Mahaska County Conservation Board Celebrates 50 Years of Stewardship and Education
Photo courtesy Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship
OSKALOOSA — The Mahaska County Conservation Board (MCCB) marked a milestone this month, celebrating 50 years of conservation, education, and community involvement with the grand opening of the new Nature Playscape at the Environmental Learning Center.
Formed in January 1975 by a countywide vote, the MCCB was created to manage and preserve Mahaska County’s natural resources. Since then, it has grown to oversee 21 parks and natural areas totaling more than 1,300 acres — all dedicated to providing outdoor recreation, wildlife protection, and environmental education for local residents and visitors.
At the heart of the celebration was the new Nature Playscape, a project made possible through community donations, grants, and support from partners such as the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship and the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation. The project was designed to naturally filter runoff before it reaches Spring Creek and the South Skunk River. Construction included two oxbows and extensive native landscaping, supported in part by $47,000 in Water Quality Initiative funds.
“This project is a perfect example of the community coming together to support local projects,” said Mahaska County Conservation Director Chris Clingan. “It highlights the value of these attractions that not only benefit the environment but also draw people to the area, supporting local businesses and enhancing quality of life.”
The MCCB’s impact extends far beyond Oskaloosa’s Environmental Learning Center. The board manages a diverse mix of parks and wildlife areas such as White Oak, Cedar Bluffs, Glendale Access, and the Eddyville Sand Dunes Prairie — home to rare plants and wildlife. Just this month, staff completed a 31-acre restoration project at the dunes, removing invasive trees to preserve the native prairie habitat.
Cedar Bluffs, in particular, holds special meaning in Mahaska County’s conservation story. In the mid-1800s, a young John Fletcher Lacey — who would later become a U.S. Congressman and one of America’s most influential conservation lawmakers — spent his boyhood exploring the forests and cliffs along the Des Moines and Skunk Rivers near Oskaloosa. Those early days among Mahaska County’s wild places helped inspire the conservation vision that led to the Lacey Act of 1900, the first federal wildlife protection law, and the Antiquities Act of 1906, which allowed presidents to establish national monuments. Lacey’s deep appreciation for the land began right here in Mahaska County, shaping a legacy that continues to influence conservation and national parks.
“We’re a small staff with limited resources, but we get creative,” Clingan explained. “Our success comes from passionate employees, volunteers, and community partners who work together for the betterment of Mahaska County.”
The board’s dedication to education continues to be central to its mission. Through its free quarterly newsletter The Prairie Star, newspaper columns, school programs, and radio features, MCCB works to build a deeper public appreciation for the environment.
Today, Mahaska County remains one of Iowa’s most agriculturally rich counties, with roughly 96% of its 576 square miles farmed. Yet thanks to the Conservation Board’s long-term efforts — and to a legacy that reaches back to Lacey’s childhood wanderings among the bluffs — local residents and visitors still have places to hike, fish, learn, and explore the county’s remaining natural beauty.
