Events

As the seasons roll into late summer and early autumn, the prairie is soon speckled with asters, goldenrod, lobelias, and other botanical treats. Learn how to recognize some of the most common fall wildflower species and their importance to hibernating and migrating pollinators. Kara Grady is a botanist, environmental writer, and podcaster. Seeing asters for the first time during a farm internship sparked a growing curiosity that led to her passion for native plants. She has interned both at Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge and for the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. Currently, she splits her time between volunteering at a local urban farm, raising monarchs at the Linn County Monarch Research Station, and helping complete plant surveys at Lake MacBride State Park.