Lick Creek Trails CLOSED as of 5/28/19

Forester Byrd assessed the trails after the soggy Memorial Day Weekend.  Thanks to all who stayed off the trails over this wet weekend.  However, it has just kept raining.  So it is necessary to close all trails for the foreseeable future --until these rains stop and they have some time to dry.  Information will be posted I at the DNR site and on the DNR SHimek phone as well as on FOS sites when they re-open.

First Scheduled Work day May 21, 2019

CANCELLED!!! SOGGY! More rain expected.

 Next work day: July 10th

It time for some much needed sprucing and cleaning up in the campgrounds and on the trails.  The work day for May is scheduled as follows:

 

Many Hands makes Light Work!

 

The next FOS Group Work Day will be held on Tuesday, May 21st and coordinated by FOS President Ringo Covert. Meet with Ringo and Forester John Byrd and Technician Patrick Thomas at 8:00 AM in the Lick Creek Lower Campground. Priorities will include clearing trails (ATV's and chain saws needed). Note from John: "If someone is bringing an ATV to clear trails, I want to get them started right away.  Please unload and be ready to talk to me and head out as early as possible...iF it isn't too wet."

Lots of campground work too.  Painting is planned inside of toilet buildings. The ones at Lick Creek  were pressure washed this last week by Jo Watson with help from Bob and Marsha Achenbach.  Note: If painting, we will be using oil based paint and it for sure can get stuck in your hair and make permanent spots on clothes--so bring an old cap or a shower cap to protect your head and hair if painting; wear clothes that you will find just as useful with lots of paint spots on them. :-)
We also need to clean out the gutters on the horse shelters.  Other campground work needed is to cleanup camp sites and horse stalls prior to Memorial Day plus collect and sort recycle items. (Be sure to wear the protective gloves provided when handling recycle items, picking up trash or  clearing fire pits.)
After a morning of work, all will return to the Lower Campground at noon to report back on progress, discuss upcoming activities, then rest a while with friends. Bring a sack lunch (if you like), water provided. Don't forget your blaze orange Friends of Shimek work vest if you have one. There will be some loaners available to identify all of us as volunteers. Remember—no previous volunteer experience necessary.

NOTE: If you let us know you are coming, we will call or e-mail you if we are rained out;  will post on Facebook and the FOS blog if rained out also.

Birding in Croton on May 4, 2019

A group of Iowa Ornithologists Union (IOU) birders, binoculars or cameras around their necks, bird books and/or cell phone apps at the ready, mud boots on—begin to walk down the wildflower strewn and muddy path into Croton. The car doors had barely been shut when it began:

 

Field Trip Leader Brandon Caswell (reddish shirt) made sure everyone spotted numerous birds--and he knew them all.

“Heard a hummer.” “There—over there (points)--a great crested”...”There's a yellow throated.—perched at 1 o'clock to the right of that dead tree....” There's another. Can you call in the tanager, (bird sounds from phone).” Quick! Red-headed woodpecker flew over.” “Heard a pileated last week here.” “Yes—its an indigo bunting.” “First of the year---there's a white-eyed”...smiles all around with each calling out of a sighting of another bird, as the binoculars swing toward the direction indicated. “Where did you say? I see it...is it a Nashville or a warbling.”



 

 And so it goes as we walk among the absolutely amazing wildflowers, climb over a couple of down trees and continue on down the path and across a rushing stream with birds that vary from tiny specks to buzzard size flit around. We are in the Bird Conservation Area - the Croton Unit of Shimek State Forest, located in Lee County, Iowa. Its a treasure! By your author's best efforts to count, at least 20 different types birds were identified in about an hour at the Croton Unit by this serious group of birders. The birders are from all over the state and were attending the IOU's annual meeting which was held in Keosauqua, IA and featured birding trips to Lacey-Keosauqua State park and the Keosauqua Unit of Shimek, the Farmington and Donnellson Units of Shimek, Lick Creek and, of course, the Croton Unit.

 

 

 With Saturday May 4^th a lovely sunny day, Croton was converged upon by birders, wildflower enthusiasts, and mushroomers while equestrians were pouring into Lick Creek. You could not fail to find something of great interest today at Shimek!

Update re Trails at Lick Creek:

Forester John Byrd Corner:

Sadly for all of us hoping for a sunny dry riding weekend, the 4 inches of rain--and still counting for this week-- at Shimek means that the dirt trails will not be open this weekend!   Its been too rainy for the crew to get in and work on the down trees and now the dirt trails are SOGGY!
Help us protect the trails - stay off muddy trails. Thank you.

Check the status of all the trails including the Wet Weather Trails here (they are still open ...as of now 5/1/19 at 10 AM) ---

Are the Trails at Shimek Open, Closed or Wet Weather Trails only? See http://friendsofshimek.blogspot.com/p/photos.html
or
DNR Closure/Trail Status site: https://www.iowadnr.gov/Pl…/State-Parks/Alerts-and-Closures…

Important Bird Area and a Bird Conservation Area in the Croton Shimek Stae Forest Unit

The Iowa Ornithologists' Union (IOU) developed a birding guide to the Croton Unit at Shimek. The Croton Unit is designated as an Important Bird Area and a Bird Conservation Area because of the many and often unique or unusual birds for Iowa that are found in it. There are no campsites in Croton and there are no horse trails there but it is one of the best birding sites in Iowa.
http://www.iowabirds.org/Places/SiteGuide.aspx?site=26

 

iowabirds.org

Birding Croton Unit, Shimek State Forest

Birding Croton Unit, Shimek State Forest by Bob Cecil Back to List The Croton Unit of Shimek State Forest includes some 1,700 acres in three tracts in Lee County.

 

Check out the links for more detailed information.

 

DNR Camping Kick Off Weekend May 3 - 5

 

 

 

 

 

Forester John Byrd's Corner:

 

We made it through winter finally and the forest and prairies are coming alive once again. This also means that camping and riding season will be in full effect before long. I know there has been some riding and camping already. Currently only the Wet Weather Trails are open to riding and the other trails are drying nicely. The Shimek crew has been busy with many other duties right now and we have not been able to get on the trails. The current plan for opening the trails is to have most of them ready for the weekend of May 3-5, which happens to be Camping Kickoff weekend. Our course trail status is always weather dependent so check the status before coming to ride. The purpose of leaving the trails closed at this point is to prevent dozens of ride arounds (which can cause damage and more maintenance) and keep riders safety a priority. Please help us keep the management of the trails a high priority by staying off the dirt trails until they are ready. With the proper management we can keep the trail system healthy for many years.
Thank you for the support.
John Byrd, Area Forester

JOHN BYRD | Area Forester, Shimek State Forest

Iowa Department of Natural Resources

P 319-878-3811 |  33653 RTE J56, Farmington, Ia 52626

www.iowadnr.gov  

Are the Trails at Shimek Open, Closed or Wet Weather Trails only? See http://friendsofshimek.blogspot.com/p/photos.html

DNR campgrounds and trails status site:   https://www.iowadnr.gov/Places-to-Go/State-Parks/Alerts-and-Closures?fbclid=IwAR16cjzgUWtohB8EImdojse6Q9B_4ae7IxujC3bR7G3sBlQoDY53u1eCLHM

Planned new section of the Wet Weather Trail under construction

The Lee County Charitable Fund awarded Friends of Shimek a grant of $5,500 in 2018 to be used in a joint project with the DNR Shimek staff to add a section of 2,000 feet of Wet Weather Trail that will join two existing sections of the Wet Weather Trail (WWT) on the equestrian trails in the Lick Creek Unit. This is needed because currently equestrians ride on the Iowa Highway 2 right of way to make this connection. This could potentially be highly dangerous to both a rider and horse and/or for drivers on the road. In addition, this section as currently ridden is not Shimek Forest property and thus can not be maintained by DNR Shimek staff—instead it is DOT property. The new WWT section will provide an entirely new section of trail located safely back in the woods on Shimek Forest property to solve this problem.

Attached is a map showing where this new trail section is under construction.

 

 

  So far, the trail has been mapped and most state approvals have been obtained.  Currently, the Archaeology Review is pending. Until it is approved by the state, the project can not be finished. Requests have been made repeatedly for the past eleven months by Forester Byrd but to no avail at this time. We remain hopeful that the final approval will be accomplished soon. DNR staff have cut the trees as shown in the photos below.



DNR staff cut the trees in the path of the new section of Wet Weather Trail that is under construction.



The red line shows the path that the new trail section will follow, with tree stumps showing.  These will be removed once the Arch Study approval is obtained.

When the final Archaeology Office approval is obtained, the DNR crew will extract the stumps, install two culverts and spread rock purchased with the LCCF grant and with FOS funds.

Some time will be needed for the ground and rock to settle before it is used as a wet weather trail, but it should be usable under dry conditions in early summer. Once a final schedule is determined, an announcement to riders will be made. In the meantime, when you see the trail with stumps cut, know that FOS and the DNR Shimek crew are anxiously awaiting the state Archaeology Office approval that will allow them to finish the project.

DNR and Southeast Iowa Parks Progress Reports

Southeast Iowa Parks Supervisor Tom Basten addressed the attendees at the FOS Volunteer Recognition Dinner on March 9th. He announced that Iowa State Parks has defined 2019 as the Year of the Volunteer. Parks all over the state are seeking assistance from volunteers to "spruce-up" the parks in advance of the 2020 Celebration of 100 years of Iowa Parks. He thanked all the volunteers and assured us that DNR values greatly the help of volunteers. Volunteer hours reported to the state help our area Parks Supervisor to make the case to the legislature that the parks are supported by the local community. SO---reminder all you Friends of Shimek who see this FB page---we need you--and we need your volunteer hours reported to Jo Watson. When you clean up trails or around the campgrounds while you are there to camp or ride.

Forester John Byrd gave a Shimek State Forest Review for 2018 at the FOS Volunteer Recognition Dinner. He and his staff harvested timber on 119 acres, planted trees on 55 acres, and did stand improvement on 614 acres. In addition, in the Lick Creek Unit, they put out 404 ton of rock on the WWT, did maintenance on 12 miles of the trails including 2 re-routes and are currently completing a grant to add 1.1 new miles to the WWT to keep riders away from Highway 2. Due to the emerald ash borer damage, almost 100 dead ash trees have been cut in and around the 4 Shimek Forest campgrounds. The campgrounds hosted 1,433 guests in 1,227 nights of reservations. This is in addition to the wear on trails and facilities from thousands of day rides on the trails, either out of Shimek or by entering from nearby businesses. That's an impressive amount of work for the Shimek crew in 2018. We all owe them much appreciation for their hard work to preserve and protect Shimek Forest and especially for the support of the equestrian trails.

FOS Volunteer Recognition Dinner

Friends of Shimek celebrated the 2018 Volunteers at a dinner in Mt. Pleasant at Little Mexico on March 9. A fun evening with friends, updates from DNR leadership and awards to those that are some of our best ever Friends of Shimek.  
 

The Iowa Trail Riders Association (ITRA) was thanked by the attendees at the FOS Volunteer Recognition Dinner--everyone signed a giant Thank You Card. ITRA recently donated $2,500. to Friends of Shimek. These funds will be used as matching money in seeking funding to maintain and develop the Wet Weather Trail system in the Lick Creek Unit. Representing ITRA are Denise Schieffer, Beth Aswegan and Karen Glock, members of the Board of ITRA. They are pictured here with FOS President Ringo Covert during the awards program.

 

The 2018 Bennett Volunteer of the Year Award was presented to Bob Bender at the recent FOS Volunteer Recognition Dinner. Shown here are John and Ann Bennett and FOS President Ringo Covert presenting the award certificate to Bob Bender. In addition he was given both a horseshoe boot rack and a photobook documenting his work with Shimek over the last six years. He arrives at most every work day with his ATV and chainsaw, ready to clear trails of downed trees, pick up trash or work on whatever project is planned for the day. Congratulations to Bob Bender!
 

At the FOS Volunteer Recogniton DInner, Shawn and Mary Skillman were presented a framed collage of photos of their BBQ'ing for the FOS in 2018. They prepared the BBQ for both a work day and the Pot-luck. Tasty BBQ!

Gary & Denise Schieffer were each presented with a coffee cup emblazoned with a 2018 FOS picture collage and "Thank for You being a Friend of Shimek in 2018! as a special Thank You from the workers at the May workday where Gary prepared and Gary and Denise served a homemade lunch for the Volunteers and the FOS Crew. He even treated us to a great peach cobbler-- not a bite was left -- even if that meant eating second helpings! Thank You for your support for the DNR staff and the volunteers! We highly recommend your catering!
 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             Lora is doing a wonderful job handing out the many awards for volunteer hours complete to guests at the banquet.  She always has a smile on her face and a warm spot in her heart for each and everyone.

 

 

We are looking forward to the memories that 2019 has in store for the Friends of Shimek. Come join us for food, fun, and fellowship on the trails or around a campfire this year.

Join FOS at Dinner to Honor 2018 Volunteers

Friends of Shimek holds an annual dinner in honor of the previous years hard-working Volunteers.  The dinner honoring the 2018 Volunteers will be held at Little Mexico in Mt. Pleasant in their upstairs banquet room on Saturday, March 9, 2019 at 4pm.  The attendees in 2018 are pictured above, just before dinner.

Please RSVP to Ann Bennett at windrush2199@gmail.com or call 319-986-2199 

You can leave a message on the recorder.  The dinner choices are Shrimp Enchilada or Salmon and Vegetables or Chicken Fajitas or Steak Fajitas.  The meals are all $12.95 each. Please RSVP by Wed Mar 6th. This helps the restaurant serve a big group more promptly. You may order off the menu for a vegetarian choice or other choice. This does not include a drink, tax or tip. Please be generous in your tips as we are not charged to rent the room for this large party. 

The program will include introduction of the 2019 Board of Directors by President Ringo Covert, a report on activities accomplished in 2018, comments by Forester John Byrd re 2019 Plans at Shimek, the Bennett Volunteer of the Year Award and Awards for all 2018 Volunteers.

Plan to join us for an evening of good fun, conversation and recognition of our Volunteers.