Prairie in Council Bluffs will grow with grants

[Brad]

This sounds like it might be a good place to take photographs of the omaha skyline!!!

Published Tuesday
December 14, 2004

Prairie in Council Bluffs will grow with grants

BY JULIE ANDERSON
WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER

COUNCIL BLUFFS - A little preserve in this city that was once on the prairie is about to grow by 10 acres.

The City Council agreed Monday to accept a $200,000 grant from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources to acquire additional property for the Vincent Bluff Preserve and to add an access point, parking area and information kiosk.

The Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation also received a $50,000 grant last week from the casino-funded Iowa West Foundation for the ongoing work of improving the preserve.

"We're just delighted," said Terry Oswald, president of the Loess Hills Preservation Society, the volunteer group that manages the property.

Vincent Bluff is the city's only prairie preserve, a 31-acre blufftop remnant with a stunning view of the Missouri River valley and the Omaha skyline. It is near Woodbury Avenue and Harry Langdon Boulevard and overlooks U.S. Highway 275 and Interstate 80.

The 10-acre plot lies behind homes on Thallas Street and along a ridge behind the Highclere Apartments, Oswald said. Five acres will be purchased and five will be donated by the owners of the apartment complex.

"It's going to be just a perfect addition," he said.

The heritage foundation will acquire the property and sell it to the City of Council Bluffs. The foundation purchased the original parcel, a remnant of the prairie that once covered much of Iowa, from the family of Mildred Vincent. The foundation held the land until the city could secure state and federal funds to buy it in 2002.

However, public access to the prairie, a passive recreation area, is limited. The new funds will create a drive and parking area off Thallas Street as well as an educational kiosk.

"We're really trying to make it more usable for school groups," said Lisa Hein, a heritage foundation official.

Prairie restoration work also will continue. The preserve is home to a variety of prairie plants and animals.

Copyright ©2004 Omaha World-Herald®.

[icejammer]

This sounds like it might be a good place to take photographs of the omaha skyline!!!

Yes indeed, there are some fantastic views from the tops of the ridges on this property. For those interested, the high point of the preserve is near:
41° 14' 34"N, 95° 50' 07"W

For those interested, Parcel 001 035 000 000481 001 000 shows where the Preserve is located, and the donated land is the parcel immediately south and the purchased land lies in the parcel immediately west of the donated property.

[eomaha]

I used to work with Terry Oswald... nice guy. A real force for getting the word out on Council Bluffs. Maybe some day he'll drop by the forum.

[icejammer]

Making things a little easier for anyone with an interest in nature and seeing how things used to be before the European settlement of the prairie...

Bluffs gives hikers a place to park

[icejammer]

Group hopes to earn state recognition for Vincent Bluff

The Loess Hills Preservation Society wants the 36-acre site that overlooks the city near Woodbury Avenue and Harry Langdon Boulevard declared a state preserve.

"It will enhance the visibility of the preserve and put it in a better position for receiving funds," said Terry Oswald, president of the society's board of directors. "We think it's a unique property. To have a natural prairie within the city limits is a big deal, a real treasure."

Hopefully, they are successful in this endeavor, just a little more "prestige" for one of the lesser-known jewels of the metro.

[icejammer]

City Council has thrown their weight behind getting Vincent Bluff named as a State Preserve...

. . .the council voted to work with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources to make the Vincent Bluff property a state preserve.

"It's a very exclusive and competitive process," said Terry Oswald of the Loess Hills Preservation Society. "It will help us raise money."

There are not any state preserves in Pottawattamie County and very few in this part of the state, he said.

It may be a couple of years before it known whether the DNR approves the request or not, Oswald said.

[icejammer]

Vincent Bluff work an ongoing process

The Vincent Bluff Prairie Preserve is a '57 Chevy.

At least, that is how Glenn Pollock, board member of the Loess Hills Preservation Society, described the preserve's current state.

On Thursday afternoon, the State Preserves Advisory Board toured the urban prairie prior to a Friday morning meeting to discuss granting state preserve status to the Council Bluffs centerpiece.

"(Vincent Bluff) is like that rusty '57 Chevy you drag out of your dad's garage," said Pollock. "You restore it, make it shiny again so you can take it to shows. We're half-restored, not quite ready to show, but we're getting there." . . .

Here's a photo from the Nonpareil, when (if) I get time later today or tomorrow, I'll post some I took recently.

A south view from Vincent Bluff Nature Preserve overlooking Interstate 80. The ability to see the preserve from the interstate and vice-versa inspired the DOT to provide funding for the prairie’s restoration.

[icejammer]

Vincent Bluff to be dedicated on Saturday

Vincent Bluff, the 41-acre Loess Hills prairie located in the heart of Council Bluffs, will be dedicated as the 94th Iowa State Department of Natural Resources Preserve, on Saturday at 10 a.m. . . .

State Preserve status means that in order for Vincent Bluff to be sold or developed, the Iowa Legislature would have to act to overturn the protection afforded by virtue of being a State Preserve. . .

Vincent Bluff Prairie Preserve stands as the only truly urban prairie preserve in Iowa, and likewise, is a great example of Loess Hills prairie, oak savanna, and eastern deciduous forest ecosystems. The fact that this nearly pristine landscape exists in the heart of a metropolitan area of nearly 1 million residents speaks of the resiliency of prairie and the ruggedness of the Loess Hills.

[StreetsOfOmaha]

Awesome!

Will the dedication be open to the public?

[StreetsOfOmaha]

Also, I wonder how difficult it is to get "preserve" status for land.

Why is this not being used as a tool to combat sprawl and encourage denser, more resourceful use of land within the city?

[icejammer]

Will the dedication be open to the public?

Yes, it will be open to the public. :yes:

Also, I wonder how difficult it is to get "preserve" status for land.

Why is this not being used as a tool to combat sprawl and encourage denser, more resourceful use of land within the city?

Considering there's only 94 total preserves in 99 counties, it's not easy. From the IA DNR: "Sites recording some of the most significant events of our past have been protected as state preserves. The state preserves system is designed to protect our heritage, allowing us and future generations to see the evidence of our past." I could see it being used if a site was in natural or near-natural state, but otherwise some other vehicle would need to be used to encourage more resourceful use of land. (that's a great idea though)

[icejammer]

Vincent Bluff status result of a long journey

It’s been a long road to Vincent Bluff’s designation as a state scenic preserve.

The Loess Hills Preservation Society, City of Council Bluffs, Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation and Iowa Department of Natural Resources will celebrate the milestone with a dedication ceremony Saturday at 10 a.m. at the preserve at the north end of Thallas Street. The designation itself was granted in late January. . . .

It has been a long road that took more than a decade to travel. The walk started in the mid-1990s, when Oswald and other concerned citizens mounted public opposition to the removal of dirt from the hill, he said.

“There was a very, very, very public fight over that,” he said. “There were public meetings where there were 100 people there.”

Soil was to be removed for construction of the Highclere Apartments and used at the Menard’s building site, Oswald said. And other developments were in the works.

“The Vincents owned 31 acres of ground that was targeted for development,” he said. “It was supposed to be paved, with trophy homes on it. They received a lot of direct offers from developers, and they resisted.” . . .

Volunteers led by Pollock have spent thousands of hours working to restore the prairie to its natural state. They have removed farm fences, about 300 tires, other debris and undesirable trees and shrubs and seeded native plants, he said. The Council Bluffs Fire Department burned down the old farmhouse as a training exercise, and the Pottawattamie County Conservation Board did a controlled burn.

“There’s still two old cars in there, and we’re looking for a Good Samaritan with some money to dig that out sometime,” he said. . . .

The society is removing “weed” trees like ash, juniper and others, but keeping mature oak, hackberry and cottonwood trees, he said. Tree removal gets expensive – especially disposing of the trees, Pollock said. . . .

It took a couple years to put together an application for state preserve status, Pollock said. Applications have to be approved by the state preserve board and signed by the governor.

Among those expected to attend the dedication ceremony are State Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal, State Rep. Paul Shomshor, Council Bluffs Parks Director Larry Foster and Jon Pearson of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Oswald said. Mayor Tom Hanafan will be participating in the Celebrate CB Parade.

There will be a special reading for the event by Iowa author John Price, whose works include “Not Just Any Land: A Personal and Literary Journey into the American Grasslands.” . . .

Following the ceremony, a hike will be held in the preserve.

Vincent Bluff Prairie Preserve is seen daily by hundreds of thousands of drivers who pass by along Interstate 80, Interstate 29, the Loess Hills Scenic Byway, the Western Historic Trails Center and the Wabash Trace Nature Trail. Vincent Bluff is one of the first things drivers on I-80 see as they cross the Missouri River into Iowa.

The property also is directly adjacent to the area once known as Skyline City Park Drive and historic Boy Scout Point, where many scouting events, including climbing contests and campouts, were once held.

[terryoswald]

Thanks to everyone for your interest in this terrific project. I just stumbled across the forum. This is neat to see. Thanks again! And, go to http://www.loesshps.org to follow our organization this year. 2010 will be a year of re-awakening for the Society after we more or less took a respite last year after the dedication. I also don't know who paid me the compliment saying that they worked with me and that I'm a nice guy. But, I really appreciate it. Thank you! Terry Oswald

[Brad]

Thanks for Joining Terry and be sure to keep us up to date on everything!

[Coyote]

Welcome to eOmahaForums Terry!

[Stargazer]

Terry Oswald? Is this the Terry Oswald that spent some time at InfoUSA?

Edit: duh, some insight into my deteriorating mind... I guess I made that assertion earlier in this thread, huh.


Yes Terry... you may or may not remember me... Jeff Huston here.

[terryoswald]

Hi Jeff:

Yes, it is me! :)

Here's my professional profile on LinkedIn in case you have been wondering what I've been doing since I did that work through a consulting firm for infoUSA back in 2000.

http://www.linkedin.com/in/terryoswald

But, anyway...we'll be firing things back up on the Vincent Bluff front this year with a prairie burn, a hike or two, plus some other public programs that should draw some good attention.

So, stay posted. It's great hearing from you, too! I miss all of you guys and wish you the very best! Somedays, I wish that I had worked there on a longer, more regular basis. But, oh well!

[Brad]

This is nice to see:

Preserving the Bluffs

https://www.inhf.org/about-us/blog/2026 ... -kLAh9qQhQ

However, most people don’t know that this 29-acre property is not protected. It is not part of the adjacent Vincent Bluff Nature Preserve, which sits in a bowl-shaped valley behind the more visible tallgrass hillside. This iconic landmark doesn’t have the same protections for wildlife habitat, native plants and scenic beauty that the neighboring preserve has.

In the late 1990s, Mildred Vincent noticed an ongoing threat of development around her land, so she sought a path to safeguard her sensitive Loess Hills prairie and woodland. In 2001, she worked with Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation, the Loess Hills Preservation Society and the City of Council Bluffs to sell the land and establish Vincent Bluff Nature Preserve. The site would later achieve State Preserve status, a very rare designation for a property in such an urban setting.

Now, 25 years later, there is an opportunity to nearly double the size of the preserve by adding the 29 acres to the west.

[thenewguy]

that's good to hear. My son had his senior pics at vincent bluff and they turned out really nice. It's a pretty area.

[skinzfan23]

Is this currently open to the public?

Edit: I just looked it up and it is open from 6am-10pm. I didn't even know. I might have to go check it out sometime.

[Brad]

Is this currently open to the public?

Edit: I just looked it up and it is open from 6am-10pm. I didn't even know. I might have to go check it out sometime.

Yes, and the new area (Assuming they buy it) is already connected, there is no barrier keeping you from leaving Vincent Bluff and walking in to the new area. I've tried shooting skyline photos from up there a few times.

[EastCB]

Yes, Vincent Bluffs is awesome. They have done a lot of work restoring it, removing the non-native vegetation. I truly hope the addition happens!

_

[Louie]

Yes, Vincent Bluffs is awesome. They have done a lot of work restoring it, removing the non-native vegetation. I truly hope the addition happens!

_

That's dope. So rare to hear a conservation win anymore.