Loess Hills Scenic Byway
Land Protection
Submitted by
Woodbury County Conservation Board
Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation
October 1, 2005
October 1, 2005
Iowa Department of Transportation
Loess Hills Scenic Byway Protection Project
Submitted by
Woodbury County Conservation Board and
Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation
October 1, 2005
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| Photo Credit: Mandy Youngquist |
Part A – Narrative
The goal of this project is to protect over 1,000 acres of critical lands along the Loess Hills Scenic Byway (LHSB) – all within a unique landform region in western Iowa that has statewide and national significance.
Location and Significance – The Loess Hills encompass an area approximately 60 miles wide by 200 miles long along the Missouri River. This 650,000-acre region contains scenic beauty important archaeological, historic and biological resources that create a unique natural heritage important to the state and to the nation. The only other location that loess soils can be found to such a depth and extent is in Western China along the Yellow River.
In the 2001 Special Resource Study of the Loess Hills, the National Park Service (NPS) determined that “the Loess Hills landform region is national significant as a topographic and geological combination not found elsewhere in the United States.” The report also states that the Loess Hills have numerous scenic qualities and have considerable visual appeal. “Natural landscapes, a rich cultural legacy and agricultural traditions contribute to the scenic quality and character of the Loess Hills,” the report continues. The National Park Service also identified 12 Special Landscape Areas (SLAs). These SLAs comprise 100,000 acres of exemplary geology with significant biological and cultural resources at high risk of being lost as land is developed or its soil mined.
Two of the Special Landscape Areas are located in Woodbury County. They are known as Luton SLA and Grant Center SLA. This project seeks to protect a large portion of the Luton SLA (a.k.a. Little Egypt SLA), which is along the Loess Hills Scenic Byway near Sioux City. The Woodbury County Conservation Board and the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation (non-profit organization) are leading this work.
Loess Hills National Scenic Byway – The Federally designated Loess Hills National Scenic Byway has been named one of the nation’s “10 most outstanding scenic byways” by Scenic America (a national non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation of scenic resources). In the interst of protecting the scenic character of the area, as well as protected the soils that are easily eroded, a collaboration of professionals and residents of the Loess Hills established the byway in the early 1990s.
According to the National Park Service, most visitors to the Loess Hills travel to the area via automobile, and the primary artery for automobile travel within the region is the Loess Hills Scenic Byway. It is the best way for people unfamiliar with the Loess hills to discover and explore the region for the first time. The Byway leads travelers through scenic, cultural, historic, and recreational areas of the region while preserving the fragile beauty of the hills.
The Corridor Management Plan for the Loess Hills Scenic Byway found that “the scenic qualities of the Loess Hills are widely recognized as one of the Scenic Byway corridor’s most distinguishing features.” The plan also notes that farming and the associated historic structures that reflect the agrarian lifestyle are “important components of scenic quality in the Loess Hills.”
The plan outlines the following three main areas of recommendation to enhance and preserve the Byway:
1) Improvements to the facilities and infrastructure
2) land use and conservation strategies, and;
3) tourism and marketing activities
The protection of the lands along the LHSB – as outlined in this proposal – will help fulfill the goals outlined in the conservation strategies of the Corridor Management Plan.
Significant Natural Resources – The steep and rugged topography of the Loess Hills contains some of the best-known examples of tallgrass prairie and midgrass prairie in the Tallgrass Prairie ecogregion. The Loess Hills contain the majority of Iowa’s remaining prairie heritage (Farrar et al. 1985, Roosa et al. 1986) within a working agricultural landscape. Over one third of the vascular plants of Iowa have been identified in the Loess Hills. The varied terrain creates microclimates that support a rich diversity of ecological communities as well as individual species.
The natural beauty of the Loess hills has made it a vulnerable target to development and rural sprawl. The construction of new homes is resulting in a progressive loss of the unique pastoral setting of the Loess Hills and is changing the balance between native ecosystems and the agricultural community.
Many animals and plant species that were once commonplace throughout the state are now seldom found beyond the borders of the hills. This endangered flora and fauna is continually being affected by changes in their habitats that include the significant urban expansion that is occurring in Sioux City, Council Bluffs, and Omaha. Also, naturally occurring prairie fires no longer help to maintain the integrity of these habitats.
A total of 96 botanical species are of interest because they are either western species at or near the eastern edge of their range, eastern species at or near the western edge of their range, or are listed by the State of Iowa as endangered, threatened, or special concern species. In addition, 39 state-listed species are found in the Loess Hills, which constitutes one of the largest concentrations of rare species in the state. While 11 of the listed species have woodland affinities, 25 are prairie species. The dominance of prairie species reflects the relatively large amount of prairie habitat remaining in the Loess Hills – over half of the remaining prairies in the state are in the Loess Hills. One of the most distinctive landscapes in the state, this geological wonder offers a unique natural heritage to the state of Iowa.
Economic importance – The Loess Hills play an important role to the state of Iowa from an economic standpoint as well. The hills contain corn and soybean farms as well as some of the state’s most scenic vistas. The 2001 NPS Special Resource Study determined that annual recreation-related visitation to the area was about 556,900 persons, roughly spending $11.8 million per year and helping to support 231 jobs. An increase in inappropriate housing developments throughout the Loess Hills Scenic Byway could result in a loss of not only tourism revenue for the state but also the intrinsic natural qualities that make the hills unique.
Wildlife viewing is a $188 million industry in Iowa. The Siouxland Bird Guide, developed by the Loess Hills Audubon Society, uses the Scenic Byway as a route for visitors to follow when viewing birds in the region.
Risk – Because of its scenic and pastoral beauty, The Loess Hills is experiencing an increase in rural housing, as well as, habitat loss and fragmentation, particularly around the Sioux City, Iowa and Omaha/Council Bluff metro areas.
Woodbury county grew by 5.7% between 1990 and 2000 and Sargent Bluff, the community closest to the Luton SLA, grew by 11.7% between 1900-1998. As a result of their spectacular vistas, many new homes are being built in the scenic bluffs.
In addition the rural housing, threats to the Loess Hills include: soil erosion, quarrying, mining of the loess soils for fill dirt, displacement of prairie due to fire suppression or invasive species, overgrazing and telecommunication towers in scenic viewsheds.
Residential development along the Scenic Byway results in the permanent loss of the rich experience offered by the region. 93% of Woodbury County is privately owned, so involving private landowners in land protection is critical. Permanent, voluntary conservation agreements could protect much of the Byway and the Loess Hills while still allowing for private ownership. Fortunately we have a cluster of landowners in the Luton SLA who are willing to take action now to protect their properties.
Proposed Program Objectives – Given that this rapidly changing area has been recognized at the national, state and local level, the Woodbury County Conservation Board (WCCB) and the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation (INHF) are taking the next step to permanently protect lands in the Loess Hills and more specifically along the Loess Hills Scenic Byway.
In a previous Transportation Enhancement Grant the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation conducted a visibility analysis of the Loess Hills Scenic Byway; and in partnership with the Woodbury County Conservation Board, using additional funds from the Farm and Ranchland Protection Program, were able to permanently protect the 230-acre Crowl Property. This successful pilot project was located at the north end of the Luton SLA and has generated interest by at least nine more landowners who would like to protect their properties. Our goal is to continue this model and protect the adjoining 1,027 acres of natural, scenic and agricultural lands in the Luton SLA.
Project Scope
Currently, the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation are working with the local landowners who are interested in protecting their lands through the Farm and Ranchland Protection Program. By working with the INHF and NRCS, the Woodbury County Conservation Board will be able to acquire the conservation easements for 25% of the cost. This will be possible because FRPP will provide 50% of the appraised easement value and the landowners intend to contribute 25% of the easement value.
Conservation easements are a voluntary land protection tool that provides for the protection of a wide variety of resources including scenic, agricultural, biological and open space values of the property and, at the same time, allow the land to remain in private ownership – an important consideration with landowners and policy makers in the Loess Hills. The conservation easements will prevent development, mining, billboards, etc, but will allow for the continuation of agriculture and natural resource protection. The specific language will be developed in partnership with the landowners, NRCS, INHF, and IDOT. Protections afforded by conservation easements are permanently attached to the title of the land.
As with the Crowl property completed in 2003, the Woodbury CCB will work with INHF to monitor easements in perpetuity. An “easement-monitoring” fund will be set up using private donations to endow the easement monitoring.