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Contact:

Clayton County Conservation

29862 Osborne Road

Elkader, IA 52043

PH: (563) 245-1516

SPECIAL THANKS To The (EITA) Eastern Iowa Tourism Association For All Of Their Support!

www.easterniowatourism.org

Education

Environmental Education Opportunities For Students

The Osborne Center offers a wide variety of programs to students from preschool to high school.  All programs offered to students who live within Clayton County are free of charge; out-of-county students will be charged $1 per student.  On-site field trips to the Osborne Center are offered throughout the year.  Any school district interested in a field trip is encouraged to call and ask for more information. 

Some of the programs offered at the Osborne Center include; archery, native wildlife exhibit tours, canoeing, nature walks, scavenger hunts, and track detectives.  For a more detailed list of programs offered, please open the links below or call the nature center and ask for Julie or Abbey 563-245-1516.

Field Trip Programs

                   

Hunter Education Classes

The Clayton County Conservation Board offers two Hunter Education Classes each year.  Classes are held in June and in August.  The classroom portion is held on Monday, Wednesday and Friday night, along with four hours on Saturday at the range.  Students are required to attend all sessions each day.

A group of dedicated volunteer Hunter Education Instructors teach students about a wide range of hunting related topics.  On Saturday, the class is held on the outdoor range where students are able to participate in hands-on activities.  This includes live fire of a .22, 20 gauge, black powder and archery.  Instruction is also given on casing and uncasing a firearm, map reading, zones of fire, fence crossing and shoot and don’t shoot situations.

Class size is limited and pre-registration is required. To attend a class call the Osborne Office at 563-245-1516. The last class of this year will be held:

Junior Naturalist Program

The Junior Naturalist Program (JNP) is held during the summer at the Osborne Conservation Center.  The Center is located 5 miles south of Elkader on state Highway 13.

The program is offered only to 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students attending Clayton County Schools or schools serving Clayton County students.

The JNP is an overnight camp program that focuses on exploring nature and the environment.  Activities are led by naturalists at the Osborne Center, local resource  specialists and sportsmen.

 2009 Clayton County Junior Naturalist Brochure

IOWA JUNIOR NATURALIST PROGRAM

This is an opportunity for children ages 6-12 to experience (and share with adults) such diverse programs as environmental education, outdoor recreation, natural resources, conservation and historical interpretation.

REQUIREMENTS:

AGE:    Participants should be between the ages of 6 and 12 years old.

PUBLIC PROGRAMS: Attend three public programs offered by county conservation boards, Iowa DNR State Park Units, local libraries, nature centers, YMCA camps, 4-H or any other programs with a nature theme.

INDEPENDENT ACTIVITIES:    Complete two independent activities such as reading a nature book, fishing, hunting, camping, bike riding along a nature trail, hiking, etc.

AWARDS:    Upon completion of the above requirements, participants will receive a certificate of achievement and a colorful embroidered Iowa Junior Naturalist patch. Participants can collect them all.

For more information contact the Osborne Center at 563-245-1516.

Monthly Public Programs 

The Clayton County Conservation Board offers monthly public programs throughout the year.  These programs are usually free of charge unless listed otherwise.  The following programs will be offered over the upcoming months.  For more information about these activities please look over the newsletter, The Clayton County Oracle.

Beginner Woodcarving Workshop
Saturday, April 6, 8 am-3 pm
Osborne Nature Center
Fee: About $39 for knife and cut-proof glove
Limited room available; call for further information or to register by April 10th 

Join Doug Jessen for a class to learn to carve an owl, a face in a pencil and more if time allows. You will also learn how to sharpen a knife. 
If you have your own equipment, the class is free.

OLDER WISER LIVLIER SOULS
O.W.L.S.

Looking for an excuse to get out of the house, make some new friends, enjoy a good meal and learn about the exciting world of nature? Join us for O.W.L.S. the third Thursday of each month at 11 am with an optional lunch at noon. 
Third Thursday of each month
Program from 11-12, with optional lunch to follow
Program is $1 and lunch is $6
Reservations Required

   “Rediscovering Northeast Iowa Treasures”

We will be touring different sites in our area to reconnect to our beautiful and intriguing part of Iowa.  Possible summer topics include Ice Caves, Locks and Dams, The CCC and more.  Participants will have the opportunity to ride a shuttle to each location from Osborne Park.  As in the past, an optional lunch will follow.

Thursday, March 18^th
Visit Big Spring Trout Hatchery 
“Increased Flooding in our Highly Altered Landscape”
Followed by a hatchery tour
Shuttle leaves at 10:30, program at 11:00 a.m.

Thursday, April 15th
Visit Backbone State Park and the CCC Museum

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