Des Moines County Conservation is honoring its past by looking to the future. The agency is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.
Director Kim Perlstein says Des Moines County Conservation has eight full-time employees who oversee about 1,500 acres of public property. Two key pieces are Starr’s Cave Nature Center and Big Hollow Recreation Area.
Perlstein says Big Hollow is unique. The 800-acre site now features a 178-acre lake, a public beach, a shooting range and an observatory.
Perlstein says the attraction has received several improvements in recent years, starting with better accessibility to the primitive camping area. She says a recent donation of $100,000 will lead to the construction of 30 RV pads.
Future plans include a concession stand and a bathhouse.
The Department is marking its 50th anniversary with a “One Million in One Year” campaign. The money collected through grants and private donations will be used for a variety of projects.
The agency would like to add an environmental education program and a LEED-certified building in the future.
Perlstein says the next event related to the 50th anniversary will be a family-friendly concert at Big Hollow in early August.
You can hear much more with Des Moines County Conservation Director Kim Perlstein by clicking the Listen button.
