ADVANCING BIODIVERSITY IN EASTERN IOWA

Good natured since 1978

Protect Your Land Find a Preserve

Putting Nature First

Our mission is advancing biodiversity in eastern Iowa by protecting resilient landscapes and connecting people to nature.

Bur Oak Land Trust preserves are protected lands in eastern Iowa full of plants and wildlife, and many are open to the public year-round.

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Explore

Explore all of our beautiful preserves by enjoying your favorite outdoor activities!

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Serve

Make a difference in Eastern Iowa by volunteering with AmeriCorps.

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Give

Donate to save our most critical natural places and improve local biodiversity.

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Events

Learn more about the local environment during one of our many upcoming events!

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WHAT’S IN SEASON?

BIG GROVE PRESERVE

Big Grove Preserve, with the addition of the newly acquired Big Grove Addition, is an 80-acre woodland adjacent to the Coralville Reservoir off of Sugar Bottom Road. This area makes up part of the original “Big Grove” noted by the first settlers to describe Johnson County’s landscape.

  • Pet Friendly
  • Hiking Trails
  • Trail Runs
  • Kid Friendly
  • Foraging
  • Bow Hunting

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CHOOSE AMERICORPS

Be a part of the dedicated individuals who provide invaluable services for the outdoors on Bur Oak preserves, and lands within Johnson County and throughout eastern Iowa.

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Latest News

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  • Wintering Woodpeckers: A guide to identifying two look-alike birds

    By Amanda Stallman, Education Coordinator Approaching Muddy Creek Preserve, you can see the overarching oak canopy swaying in the breeze. Once the understory surrounds you, bright flashes of white and black tufts may soar by. Who are these avian friends flying about? The birds I am describing are often mistaken for one another, but upon closer...
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  • Our Year in Review

    We did a lot in 2024, from protecting sensitive areas and restoring habitat for vulnerable wildlife, to sharing ways people can make a difference for the environment and connecting the public to the outdoors. As we look back over the year and all that we did as a land trust, our feelings are bittersweet. While we’re...
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  • Local AmeriCorps crews care for rare habitat to celebrate 30 years of national service

    Conservation crews with a mission to “get things done” helped restore some of Iowa’s rarest habitat in honor of decades of service across the country. More than 30 Iowa members of the national service program AmeriCorps, along with staff and local program partners, gathered Friday, Sept. 13 at Big Sand Mound Nature Preserve just south of Muscatine to use their conservation skills in...
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