"Don't forget to stop and smell the flowers, but please don't pick them."
By Dan Campbell, Park Ranger

One of the highlights of your visit to Johnson County Conservation Board (JCCB) areas is the natural beauty that abounds.

Whether it be a relaxing walk through towering silhouettes of a forest, the cool serenity of a pond or wetland or, perhaps, the color palette of prairie flowers, we hope our visitors take the opportunity to enjoy all of the special wonders that await them.

JCCB staff work hard to maintain these areas for the public. Unfortunately for some, the need to remove some kind of remembrance of their visit overcomes their better judgement. Picking flowers adversely affects native ecosystems by removing the seed source for future generations. Cutting live trees for firewood removes important woodland species and damages wildlife habitat. When vegetation is removed from the landscape by park visitors it takes away opportunities for all of us.

The Conservation Board enforces county and state laws** and provides information and regulation brochures in order to ensure natural areas are protected for everyone to enjoy. These pamphlets explain that mushrooms, asparagus, nuts, fruit and berries may be harvested from JCCB areas. Any other plant material, animal, bird nest, rock formation or other cultural artifacts are protected by law and cannot be removed. Prairie and woodland wildflowers are of special concern because of the rarity of some of these species.

Visitors may pick up regulation brochures and other park information at the information kiosk at F.W. Kent Park, or at the Operations Center office. Call the JCCB office at 319-645-2315 to receive brochures by mail.

We hope you will come out and enjoy the natural beauty of one of the JCCB parks. Bring along a camera or sketch book to record you experience as a souvenir and leave the natural beauty of JCCB parks for everyone to enjoy.

** Iowa state law section 461A.41 provides that no person shall in any manner remove destroy injure or deface any tree, shrub, plant or flower without the written permission of the Conservation Board or its Director.