State Park. River levels are high, nitrate levels are also high.
Distance: 14 miles
Time: 6 hours, barely paddling.

11/05/2024

Aurora Borealis over Iowa 💫

06/05/2024

Weekend Recap 🏕️

Camped at with some friends and had such a great time! We had a spot in the Starfield Campgroud which had a wide open view of last night’s Eta Aquarid meteor shower ☄️

Oh yeah, and I found some more morels 🤠

04/05/2024

May the forage be with you! ✨

The month of May is when foraging for mushrooms and other wild edibles really picks up, although there are edible plants growing in Iowa nearly year-round. Here are some of the treats you might find on your next hike!

💛 Golden Oysters
🐓 Chicken of the Woods
🧄 Wild Garlic
🌱 Ramps
🍄‍🟫 Pheasant Back
🧠 Morel
🔪 Wild Asparagus
💚 Garlic Mustard
🌿 Nettle

🤔 When foraging for anything, be absolutely 100% certain of your identification before harvesting or eating. Confirming your ID will multiple sources (plant ID app, guidebook, etc) is always a good idea.

☝️ Harvest sustainably! A general rule of thumb is to never take more than 10% of what you find. This is especially important with ramps, as the plant takes 7-10 years to germinate. Leave the bulb and just tear the leaf off at the base, or better yet take the top 1/3 of the leaf and leave the rest behind.

💫 The exception to this is garlic mustard, which is invasive. Pull as much as you possibly can!

🪧 Keep in mind that many parks have regulations about what you can and cannot forage on public property. Typically mushrooms, nuts, and berries are fair game, but leaves, greens, and flowers are off limits.

What is your favorite thing to forage?

l

01/05/2024

April Recap 🌱☔️

🌳 Spent a good deal of time at Water Works Park this month! What a gem we have, right in the center of Des Moines.

🪻Virginia Bluebells, I’ll be dreaming of you all year long. What a treat to sit among the woodland flowers. 💜

⭐️ Stoked to be entering my second season as a guide for ! Come along for an adventure sometime. 🥾

🌼 Stuck my face into many flowers this month. Shoutout to my daily antihistamine 💪 and to Costco for selling them for next to nothing!

☁️ The moon as seen on the evening of Earth Day, nestled in a bed of clouds. Isn’t she lovely?

🤠 Slept in my hammock for the first time while camping in Arkansas! Was surprised at how comfortable and warm I was.

🌺 Stunning Eastern Red Columbine I saw while hiking in Arkansas. They are starting to pop up in Iowa now, too!

🌸 More crabapple blooms at Water Works, along with a satisfying sliced branch that reminds me of cutting “cookies” from trees at chainsaw camp (cookies = thin slices cut from a branch that form a circle, similar to a cookie shape).

🌕 I know I say this about every full moon, but the Pink Full Moon rocked my socks off!

I am ready for all of the adventures that May will bring!

28/04/2024

take care of the woods & let the woods take care of you 🩵

🍄‍🟫 found my very first morel mushroom today… and my second and my third and my fourth and my fifth!

🌿 the forest floor is EVERYTHING right now

🍄‍🟫 seriously this is one of the best days of my entire life

🌱 ramp patch - always harvest sustainably!!

🐟 Trout Lily! these little guys are really amazing plants. more on this later

👖 Dutchman’s Breeches are thriving!

🍏 Mayapples are up and showing off! they will probably flower soon

what a day!!!

26/04/2024

Women's Chainsaw Academy 🪵🍂🪚

I was able to attend an in-depth chainsaw training April 6-7 in Solon, IA and wow, what an experience! I had never even held a chainsaw prior to this, and now I feel comfortable and confident using this tool. Such a great, empowering feeling!

This was an experience by women, for women. What a privilege to share space with so many wonderful ladies and to have been taught by chainsaw expert, Sarah! We learned all about proper PPE, safe handling and cutting techniques, and even chainsaw maintenance.

Thanks to Bur Oak Land Trust Iowa State University Extension and Outreach and the Women's Woodland Steward Network for coordinating this!

20/04/2024

What an unusual place for a party!

Virginia Bluebells are in full bloom at Des Moines Water Works Park right now. 💜🩵

19/04/2024

Wish you could smell this through the screen! 🪻

Ewing Park is located on the south side of DSM, near Easter Lake. This city park has approx 1,000 lilac bushes! There are also many types of flowering trees and an entire forest behind it to explore, along with a disc golf course and a dog park.

🪻 Lilacs (didn’t catch the species name but some of the bushes are labeled)
🍄‍🟫 Wood Ear Fungi
🤍 Trout Lily
🌿 Trout Lily
🪵 Ramps
🌖 Full Moon coming Tuesday 4/23
💜 Wild Blue Phlox
🌤️

19/04/2024

Awesome opportunity!!

19/03/2024

Excited to the see the new bridge is completed! 🥾

19/03/2024

Plant some trees in Hamilton County April 4-10! 🌳

MANY HANDS MAKE LIGHT WORK!

Help DNR Forester, Joe Herring, plant trees

April 4-10, 2024

We're seeking some help to plant 1,300 bareroot tree seedlings in a riparian forest stand along the Boone River (Boone Forks Wildlife Management / Bird Conservation Area).

For younger folks this is a great way to get some experience with hand planting and forest regeneration.

For others it's just a great excuse to break from the day-to-day norm and do some hands-on outdoors work at a beautiful time of year.

If you can come, or are a "maybe" just let him know via email [email protected] or phone 641-485-5040.

He will provide you with more details as the date gets closer. You can come for a few hours, or a whole day.

These seedlings will be on the larger size. Joe will have augers, but please bring your own shovel if you can. A tile spade or pointed round nose shovel works best.

> Bring your own lunch/snacks. He will have some drinking water.

> Approx. dates (subject to weather etc): April 4-10, 2024

> Location: Bell's Mill Park, 3100 Bell's Mill Rd, Stratford, IA 50249

> Park at the far East end of the Bell's Mill campground, near the river. There's a DNR gate going into the timber. Follow the path back to the open field.

> The conditions are brushy and rough - wear very sturdy boots, thick pants, and gloves.

NOTE: There is no cell service at the site.

Please reach out to him via cell or email beforehand to RSVP and if you have any questions.

Joe Herring 641-485-5040 [email protected]

11/03/2024

Had a lovely afternoon on the trails at Jester Park yesterday! Saw spring ephemeral blooms- Spring Beauty, ramps, and new growth on a honey locust tree. 🩵🌸🌱🐕

Polk County Conservation

26/02/2024

Attended today’s Eagle Watch event hosted at Saylorville Lake by staff & volunteers from Saylorville Lake and Dallas County Conservation 🦅 Gorgeous day to watch the eagles!