Who IACCB is...
The Iowa Association of County Conservation Boards (IACCB) is a nonprofit organization assisting member county conservation boards in areas of board member education, public relations, and legislation. The association's main purposes are to promote the objectives and supplement the activities of conservation boards, exchange information, assist boards and members in program development and provide a unified voice in the legislature. The IACCB is governed by a nine-member board elected by member counties. All 99 counties are currently members of IACCB. You can now search all of Iowa for your favorite county conservation board areas on
 OR continue looking through our site to view and print pages from the Guide to Outdoor Adventure! This publication lists all the areas managed by the county conservation boards in Iowa and what they have to offer. IACCB Annual Conference
2010 IACCB Annual Conference will be in Council Bluffs, September 16-18.
To download the 11 page 2010 Annual Conference Packet click here! 1 page Registration Form download We invite you to “Bridge your Conservation Connections” with Pottawattamie and Harrison Counties at the 2010 IACCB Fall Conference! Preconference Activities
Come early and enjoy one of the four Thursday preconference activities! The first activity is golfing at the Fox Run Golf Club, Council Bluffs’ premier semi-private golf facility (www.foxrungc.com). The $25 fee includes 18 holes and a golf cart for a four person best-ball scramble. Details, maps, and tournament rules will be forwarded to each foursome upon registration, so pick your teammates carefully! Bring along a prize to throw into the war chest and prepare for fun!
Enjoy exploring the Loess Hills during the second activity at the largest Aronia (chokeberry) farm in the Midwest, Sawmill Hollow Organic Farm (www.sawmillhollow.com). This ecologically friendly farm was the first organic Aronia Berry plantation in the United States. Visit the Loess Hills Winery (www.loesshillswineyardandwinery.com) on the return trip to sample some of the finest wines in the Midwest. Cost is $20 per person with a maximum of 20 participants.
For the third activity, join us for a guided bike ride or walk over the area’s newest attraction. The Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge links over 22 miles of biking/walking trails throughout Council Bluffs, Iowa and Omaha, Nebraska (www.cbparksandrec.org). The glitz of urban riverfront living in Omaha is connected to the extraordinary display of nature on the Iowa side allowing you to enjoy the best of both worlds! There is no cost for this activity, but if you need to rent a bike it is $25.
Test your shooting skills at the Lazy H Hunting Club for the last activity. The shooting course will consist of 10-15 stations with 10 rounds being shot at each station. Targets will display a wide range of difficulty. Registration is $30 and prizes will be awarded.
The Thursday evening pre-conference reception will be hosted by Bass Pro Shops (www.basspro.com) located within walking distance from the Hilton Garden Inn. Participate in a scavenger hunt, shooting gallery competition, archery range, or just tour the store. Dessert and beverage will be served. Friday and Saturday Tours
There will be three tours to choose from for Friday and Saturday. The East Pottawattamie Tour will visit Arrowhead Park featuring presentations on fish habitat projects and then on to Botna Bend Park. There participants will learn about the Emergency Watershed Protection program and bank stabilization for the Nishnabota River and get up close and personal to the live bison and elk herd. The next stop will be at the Farm Creek Wildlife Area to visit PCCB’s newest addition and learn about topics that will cover prescribed fire, haying, and habitat development. The tour will finish at the Prairie Crossing Vineyard and Winery, a family owned and operated vineyard perched atop the rolling hills of Western Iowa.
The second tour, the West Pottawattamie Tour, will explore the Hitchcock Nature Center, 45 foot observation tower and citizen science programs like the Hawk Watch and raptor banding, and environmental education programming. Participants will have a behind the scenes look at the operation of a county-wide Natural Areas Management program that provides stewardship and ecological restoration services on public and private lands. The bus will next stop at the Narrows River Park along the Missouri River with a golf cart ride over the Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge. The tour will finish at the National Park Service Midwest Regional Office in Omaha, Nebraska, to learn about cooperative efforts with county conservation, including trails renovations projects, prescribed fire management, and natural resource monitoring. Learn more about Pottawattamie County Conservation Board on their website at www.pottcoconservation.com .
Harrison County’s Tour will feature a visit to the Harrison County Historical Village and Iowa Welcome Center. Participants will be able to explore a recently completed project with the Lincoln Highway and Loess Hills Interpretive Center, auditorium and museum, interpretive portal and children’s transportation playscape, and historical village including a country school, log house, and much more! A bus ride through the scenic Loess Hills will finish at the Willow Lake Recreation Area with a tour of the campground and rental cabins, presentation about recent fish habitat improvements, and visiting the Nature Encounter Center. Learn more about HCCB’s environmental education program and tour the rest of the headquarters’ facility. See more about Harrison County Conservation Board at www.harrisoncountyparks.org. Evening Events
The Friday evening BBQ will be held at Progressive Park located on 18 beautiful acres along the Missouri River in Council Bluffs. It’s just a short motor coach ride from the Hilton Garden Inn. Meet with outdoor exhibitors and fellow attendees while you enjoy your favorite beverage. Enjoy a more formal evening at the Saturday night banquet in the Hilton Garden Inn ballrooms. Visit with indoor vendors and bid on great items in the silent auction. There will be a social hour with a cash bar and a buffet banquet. Awards, presentations, and a motivational speaker will wrap up the banquet. More Information
While there is no specific spouse tour offered, there’s still plenty for them to see and do. Just a few things include the Omaha Henry Doorly Zoo, DeSoto National Wildlife Refuge, shopping in the Old Market in Omaha, Western Historic Trails Center, Union Pacific Railroad Museum, and much more! To get some early ideas, visit the Council Bluffs tourism website at www.councilbluffsiowa.com and Omaha tourism at www.visitomaha.com. Breakfasts and evening meals may be purchased separately for spouses or guests, so just call before you register. Baskets Needed
Baskets are needed for the silent auction! Help us raise money for IACCB by bringing a basket for the silent auction at Saturday night’s banquet. Grab a basket (or any other container you find handy) and fill it with great things! You could showcase your county with homemade goodies, local artists, or great places to visit. Got a hobby you love or a special talent? Fill a basket with your favorites! Naturalists—fill it with your best environmental education program and pass on the great ideas! We want every county that attends to bring at least one basket with then. When you have your basket ready, email Kelly Dix (
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) with a short description and a suitable beginning bid.
Hilton Garden Inn at the Horseshoe Casino, Council Bluffs, Iowa
The conference will be held at the newly built Hilton Garden Inn next to the Horseshoe Casino in Council Bluffs, Iowa (www.horseshoecouncilbluffs.com). This all inclusive hotel has rooms for all attendees and will host the morning meetings, breakfasts, and Saturday evening banquet. All tours will also depart and return to the Hilton. The guest rooms are equipped with a spacious work desk with two dual-line phones and a hospitality center in each room includes a microwave, refrigerator, and coffeemaker. Other amenities include connection to the Horseshoe Casino via an indoor walkway, 24-hour fitness center, indoor pool and whirlpool, 24-hour business center, and a valet laundry service.
A block of standard rooms has been reserved for the conference. Standard rooms are either a queen double or king for $109.00 per night. For reservations, please call the Hilton and ask for the IACCB room block: Hilton Garden Inn, 712-309-9000. If you need additional assistance, Jordanne Jones is the contact at the Hilton or call Cindy Thompson at the Pottawattamie County Conservation Board at 712-328-5638. All registrations received by the August 20th deadline will be included in a random drawing for 1 room for 1 night free. There is a $25 late fee for registrations after August 20th. FYI:2011 IACCB Conference in Independence, hosted by Buchanan CountySeptember 15-17, 2011
“Do what you can, with what you have, where you are”
Who County Conservation Boards are... Conservation boards are local natural resource management and outdoor recreation agencies whose responsibilities are the following: to acquire, develop, maintain and make available public museums, parks, preserves, parkways, playgrounds, recreation centers, forests, wildlife and other conservation areas, to encourage the orderly development and conservation of natural resources and to provide adequate programs of public recreation. Conservation boards also help educate local residents about the natural world in which we live, and administer roadside vegetation management programs. County conservation boards have been created in all of Iowa's 99 counties and are governed by Chapter 350 of the Code of Iowa. When traveling, look for the "Arrowhead" transportation directional sign which will direct you to one of these fine areas. 
Gene Olsen, President
Decatur County, Dist. 4
Term: Sept. 2007 - Sept. 2010
Amy Bouska, Secretary
Johnson Co., Dist 6
Term: Sept. 2008 - Sept. 2011
Dave Klingensmith, Treasurer
Plymouth Co., Dist. 3
Term: Sept. 2007 - Sept. 2010
Richard Harms
Bremer County, Dist. 2
Term: Sept. 2009 - Sept. 2012
Dan Heissel
Clay County, Employee’s Assoc.
Term: Jan. 2009--Dec. 2011
Dean Mueller
Employee’s Assoc.
Term: Jan. 2008--Dec. 2010
Curt Weiss
Muscatine County, CCDA
Term: 2009 - 2012
Peggy Wright
Mahaska Co., Dist. 5
Term: Sept. 2008 - Sept. 2011 Vacant
Story Co., Dist. 1
Term: Sept. 2009 - Sept. 2012
Interesting facts about IACCB: * Established October 15, 1959. * 1,722 areas managed by those employees * 176,385 acres * 565 (+/-) permanent, full-time positions * 600 (+/-) seasonal & part-time employees In 1955, the Iowa State Legislature approved the County Conservation Law, now Chapter 350 of the Code of Iowa. This law allowed citizens of Iowa counties to vote to create a county-run and county-financed conservation board system. These conservation boards are authorized to acquire, develop, and maintain areas devoted to conservation and public recreation. Parks, wildlife areas, preserves, river accesses, recreation areas, and museums are a few examples of areas that have been acquired. Conservation boards also serve as a primary nature resource management agency in their respective counties, help educate local residents about environmental issues, operate nature centers, manage county wildlife conservation efforts, and administer roadside vegetation management programs. County conservation boards have been created in all of Iowa’s 99 counties. The system is a unique blend of lay input, professional staffing, and cooperation between county and state agencies. This system is recognized as one of the most successful county conservation programs in the United States.)
Conservation board members are responsible to the taxpayers of the county to provide the best conservation/outdoor recreation/education programs possible with the resources and finances available. Boards have to listen to and respect many points of view; determine the overall benefits to the citizens of the county; be aware of state and federal statutes, county rule ordinances and policies implemented by the board in the past; then make decisions and set the direction of the board. Chapter 350 of the Code of Iowa requires that any person appointed shall be selected on the basis of their demonstrated interest.
The purpose of the Iowa Association of County Conservation Boards is:
l. To do any and all things necessary to promote the objectives and implement the activities of County Conservation Boards in Iowa Chapter 350 of the Code of Iowa.
2. To exchange information, experiences, and plans relating to conservation and recreational development and to cooperate in furthering the efforts of individual County Conservation Boards in all the areas of their responsibility.
3. To assist County Conservation Boards and individual members to develop programs and secure advice and technical information relating to their responsibilities.
4. To provide a unified effort to represent the interest of County Conservation Boards to legislators in the Senate and House of Representatives of the Legislature for the State of Iowa.
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