About this Project
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We are working with many local partners and volunteers to harvest local ecotype prairie seed. Volunteers will visit local prairie remnants and learn how to identify which plants are available for seed collection. The hand-collected seed will then be used for local prairie restoration and reconstruction projects.
Project goals: We have several goals for harvesting prairie seed*:
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*please note that any seed picked on Iowa DNR (state) lands cannot be taken off-site and must be donated to DNR. All of our seed harvesting will be done with permission from landowners/managers and only used as permitted.
Upcoming 2026 Events
Loess Hills Prairie Seed Harvest - Hitchcock Nature Center
Tuesday, July 7, 2026
6:30-8:00pm
Hitchcock Nature Center
27792 Ski Hill Loop
Honey Creek, IA 51542
We'll be targeting early-blooming prairie species such as June grass and sedges.
No experience necessary, but prepare for a short hike on rugged terrain. Wear bug spray, as it's prime tick season!
Meet outside the Loess Hills Lodge at 6:30pm.
Park entrance fee is waived for volunteers.
Email [email protected] with questions.
Funding provided by Pottawattamie Conservation Foundation.
6:30-8:00pm
Hitchcock Nature Center
27792 Ski Hill Loop
Honey Creek, IA 51542
We'll be targeting early-blooming prairie species such as June grass and sedges.
No experience necessary, but prepare for a short hike on rugged terrain. Wear bug spray, as it's prime tick season!
Meet outside the Loess Hills Lodge at 6:30pm.
Park entrance fee is waived for volunteers.
Email [email protected] with questions.
Funding provided by Pottawattamie Conservation Foundation.
Join Golden Hills for our first seed harvest of 2026!
Wednesday, May 27
6:00-7:30pm
Hitchcock Nature Center
27792 Ski Hill Loop
Honey Creek, IA 51542
We'll be collecting early-blooming prairie and woodland species.
No experience necessary, but prepare for a short hike on rugged terrain. Wear bug spray, as it's prime tick season!
Meet outside the Loess Hills Lodge at 6:0pm.
Park entrance fee is waived for volunteers.
Email [email protected] with questions.
Funding provided by Pottawattamie Conservation Foundation.
Wednesday, May 27
6:00-7:30pm
Hitchcock Nature Center
27792 Ski Hill Loop
Honey Creek, IA 51542
We'll be collecting early-blooming prairie and woodland species.
No experience necessary, but prepare for a short hike on rugged terrain. Wear bug spray, as it's prime tick season!
Meet outside the Loess Hills Lodge at 6:0pm.
Park entrance fee is waived for volunteers.
Email [email protected] with questions.
Funding provided by Pottawattamie Conservation Foundation.
Previous 2026 Events
2025 Events
Seed Harvest Summary for Volunteers
The list below includes a summary of some of the targeted species we are seeking in 2022. Pottawattamie Conservation staff helped make this list, which includes species with a Coefficient of Conservatism score of 4 or higher, and those documented at Hitchcock Nature Center. Click the image for the interactive spreadsheet, or download a pdf of it here.
View the full Loess Hills plants database here.
This includes all species documented through several inventories in the Loess Hills region, including native and non-native. It has information about where species grow, when they bloom, and much more.