Vast wildlife area to be protected and opened in central Iowa

Nature lovers may soon have a new place to enjoy wildlife and beautiful scenery in central Iowa.

Sitting on the edge of Polk and Dallas Counties, the 1,114-acre Brenton Slough is already a mecca for birders, naturalists and nature photographers that view its wildlife from the public road that runs through it. Soon, people will be able to hike or bike into the property to experience is wetlands, woodlands and oak savanna.

Tomorrow, July 7, Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation (INHF) will purchase the property from the Brenton family with a plan to transfer ownership and management to Polk County Conservation following fundraising. Brenton Slough will eventually be open to the public once all the funding is in place, likely sometime in 2024, making it one of the largest one-time additions to park and wildlife land in Polk County history.

The Brenton family has farmed part of the land for more than 100 years and has long used the interior natural area as a retreat to spend time with families and friends and enjoy nature together. Currently it is owned by the family members of Charles Robert “Bob” Brenton and Junius Clyde “Buz” Brenton, who are the sons of W. Harold Brenton and Etta Spurgeon Brenton, operating as Brenton Brothers Inc. and Brenton Farms Inc. Bill Brenton, son of Bob, has been the operating farm manager for decades.

Thirty-two members of the Brenton family have been contemplating for years what the best future of the property would be. “It became apparent to the family that the land should be held in perpetuity by an entity that can assure its preservation,” Bill Brenton said. “We wanted a partner that could assure its preservation and provide it to the community as an asset to be protected and experienced.”

“We were honored to be invited to the table,” says Joe McGovern, President of INHF, a private nonprofit conservation group that works statewide to protect and restore Iowa’s land, water and wildlife. “This is a very special place with a rich history, in an area of the state seeing rapid changes to the landscape.”

The surrounding area has been seeing significant change as development from Johnston, Grimes, Granger and Urbandale surge around its borders. But nature surrounds you in the interior of the property, where Beaver Creek feeds a 52-acre slough, one of only 15 to be designated as such in Iowa.

“At the right time of year, from the edge of the water up the shoreline about five feet is ringed with frogs,” said Bill Brenton. “The chorus is just astounding.”

The project will cost $8 million. Already, Polk County Conservation has identified $3 million in funding, and a generous donor has pledged an additional $500,000. INHF is assisting with fundraising efforts with a goal to raise the remaining $4.5 million through a public donation campaign and grants.

Polk County Conservation is planning to facilitate light recreation through mowed hiking paths, infrastructure for birders, and occasional volunteer or educational events. A mixed-use trail connecting Grimes and Granger is likely to run through the property as part of the larger trail development plans in the area. Even with these additions, Polk County Conservation will manage Brenton Slough with the goal of maintaining, increasing and improving wildlife habitat.

“This is nature being nature,” said Rich Leopold, director of Polk County Conservation. “We will let it thrive on its own where appropriate, and in other areas we’ll carefully manage the land to restore or improve it. It’s a vibrant, wild place we get to experience right here.”

INHF’s goal is to have an additional $3 million in public support pledged by Labor Day 2023, and the remaining funds raised by the end of the year.

“This gives a chance for people to be directly involved in protecting a place where habitat is crucial to conserve,” adds Stacie Couvillon, INHF’s Planned Giving and Major Gifts Officer. “Brenton Slough is already a place people travel to see, even if they can currently only do so from the public road. To be able to invite quiet recreation into it while preserving this ecosystem is quite a treat.”

Learn more about the project at www.inhf.org/Brenton-Slough

Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation is a nonprofit conservation group that works with private landowners and public partners to protect and restore Iowa’s land, water and wildlife. Since its founding in 1979, INHF has helped protect more than 190,000 acres of Iowa’s natural resources. Learn more at www.inhf.org

The Polk County Conservation Board’s mission is to provide the citizens of Polk County with quality outdoor recreation, conservation education, and long term protection of Polk County’s natural heritage. Learn more at polkcountyiowa.gov/conservation

Media inquiries for Polk County Conservation can be directed to Community Outreach Supervisor Jessica Lown at jessica.lown@polkcountyiowa.gov or 515-323-5364.