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Storm Lake St. Mary students participate in conservation field trip
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October 27, 2025Storm Lake St. Mary’s School sixth grade traveled to Spirit Lake to view glacial land formations on Oct. 17. This trip was an introduction to a soil and conservation unit led by Colleen Schwanz of the Natural Resources Conservation Service.
Colleen teaches students about soil health, keeping water clean, and how glaciers formed Iowa’s landscape. Students will do many hands-on activities including conducting an experiment that demonstrates how earthworms improve soil health. Students will also create models of watersheds, learn about the interdependence of living things in habitats, and are introduced to conservation practices.
The first stop on the trip was the Freda Hefner Kettle Hole. This heart-shaped impression, left by a piece of glacier, is now a wetland habitat for many plants and animals. Increased precipitation has created standing water and the return of muskrats to this habitat this year.
Next, students traveled to Cayler Prairie State Preserve which is a remnant prairie. As only 1% of Iowa’s tallgrass prairie remains this site is a treasure.
The Silver Lake Fen was a favorite. This unique wetland is home to several endangered and threatened species in Iowa. Students compared the movement of solid ground to that of the fen. With a jump, students felt how vibrations travel through the thousands of feet of decaying material creating the peat soil of the fen.
Following lunch on the beautiful deck at Dickinson County Nature Center, students enjoyed the Nature Playscape. The group hiked to the top of the glacial kame with an overlook of Kenue Park before loading the bus.
The Spirit Lake Fish Hatchery was the final stop of the day. While not a hatching period, students saw the collection, incubation and hatching stations within the facility. They observed tanks of native Iowa fish, enjoyed the turtle habitat, and viewed the taxidermy collection of Iowa wildlife.