Environmental Education and Outdoor Recreation Programming

Winneshiek County Conservation offers a wide array of free environmental education and outdoor recreation programming for classrooms, organizations, youth clubs, and more! Start by reviewing our program guide, then contact our office at education@winneshiekwild.com or (563) 534-7145 to see how we can help meet your needs!

A group of people learns about the wetland at Lake Meyer
Students participate in a guided blindfold hike along the shore of Lake Meyer

An Award-Winning Program

Winneshiek County Conservation provides environmental education to all Winneshiek County schools, youth organizations, nursing homes, assisted living facilities, civic groups, and the public. In 2023, we offered a record 1,160 programs reaching 27,672 people. The education program has won numerous awards through the years from the Iowa Association of Naturalists and the Iowa Conservation Education Coalition. Awards include:

  • "Driftless Safari": 2012 "Ding" Darling Environmental Education Award for outstanding EE program which educates the general public
  • 2014 Outstanding Environmental Education Program (2 or less interpreters) for excellence in EE programming by a county conservation board
  • Larry Reis, Winneshiek County Naturalist of 40+ years: 2015 Aldo Leopold Environmental Education Award for lifetime achievement in EE excellence and leadership
  • "Exploring Winneshiek County Over Time: A Fourth Grade Geology Unit": 2021 Chris Holt Youth Environmental Education Award for outstanding environmental education program for youth

Winneshiek County Waste Reduction Education

Learn about recycling and reducing your waste with the Winneshiek County Recycling and Waste Reduction Education program, provided by Winneshiek County Conservation in partnership with the Winneshiek County Recycling Center & Winneshiek County Sanitary Landfill.

Winneshiek County Waste Reduction

Learn ontact the Recycling and Waste Reduction Educator at wildrecycling@winneshiekwild.com or visit https://www.winneshiekwaste.com/

Students learn about the Winneshiek County Sanitary Landfill on a tour
Two children wave with bee puppets at the pollinator activity table at the 2024 Earth Day Festival
A group of campers discusses strategy prior to building shelters in the woods

Anchor Your Learning with the Local Wonders of Winneshiek County