Hartman Reserve Nature Center

Purpose: Sustaining Cultural Heritage The Hartman Reserve Nature Center is located in Waterloo but is surrounded by Cedar Falls, Iowa. This is a major urban area in northeast Iowa, surrounded by predominantly rural, agricultural counties. The goal of the Lucy's Meadow project is to restore 25 acres of the South Unit of the nature center to the plant community found in presettlement times-an ecosystem called a prairie/oak savanna. Savannas include a mix of trees and prairie plants; very little of this cultural and natural heritage remains in Iowa. Lucy's Meadow is an attempt to restore and preserve a small example of Iowa's original oak savanna for educational purposes. This process will involve volunteers and students in a service learning environment for elementary and junior high school students, college students, and Scouts. The meadow will be interpreted with signage. The restoration will be conducted over the course of three years. The grant will be used to fund 10 hours a week of professional time over three years to conduct educational programs and coordinate volunteers to restore the meadow, and to purchase oak seedlings and prairie seed. The meadow will be visible from the South Riverside Trail, so more than 250,000 people a year will see it as they run, walk, or ski on the trail.