A Weekend with Fall Youth Corps (Part I – Chichaqua)

 

A day of service, a night sleeping beneath an old oak tree, and a day of environmental learning. Hear from one of our fall crews as they reflect on their recent camping trip to Chichaqua Bottoms Greenbelt.

Lincoln Crew – Chichaqua Bottoms Greenbelt | Saturday Service Day 

After loading into the vans at Lincoln High School, our crew traveled to northeast Polk County to Chichaqua Bottoms Greenbelt. We stopped at a large field lush with plant life. Large grasses and tall flowers dotted the field, and the morning sun and dew made the prairie a majestic place to be. We gathered a plant called Rattlesnake Master, making sure to gather only 2/3rds of the seeds to save some for the prairie. The seeds we gathered will be used to restore prairies in Iowa, giving homes and food to native wildlife. Doing this work is a great way to get to know someone while you help restore the environment.

Saturday Evening 

Once the service project was completed, we headed back to the campsite to set up our tents. When we were done, we relaxed and played Uno and One Night Werewolf. Then we began the eventful task of learning to start a fire in a survival situation. First, we tried with just flint and steel. We struggled a lot, so our Crew Leader Andrew let us try with steel wool and a battery to make it easier.

W got our fire going and cooked baked potatoes, broccoli, and baked beans on the campfire. The coolest part of the evening was when Andrew talked to us about owls and we got to learn about the adaptations that make them such good hunters. Silent flight and large eyes are just a couple of their unique features.

Sunday Recreation & Learning Day 

Our group went on a morning hike to explore different trails at Chichaqua, and then we had an environmental education lesson about the prairies. We played a game called Thicket, and learned that many prairie animals are on Iowa’s endangered species list because of habitat destruction. Playing Thicket was one of our favorite activities of the trip since we had to run and hide in the prairie while pretending to be predators and prey. We also did a Career Exploration lesson about finding careers that match our passions and skills. After lunch, we had fun practicing archery before we had to pack everything up to drive home.

Going camping was a great chance to bond with nature and our fellow campers. For anyone who might be nervous about camping, we would tell them that no matter what, it is always a fun and interesting experience.

Polk County Conservation Youth Corps aims to engage and inspire diverse youth through hands-on environmental stewardship projects, outdoor recreation, and conservation education. Ages 15+ can earn a stipend while engaging in a season of conservation service learning.