Tama County Conservation Director Curtis Behrens, back right, leads a class about the history of prairies during the 2024 outdoor classroom day at Otter Creek Lake & Park. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

OTTER CREEK – Tama Soil & Water Conservation District celebrated Stewardship Week 2024 with a 5th Grade Outdoor Classroom. This nearly-annual outreach event first started in 1974. 228 students helped celebrate this great 50th anniversary milestone at Otter Creek Lake & Park on May 7.

The students and their teachers spent the day rotating through 20-minute classes on a nature walk, wildlife, wildlife population dynamics, soils, prairies, water quality, forestry, fishing and boating safety, and recycling. In the prairies class, Tama County Conservation Board (TCCB) Director Curtis Behrens taught students about the history of prairies in Iowa. The students dug in and got dirty making prairie balls with native forb mix donated by Allendan Seed Company of Winterset. The prairie balls will be utilized by TCCB to improve native species diversity in its native prairie reconstruction plantings.