As we celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Jefferson County Conservation, we would like to highlight several of the people who have made such an impact on our organization. When it comes to a legacy of conservation, Carl Zillman is a name that quickly bubbles to the top of the list.

Carl served on the Jefferson County Conservation Board for twenty years from 1975 into 1995. During this time, he also served as the Jefferson County weed commissioner, began a tree distribution program to area 4th graders, and was elected chairman of the Fifth District Iowa County Conservation Board. He was a member of the board when the original 117 acres of Jefferson County Park were purchased. By the time he retired, the park had grown to 175 acres.

In 1986 Carl and his wife Mary donated 46 acres to Jefferson County Conservation, known now as Zillman’s Hickory Hills. This park has a mix of habitats which include three ponds, timber, and a prairie which hosts numerous animals including migrating monarch butterflies in the fall as they journey south to Mexico. The park is a wonderful setting for hiking, fishing, and bird watching.

In 1992 the Zillman’s donated funds to establish the, Mary and Carl Zillman Conservation Scholarship Fund, a yearly scholarship to advance education in the field of conservation, wildlife management, or other related fields. These funds are managed by the Greater Jefferson County Foundation, and are offered to Fairfield High School graduates furthering their education in the aforementioned areas of study. Over $35,000 has been awarded to date.

In 1993 Carl won the prestigious Lawrence and Eula Hagie Heritage Award. The award is one of the largest Conservation awards in the nation and is designed to bring attention to those who have been particularly committed to improving the quality of Iowa’s natural environment. In the previous year Carl was awarded Citizen of the Year by the Fairfield Area Chamber of Commerce in recognition of his conservation work. By this time Carl had earned the moniker: Mr. Conservation.

A sizeable collection of Native American artifacts was donated to the Jefferson County Conservation Board by Carl and Mary in 1981. They decided to donate the collection so it would remain in Jefferson County where most of the artifacts were found. Many of the items were found along Skunk River, Cedar Creek, and the Des Moines River in addition to Jefferson County farm fields. The collection is comprised of around 500 arrowheads, stone knives, spear heads, tomahawks and other specimens displayed in the entry and in glass enclosures in the Nature Center.

Without Carl’s drive and passion for Conservation, Jefferson County Conservation would be a lesser place.

The Jefferson County Conservation Board would like to thank the family and friends of Jim Adam for their generosity. With the memorial funds for Jim Adam, a bench will be installed in his honor overlooking the south pond at Jefferson County Park, near Libertyville Road. The remaining funds will cover the purchase of new reels used during Environmental Education programs. Over a thousand participants attended fishing programs in the last year with Jefferson County Conservation. Jim was an avid fisherman who enjoyed the outdoors and has many friends and family in the area.

Join Jefferson County Conservation and the Carnegie Historical Museum as they team up to bring you ‘Bison Week’. Four different programs will be offered throughout the week at no charge to the public.

On Tuesday, October 25th ‘Land of the Bison’ will be held from 6:00-7:00pm at the Jefferson County Park Nature Center. We’ll explore the natural history of bison in the eastern tallgrass prairie and look at new findings from research in Iowa. Pete Eyheralde has been involved in bison ranching in southern Iowa for over 20 years and is an Associate Professor of Biology at William Penn University.

Head to the Carnegie Public Library on Wednesday, October 26th for second program of the week. The ‘Carnegie Buffalo: The Story Behind the Beast’ will be held from 10:00-11:00am at the Carnegie Historical Museum. Come learn the history of the iconic Carnegie Buffalo, its association with the Old Settlers Day, and how it ended up at the Carnegie Library.

‘Native Americans and Bison’ will be held on Thursday, October 27th from 6:00-7:00pm at the Jefferson County Park Nature Center. Join Cherrie Haury-Artz, Education Specialist with the Office of the State Archaeologist, as she shares how the Native Americans would utilize different parts of the bison.

The final program of the week is geared for children! Join Toad and Timberdoodle as they share with kids all the interesting adaptations of Bison. ‘Kid’s Corner: All About Bison’ will be held on Friday, October 28th from 10:00-11:00am at the Jefferson County Park Nature Center. This program is geared for children but all ages are welcome. Children must be accompanied by an adult. This program is scheduled during the Fairfield Community School District Teacher In-Service day.

This program is part of Bison Week co-sponsored by the Carnegie Historical Museum and Jefferson County Conservation. Bison Week is celebrating the new Bison head mount and hide donated to the Jefferson County Park Nature Center by Frank Redeker.

Pre-registration is not required for any of the events. For more information, please call (641)-472-4421 or email Naturalist@JeffersonCountyConservation.com.

Halloween is upon us bringing thoughts of spooky and creepy things like jack-o-lanterns, black cats, and bats! But did you know that little brown bats are very important to healthy ecosystems? These little critters eat insects, LOTS of insects! They can eat over 1,000 insects in an hour so you can see how they are very important to farmers as they protect plants from pests and reducing the need for pesticides.
Little brown bats are native to Iowa and most of the nation, but the population is declining. In fact, they are an endangered species of mouse-eared microbats. It has a small body size, about the length of an adult’s thumb and the weight of 3 or 4 pennies, but its wingspan makes this little guy seem huge! The wingspan can be from 8 to 11 inches! If one happens to appear in your house, you might not notice his long, glossy fur that can be golden, reddish, olive, or dark brown; or his dark little face, and his darling little mouselike ears, while running and screaming, covering your head with your eyes closed. (More on this happenstance later.)
These little critters roost in trees, rock outcrops, and structures like bridges during the summer. They need to live where there are insects to eat, and clean water. Their lifespan is usually around six or seven years and give birth to one pup a year. During the winter they hibernate in buildings, (sometimes your attic, see the paragraph above), abandoned mine shafts, and caves throughout Iowa, and especially in southern and eastern Iowa.
If you were to find a bat in your house, STAY CALM. They want out as much as you want them out. First to remove the little guy, (if everyone has not already run screaming from the room), get everyone out of the room. Second, turn off the ceiling fan and all the lights. Turning off the lights will help the bat find a way out as they are nocturnal and can see very well in the dark. Third, make sure the bat is closed off in one room so it will be easier to find a way out. Open any windows and screens, this will help the bat can find it’s way out without any help from you.
HOWEVER, and remember to STAY CALM, if the bat cannot find it’s way out you may have to catch and release. First never handle the bat with bare hands. Wear thick work gloves-but not cotton, as most bats can bite through cotton. Bats will most likely land somewhere they can hang-behind curtains, upholstered furniture, on hanging clothes, or in house plants. Carefully place a plastic tub or similar container over them. Gently work a piece of cardboard or stiff paper under the container, (this works for big creepy spiders as well), trapping the bat inside. Now you are ready to release the bat outdoors. Because most bats cannot take flight from the ground, tilt the container or allow the bat to climb a tree trunk or other vertical surface.
Now I know you’re probably thinking, “But what about RABIES!?”, you should be happy to know little brown bats rarely test positive for rabies, however, if you are bitten seek medical help immediately.
Bat numbers are declining in Iowa because of loss of habitat. Work to improve bat habitat in Jefferson County Park, Gantz-Hewitt Timber and Whitham Woods will be started soon. This work will include clearing invasive brush undergrowth including but not restricted to Bush Honeysuckle.
So, I hope this helps take the creepiness away from bats…stop running! STAY CALM! Unless you are an insect, then you need to worry.
Written by Diana Flynn