By Steve Weisman

As I prepared for the outdoor open house at The Narrows Preserve from 10 a.m. to noon last Saturday morning, I worried that the early morning showers might continue and keep people away. However, by 9:30 a.m., the showers were gone, and visitors to the open house were greeted to overcast skies and mild temperatures, perfect for informal walking tours of the recently purchased 50-acre tract of land featuring 2,020 feet of the last undeveloped shoreline on East Okoboji Lake.

After arriving at the Elinor Bedell State Park parking lot, folks would head to the shelter house to meet with Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation (INHF) staff and members of the Iowa Audubon Society to learn about the property. Then it was time to venture on either guided or unguided walks from the Elinor Bedell State Park north and out into the recently mowed paths on The Narrows Preserve property.

With the waters of East Okoboji to the west and a wide expanse of grasslands and trees to the north and east, the only noise to be heard was the whisper of leaves through the trees, the sound of songbirds and the quiet conversation of visitors as they walked the rolling hills and valleys leading to the highest point. It was at this overlook that the expanse of East Okoboji opened to a panoramic view. Then returning down the hill, another mowed path took visitors to the natural, undeveloped shoreline.

I made my walking journey with a newly met friend, Vern Fish, who is an INHF board member, former Executive Director of the Black Hawk County Conservation board and a conservationist who travels the north country on wilderness trips and canoeing expeditions. Our conversation ended with this thought.  “We are so thankful that this 50-acre parcel of land was saved and will now forever be protected in its natural state!” We both agreed that it is great that the INHF will own, restore and steward the property’s shoreline, prairie and oak savanna.

During our walk, I remembered a statement INHF President Joe McGovern made about the importance of this project. “We simply had to act. This land serves a critical function to the lake’s ecosystem. Opportunities like this only come around once in a lifetime!”

He added, “That’s the beauty of this project. Once protected, it will remain so forever.”

Next Steps

First, The Narrows Preserve is officially open to the public. The land will be primarily managed to maintain wildlife habitat, protect water quality and allow low-impact public use. Restoration work will involve seeding a diverse mix of prairie grasses and forbs into the grassland, removing interior fences and removing invasive vegetation and unwanted trees to create much-needed habitat for grassland birds. Funding from the Dickinson County Water Quality Commission will assist with extensive shoreline and riparian habitat restoration the next few years. Talk about exciting stuff!

How it all came about: raising $8,200,000

• Back in the fall of 2020, the INHF learned of the potential sale of 50 acres directly north of Bedell State Park on the shores of East Okoboji. At that time, several area lake protective associations and dedicated individuals stepped up to pledge the money to help the INHF secure the option toward the $8,200,000 purchase price. The money had to be raised by Labor Day of 2021.
• By the end of June, Abby Hade Terpstra, Director of Philanthropy, noted that pledges were steady, and the INHF had raised $1,000,000 in hard pledges and close to $4,000,000 in soft pledges. Still, the $8,200,000 needed was still several million dollars away.
• Over the next several weeks, pledges came in and the amount grew, but the sense of urgency wasn’t there until we were about a month out. Then came the last couple of weeks and a sprint to meet the $8,200,000 purchase price.
• On August 24, Terpstra executed a release that the amount needed was down to $1,000,000 and that approximately 86 percent of the $8,200,00 had been pledged. By August 26, the amount needed dropped to just under $500,000.
• By Friday, September 3, the amount was down to $100,000.
• On Monday, September 6 at 8:59 a.m., I received this email from Terpstra: “It’s done! It’s done! The Lakes community stepped up and protected the shoreline at East Lake. What a privilege to be a catalyst for a project that will impact life at the Lakes for years to come. Thank you for all you’ve done to propel this campaign to victory and save 2,020 feet of natural shoreline.”

Now, Now, Now

Yes, NOW is the time to visit the Narrows Preserve. It’s for all of us – both residents and visitors alike. It’s open to the public from 4 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. every day. During the open house, lots of people talked about how great it will be to now extend their walks to The Narrows Preserve. However, there are some limitations. This is an area where no motorized vehicles/bike riding is allowed, along with no hunting or trapping or setting off of fireworks or camping.

The Narrows Preserve is a place to go and experience all that is good about being here at the Iowa Great Lakes. And now it’s here forever!

Overhead map shows just how much The Narrows Preserve provides wildlife corridor between East Okoboji and Spring Run.

Several groups meandered their way through The Narrows Preserve with Audubon Society personnel listening and looking for a wide variety of birds that inhabit the wildlife area.

Aerial view shows part of the expanse of The Narrows Preserve as visitors tour the newly protected area.

A newly erected sign welcomes visitors to The Narrows Preserve.