About Shimek State Forest ...

Shimek State Forest is named in honor of Dr. Bohumil Shimek. 

Bohumil Shimek was born in Shueyville, Iowa, 1861, the child of Czech (Bohemian) immigrants who came to the United States about 1850. He graduated from the University of Iowa with a degree in civil engineering and embarked upo n a varied career--including surveyer, high school teacher, zoology professor in Nebraska, and finally botany professor back at the University of Iowa.  He was a highly respected naturalist, conservationist and  botany professor there for 46 years.  He died in 1937. Survivors included his widow; Marjorie Meerdink,  four daughters; Ella Shimek of Iowa City; Mrs. P. J. Hanzlik, San Mateo, California; Mrs. M. O. Hanzlik of Cedar Rapids; and Mrs. George Krepelka of Osage; and one son, Frank J. Shimek of Kingston, New York.  His first wife and mother of his children, Anna Konvalinka, had died in 1922.

During the 1930s, Dr. Shimek convinced the state to acquire forest land in Lee and Van Buren Counties along with abandoned farms which were depleted from over a century of farming.  In 1950, Iowa honored the late Dr. Shimek by naming the largest contiguous state owned forest in Iowa, Shimek State Forest.

His contributions are described in detail at http://www.iacad.org/bios/shimek.html

His colleage, Walter F. Loehwing wrote a memoir of his life in 1947.  It can be purchased at http://books.google.com/books/about/Bohumil_Shimek.html?id=qrnOAAAAMAAJ

He had two major trips abroad—one to Nicaragua, and another in 1914 as an exchange professor at Charles University in Prague.  His field notes/journals from those trips are still studied.  See http://siarchives.si.edu/blog/field-work-and-world-war
At this time. he became very active in the fight for freedom for the Czechs.

His home in Iowa City has been declared a National Historic Site.  Many of his papers and notes are archived at the Univeristy of Iowa Library.  See  http://collguides.lib.uiowa.edu/?RG99.0036 for a Guide to the Bohumil Shimek Papers.

His collection of 2.5 million shell specimens was sold to the Smithsonian.  The Smithsonian also houses a collection of his personal correspondence and some photos. See   http://siarchives.si.edu/collections/siris_arc_254756

Description of Shimek State Forest

Iowa Department of Natural Resources information about Shimek State Forest is at the link below.  This site includes links to maps of all units and the equestrian trails.

http://www.iowadnr.gov/Destinations/StateForests/ShimekStateForest.aspx

Iowa Equestrian Facilities including Shimek State Forest

http://www.iowadnr.gov/Recreation/Equestrian.aspx

Equestrian Campsite Reservations:
http://www.reserveamerica.com/camping/Shimek_Forest_Campground/r/campgroundDetails.do?contractCode=IA&parkId=610136

Satellite View of Shimek State Forest

http://www.satelliteviews.net/cgi-bin/g.cgi/?fid=461581&state=IA&ftype=forest

Seven Day Weather Forecast

http://www.findlocalweather.com/pinpoint/us/ia/shimek+state+forest+wildlife+management+area+-+keo/current25088.html

Birds at Shimek

The Iowa Audubon site lists important state bird areas.  The Croton Unit at Shimek is particularly significant as a bird site.   Species regularly occurring here in breeding season include Blue-winged Warbler, Northern Parula, Yellow-throated Warbler, Cerulean Warbler, Worm-eating Warbler, Ovenbird, Louisiana Waterthrush, Kentucky Warbler, Hooded Warbler, Summer Tanager, and Scarlet Tanager. Species irregularly occurring here include White-eyed Vireo, Prairie Warbler, Yellow-breasted Chat,and Blue Grosbeak. Bewick's Wren has nested in areas that are immediately adjacent.

This web site includes reported species data and a reported bird checklist for Shimek.

 http://iowaaudubon.org/IBA/SiteDetail.aspx?l=0&siteID=9

Iowa Native Plant Society

http://www.herbarium.iastate.edu/inps/index.php

Iowa State Tree

Iowa has designated "The Oak" as the official state tree. 
On March 15, 1961, Governor Norman Erbe signed House Joint Resolution No. 10 designating the oak as the official state tree of Iowa.  An excerpt of the text follows:

… Be It Resolved by the General Assembly of the State of Iowa:

SECTION 1. "THE OAK" is hereby designated and shall hereafter be officially known as the state tree of Iowa.

Approved March 13, 1961.

According to the "Iowa Official Register,"

The Iowa General Assembly chose the oak because it is abundant in the state and serves as shelter, food and nesting cover for many animals and birds. It is difficult to find a tract of natural woodland in Iowa that does not have in it at least one species of oak. No other group of trees is more important to people and wildlife. Acorns, the nuts of oak trees, are a dietary staple of many animals and birds. Deer, wild turkeys, pheasants, quail, wood ducks, raccoons, squirrels, chipmunks, bluejays, nuthatches, grackles and several kinds of woodpeckers are a few of the species that depend on acorns for a significant portion of their diet.

 Shimek State Forest contains approximately 9,150 acres of timber which is comprised mostly of oak and hickory.

Invasive Plants

For photos and information on plants considered invasive in Iowa, see:
http://www.iowadnr.gov/idnr/Environment/Forestry/ForestHealth/InvasivePlants.aspx

Threatened and Endangered Species of animals and plants in Iowa

The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service provides this report:
http://ecos.fws.gov/tess_public/pub/stateListingAndOccurrenceIndividual.jsp?state=IA&s8fid=112761032792&s8fid=112762573902

Want to know more about Iowa Flora or Fauna?

Whether you want a pocket guide or a thick detailed volume, whether you want to learn about wildflowers, woodlands, prairie,  mushrooms or other flora or fauna in Iowa or the midwest---for some well documented, useful print references see:
http://www.uiowapress.org/search/browse-series/browse-BOG.htm

or go to Amazon.com and type Bur Oak Guide in the search bar and you'll get a list of the many pocket guides and books available from the University of Iowa Press.


NOTICE
This Blog represents the Friends of Shimek State Forest and not the Department of Natural Resources.  Please notify FOS of any problems with the material posted here through comments here or via e-mail to FOShimek@gmail.com