Groups Raising Millions For New Des Moines Area Recreation Area

(Polk County, IA) - An effort's underway to raise millions of dollars, to buy a big chunk of undeveloped land northwest of Des Moines. The Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation and Polk County Conservation plan to acquire 1,100 acres of land from the Brenton family, and open it up to the public for recreation.

Joe Jayjack of the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation says the area is a wildlife refuge and home to an old oak tree savanna and native prairie. "It's not very often that eleven hundred acres pops up as a new wildlife and park area in central Iowa where so many people have access to, in an area in central Iowa that's growing so quickly," said Jayjack.

The surrounding area has been seeing significant change due to development in Johnston, Grimes, Granger and Urbandale. Jayjack says the property includes a 52-acre slough, just one of 15 in the state.

He says fundraising is well underway, with a target goal of $8 million. Polk County Conservation has identified $3 million in funding and an anonymous donor has contributed $500,000. Jayjack says they hope to raise a few more million by Labor Day, and the rest by the end of 2023. He says there are some plans for some restoration, as well as mowed hiking paths and infrastructure for birders and volunteer and educational events.