Photo Gallery
On May 2, 2026 a group of about a dozen plant enthusiasts celebrated the beginning of Iowa Wildflower Month by exploring the flora of Cedar Bluffs State Preserve in Mahaska County. A crisp but sunny morning greeted the group led by Tom Rosburg. Much of the preserve characterizes the Southern Read more
National Public Lands Day is celebrated each year on the fourth Saturday of September. The day is the nation’s largest, single-day event for public lands volunteerism. It is an opportunity for nature enthusiasts to give back to public lands by providing land stewardship. This year, the Iowa Native Plant Society Read more
Ten attendees enthusiastically made their slow crawl up a ridge to explore remnant plants of the Loess Hills on August 30, 2025. Turin Loess Hills State Preserve is 220-acre of rugged terrain and home to over 220 native plants. Dr. Tom Rosburg led the hike. Featured plants include a late Read more
What is a paha? Great question. A paha is significant due to its geological characteristics. The word “paha” is Dakota-Sioux for ridge or hill. Pahas can be found in the state within the Iowan Surface landform. The pahas predominantly occupy the southern portions of the Iowan Surface and are remnants Read more
INPS Field Trip(s) to Lafayette and Center Ridge Cemetery Prairies in Keokuk County Our two field trips were led by Mark Leoschke, Botanist for the Wildlife Bureau of the Iowa DNR, along with Mr. Eric D. Adams, District Conservationist for the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Muscatine County. In Read more
Over 25 attendees joined the INPS board to celebrate 30 years of native plant advocacy and appreciation. The event lasted two days and offered multiple field trips, dinner, and a presentation. Backbone State Park was where the idea of the INPS was born and it was fitting to return to Read more
Long-time INPS member, Dr. Tom Rosburg, led two different field trips in northeast Iowa on May 3, 2025. The original intent was to explore Hayden Prairie State Preserve, but Mother nature had other plans. The timing of the field trip was not on schedule ecologically. We were a week too Read more
The focus of the September 14, 2024 annual meeting was to highlight the often overlooked fauna of Iowa, aquatic insects. Professor Dr. Greg Courtney of Iowa State University gave an hour long presentation titled Aquatic Insects of a Midwestern Prairie Pothole: Biodiversity of a “well known” fauna? Dr. Courtney discussed Read more
On June 15, 2024 Bur Oak Land Trust welcomed INPS members and others for a private tour of the Corriell Nature Preserve in Muscatine County. Over 20 attendees explored the area observing many different functional plant groups, insects, and more. The tour was led by Dr. Tom Rosburg.
A brisk and chilly northwest wind did not deter about 20 nature enthusiasts from exploring the prairie in the Loess Hills State Forest on Saturday, March 16. It was perfect timing to see hundreds of pasque flowers in bloom. The pasque flowers definitely stole the show, but they were not the Read more