Maple sap can be collected from certain trees.

Chichaqua Bottoms Greenbelt has unique water quality characteristics compared to other places in Iowa.

Nine different owl species call Iowa home and are found in different regions of the state, each with a unique look and habitat.

Almost 20 years after the Iowa DNR began efforts to reintroduce the trumpeter swan back to Iowa, the program is succeeding.

Several habitats support a wide variety of plant and animal life at Chichaqua Bottoms Greenbelt.

The Loess Hills formation took thousands of years to form, and is a very fragile and unique collection of dust and silt.   

The Devonian Fossil Gorge was revealed during the devastating floods of 1993 when the emergency spillway at the Coralville Dam topped over.

Ripples are visible from a variety of sources and hitting a variety of objects in the relatively still waters of Chichaqua.

Several beds of crinoids have been found in Coldwater Cave in Winneshiek County.

A time lapse of four freshwater mussels in a 2.5-gallon tank of cloudy river water for a one-hour period shows cloudy water changing to almost completely clear water.

Tadpoles are a part of the frog lifecycle.

The mussel is a keystone species in the Mississippi River, providing critical benefits to the river ecosystem. 

Some flowers and grasses are popular among Iowa pollinators.

Many of the trees surrounding the oxbows at Chichaqua Bottoms Greenbelt seem to be curving up and away from the water, while the tree trunks on land tend to be more straight.

Coal was once a major industry of Iowa. The last mine was closed in 1971.  Current efforts are being made to save the land once home to these mines in southern Iowa.   

The swamp milkweed has a unique pollination and seed dispersal method.

Wild parsnip is an invasive species that can be dangerous to both humans and native plants.

A pony truss bridge is different from other truss bridges because it allows traffic to go through it, but is not connected by braces over the top.