Welcome to Johnson County Conservation Department - Frytown


Information


The mission of the Johnson County Conservation Board is to improve the quality of natural resources and native species for Johnson County residents through programs emphasizing conservation of natural resources, conservation education, and natural resource based recreation.

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Frytown
Frytown Area
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Frytown Area 		This 94-acre tract is located 10 miles southwest of Iowa City just off Highway 1. An unnamed tributary of Dirty Face Creek runs through the western-most part of the property. It was acquired in 1973. At the time of acquisition, this rolling pastureland included a badly eroded ditch which had been used for a "dump" for old farm machinery and fencing material for many years. The area includes some mature oak/hickory timber and new tree and shrub plantations. Approximately 30 acres of former pastureland has been planted to a variety of hardwood trees and shrubs. These plantings were completed in 1995-96 as part of the Conservation Board's Timber Stand Improvement Program(TSI).

The tree and shrub plantings have helped to make the Frytown Area a wildlife area extraordinaire. Conservation staff constructed a bridge over a deep ravine that provides access so that maintenance equipment can be utilized in parts of the area that were inaccessible.

There is an old farm pond in the southwest part of the area. Part of the pond berm has washed out. Plans call for the conversion of the old pond to a shallow water wetland. Frytown is a very popular area for birders as well as turkey, deer and squirrel hunters. It is one of the few remaining forested areas in this quadrant of the county.