Posted OCTOBER 27, 2009
The Kossuth County Conservation Board (KCCB) has added 128 acres of land for wildlife habitat and outdoor recreation. The land is located two miles northeast of Algona directly east of the River Road Golf Course. The area is part of the East Fork of the Des Moines River Greenbelt, which includes several tracts owned by the conservation board along the river between Algona and Burt. This tract contains a diverse mix of habitat types including wetlands, upland grasses and timber. The area, which will be called the Wildwood Recreation Area, was purchased from the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation. The name was taken from the historical name of this area when it was registered as a farm in 1911. This area will be managed as a wildlife area and will be open to the public for hunting, trapping, nature study and other compatible activities. The area opened for the public on October 23, 2009.
This acquisition was made possible through funding from several grants and the support of numerous local conservation organizations. An Iowa Department of Natural Resources (Iowa DNR) habitat stamp grant, North American Wetland Conservation Act (NAWCA) grant, Pheasants Forever State Council grant and National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF) grant provided 60% of the funds for this project. The remaining funds were provided by project partners including: donations from the Kossuth, Emmet and Humboldt County Pheasants Forever Chapters, East Fork Longbeards chapter of the NWTF, East Fork chapter of the Izaak Walton League, private donors and funds from the Kossuth County Conservation Board. The Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation also played a key role in partnering with the KCCB to acquire this tract. Thanks to the support of these local conservation organizations, this new acquisition will provide wildlife habitat and diverse recreational opportunities for Kossuth County residents.
View from 140th St. looking south.
View from west boundary looking southeast.