Bur Oak Land Trust Acquires New Property Donated by Barbara Beaumont and Kurt Hamann

Bur Oak Land Trust is announcing its acquisition of 40.63 acres of former pastureland near North Liberty.

This acquisition is a continuation of the conservation plans for the land that Barbara Beaumont and Kurt Hamann implemented when they placed a conservation easement on the land in 2014. “It’s pretty rough land,” said Barbara. But while unsuited to farming, the land could still be bulldozed into submission for building purposes, as seven adjacent acres recently were, at the loss of dozens of centuries-old oaks and hickories, both species native to and in decline in eastern Iowa.

Although Muddy Creek runs through the property and one or two endangered ornate box turtles can still be seen there every year, initially Barbara did not think the land worth preserving. Compared to the spectacular wildflowers in the deer exclosures on Ciha Fen near Solon that the Johnson County Conservation Board had been trying to acquire for some years, she assumed their woods were nothing special. But when state forester Mark Vitosh, with whom she’d sat on the Johnson County Heritage Trust (now Bur Oak Land Trust) board, came to survey the property, he assured her that the land was indeed valuable habitat, and he developed a plan to conserve it. Consequently, Bur Oak Land Trust became the recipient of the land donation.

Communities benefit from "green space" and unspoiled natural areas. Bur Oak Land Trust’s properties are open to the public for recreation and education, such as birding, hiking, nature study, and picnicking. We encourage the public to enjoy the Trust’s savanna remnants, reconstructed prairie, limestone bluffs, riparian community, and mature stands of oak, hickory, maple, and basswood trees. The Trust addresses the need to protect and conserve the natural areas of Johnson and surrounding counties for future generations.
At the beginning of 2017, the Trust completed a $700,000 capital campaign to acquire a 40-acre parcel adjacent to Big Grove Preserve, which brought the amount of land it is protecting with acquisitions and easements to 683 acres. The donation of Muddy Creek Preserve maintains this number.

“We can’t thank Barbara and Kurt enough for their generosity and dedication to our organization and our environment,” said Tammy Wright, who has served as the Trust’s executive director for 12 years. “Their contribution is truly a gift that will keep on giving for future generations. What a legacy they’ve created and shared. What could be a better gift to the birds, animals, insects, and creatures of all kind?”

Accredited nationally by the Land Trust Accreditation Commission and one of six land trusts in Iowa, Bur Oak Land Trust has been protecting natural land in and around Johnson County since 1978. The activities of Bur Oak Land Trust impact environmental conditions through the area by improving water quality; removing invasive plant species; bringing back native plants and animals; and creating habitat to enhance species diversity. The land acquisition, restoration, and stewardship activities of the Bur Oak Land Trust are done also for the benefit of the physical and mental health and well-being of Iowans.

For more information on the work and nature preserves of Bur Oak Land Trust, visit www.buroaklandtrust.org or call 319-338-7030