Bur Oak Land Trust is an Iowa City-based nonprofit working to “advance biodiversity in Eastern Iowa by protecting resilient landscapes and connecting people to nature.” Since its founding in 1978, they have protected a total of 877 acres of land in Eastern Iowa, including 491 acres owned by the Trust and the remaining 386 acres protected through conservation easements.
As part of Neumann Monson’s monthly spotlight on local organizations building regenerative communities, we are excited to amplify how Bur Oak Land Trust operates at the intersection of healthy ecosystems and healthy communities. Through land protection, habitat restoration, education, and providing opportunities to experience nature, Bur Oak Land Trust helps preserve Eastern Iowa lands while creating opportunities for people to connect and care for them.
Bur Oak Land Trust’s work includes preserving existing habitats, restoring native species, managing invasive species, and creating long-term protections for land. They currently have 11 preserves, including 8 that are open to the public year-round.
The organization recently began participating in woodland and wetland mitigation banking. This initiative allows developers to buy third-party credits to offset their unavoidable environmental impacts from development. These credits go towards preserving wetlands, streams, or other habitats. Developers can purchase credits for wetland and woodland mitigation projects.
Bur Oak’s impact is also extended to the AmeriCorps program. Since its first year in 2019, about 3,000 acres in eastern Iowa have been improved by the AmeriCorps partnership, utilizing a variety of land management techniques to restore native habitats and remove invasive plant species. More than 90 individuals have contributed approximately 92,000 hours of service.
Another initiative that Bur Oak Land Trust started was a free shrub giveaway to community members, reaching more than 300 households in 2024. These households chose to add more than 1,000 native plants to their yards.
There are many ways to experience and be a part of Bur Oak Land Trust’s work:
Bur Oak Land Trust’s annual Golden Hour Fundraiser will be held on Thursday, October 22, from 5:30-8:30 p.m. at Wilson’s Ciderhouse in Iowa City. The event celebrates Bur Oak Land Trust’s conservation wins of the year while raising support for wetland protection in Johnson County. Tickets to the event were available until October 5 and included a plated dinner, a glass of wine or beer, appetizers, and dessert.