Pottawattamie County Almanac: Morels, Fungi & Lichens
Hitchcock Nature Center, Pottawattamie County
Saturday, May 11, 2019
Experience a new side to nature at Hitchcock Nature Center as we combine nature, art, and exploration in our adult education series, “A Pottawattamie County Almanac” presented by Pottawattamie County Conservation & award winning instructor Ron Cisar.
Join us May 11th from 8:00 a.m. to noon at Hitchcock Nature Center for the third session of the 2019 programming series. This session will explore common fungi & lichens found in the area as well as a look at least turns & piping plovers with Mary Bomberger Brown, the Director of Tern & Plover Conservation Partnership.
Modeled after the classic work, “A Sand County Almanac” by naturalist & Iowa native Aldo Leopold this program aims to follow the natural rhythms and timings of Pottawattamie County's Midwestern setting. Activities will provide students with a deeper understanding and appreciation of the natural world around them and will include guided hikes, aquatic studies, native prairie and woodland investigations, guest lectures, journaling, sketching, invasive species studies, and more.
Classes will occur monthly, March through December, from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Please see below for a full program description & a schedule of program topics. The cost for this program is $15.00 per person per session. Attendees may also register for the entire, 10 session program series for a cost of $75.00 per person, a 50% discount. To register for the entire program series please return to the program schedule and choose the full season series.
A Pottawattamie County Almanac is intended for people of all experience levels and walks of life, and from all areas of the Midwest; anyone interested is encouraged to attend. Participants should note that classes will be held at Hitchcock Nature Center, located on the western edge of Iowa's Loess Hills and will at times require pedestrian travel over difficult terrain; some sessions may be physically challenging. Much of each session will occur out-of-doors and participants should come prepared for weather and the elements.
This program is being presented as part of our adult education program, participants must be 15 & over please.
For questions not answered online please call 712-545-3283.
CANCELLATION POLICY
Guests may cancel their reservation for a full refund up to 1 week (7 days) prior to the program date by calling 712-545-3283 & speaking with staff directly. Cancellations less than 1 week (7 days) in advance of the event will not be refunded. Fees for programs cancelled by PCC due to weather or other circumstances will be refunded.
About Ron Cisar:
Ron Cisar is an Omaha native, UNO graduate (BS, MS), and assistant professor emeritus (ret. 2017, Iowa Western Community College). Prior to partnering with Pottawattamie County Conservation, Cisar taught science and biology in the Omaha Public School District for 32 years, and at Iowa Western Community College until the spring of 2017. He is nationally recognized as a singer-songwriter, and has spent time leading educational and research programs in the national parks, including Yellowstone National Park. Due to his excellence in professional instruction and dedication to conservation, he is the recipient of several prestigious accolades including the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science Teaching from the National Science Foundation, the Governor's Award for Outstanding Science Teaching, the Alice Buffett Outstanding Teaching Award, was named the Nebraska Conservation Educator of the Year, the Education Award from the Yellowstone Grizzly Foundation, the Distinguished Alumni Award from the University of Nebraska-Omaha College of Education, among others.
The Pottawattamie County Conservation Board does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or other legally protected status in its employment, programs and activities. The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding non-discrimination policies: Mary Davis, Human Resources Director 227 South 6th Street, Council Bluffs, IA 51501.
