On Aug. 25, the National Park Service will celebrate its 100th birthday. The National Park Service is made up of 22,000 employees and 221,000 volunteers that watch over our country’s greatest national treasures. The Park Service manages 411 areas and national historic sites on over 84 million acres for the enjoyment of the citizens and visitors of the United States. An estimated 300,000,000 park visitors are expected to visit a national park in 2016.

This centennial celebration is a reminder of the important roles that all parks play in our everyday lives. For each person parks take on a different meaning. Parks provide a variety of opportunities ranging from quiet historic places of beauty to very active hubs of activity. Whether you are looking for a place to walk your dog, fly a kite, golf, camp, fish, observe wildlife, read a book, take a hike or just relax parks are the thread of our communities, states, and country.

What Iowa lacks in national parks it makes up for in state, county, and city park systems. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources cares for 89 state parks and creates 7,473 jobs. State Parks expect 13.7 million visitors per year with expenditures of $745 million per year adding to Iowa economy. The IDNR manages 89,318 acres throughout the state and $720 million in assets.

Iowa’s County Conservation Board system is another important economic engine for local communities and the state of Iowa. Local county conservation boards create 5,800 jobs and welcome 24 million visitors that spend approximately $852 million annually. Collectively, conservation boards maintain 193,624 acres and $1.25 billion in assets. CCBs also host 25,850 programs and events for approximately 753,000 participants.

Iowa’s park experiences are rounded out with thousands of local city and community parks. These neighborhood parks play an important role in community health and socialization. Due to the growing variety of outdoor recreation, these parks are experiencing very high use and growing pressures to provide something for everyone.

Your supervisors, city council, local businesses and state legislators have made significant investments in the region’s quality of life amenities. Please thank them for their efforts and encourage their continued support for trails, parks, green spaces, and water quality.

Parks to People

The counties of Webster, Boone, and Hamilton are working together to create a regional parks plan. The goal of the plan is to collectively market the natural resources and outdoor activities that exist in the Boone and Des Moines river valleys. Citizens, business owners, and community leaders have been working to develop a shared vision for our region that include: high trestle bridges, trail connections, mobile environmental education, programmed outdoor experiences and water-based tourism.

The concept behind the plan is simple: people don’t care if the park is owned by the city, county, or state. Park users are looking for a unique experience. The experience is different for each person because we all have individual interests and hobbies. Parks provide the outlet for these diverse user groups to recreate close to home. Webster County’s outdoor enthusiasts can kayak Lizard Creek, ride a 20-mile, hard-surfaced trail, catch a ballgame at Rogers, take a dip at Rosedale Rapids, ride a horse and catch a fish at Brushy Creek, take a woodland hike at Dolliver State Park, tube the Des Moines River, camp at Kennedy Park, and go for a spin at the Gypsum City OHV Park, just to name a few.

A season of celebration

In the fast-paced world we live in today it can be hard to make time for park visits and outdoor experiences. I would encourage you to use 2016 as the year to explore your local park systems. You will be amazed by the amount and diversity of experiences that are waiting for you in your own backyard. If you have extra time and are looking for an amazing experience I would also recommend a visit to one of your national parks to help celebrate the National Parks Service’s 100-year anniversary.

Webster County Conservation, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, and the city of Fort Dodge have a great list of programs, event, and activities just waiting for you this year! For the most recent information check the city, county and state websites or check out their Facebook Pages.

A special program series has been planned to celebrate all parks this summer in our area parks. Events have been scheduled for June, July and August. Contact the Conservation Board office for more details and event schedules.

Matt Cosgrove is the director of Webster County Conservation.