The WNHA provides outdoor education and recreational opportunities throughout the Waterloo Recreation Area. We are an all volunteer organization, working on projects like the observation deck at the Eddy Center, the indoor active beehive display, trail work, and funding projects that support outdoor education, recreation, and conservation. I believe that we have an obligation to support programs that give others, especially urban youth, some of the experiences that made us connect so deeply with the natural world.
Just returned from a wonderful 5 mile hike along the trails surrounding the Eddy Discovery Center. The crunching of the leaves underfoot and the spicules of frost on the autumn olive leaves enhanced my fall hike along the Oak-Woods and Lakeview Trails. There are almost 15 miles of trails within the immediate vicinity of the Eddy Discovery Center. Besides these trails you can also explore bog, lowland woods, swamp and old field habitats. I feel very lucky to have Waterloo Recreation Area and its 20,000 acres as my backyard playground. I have been a member and volunteer of the Waterloo Natural History Association since its inception over 30 years ago. The WNHA functions as a "Friends Group" for the Eddy Discovery Center, located within the Waterloo Recreation Area and operated by the DNR. The goal of the WNHA is to provide both educational and recreational opportunities to the public. Interpretive programs may include evening walks to the spring pond to hear spring peepers, a walk with a naturalist to hear owls or maybe an astronomy lesson on the constellations. Sandhill Crane viewing in the fall and Maple Sugaring in the spring are events that attract hundreds of visitors each year. If you are a bird enthusiast or enjoy photographing wildflowers then the trails surrounding the Discovery Center are the place for you. The WNHA obtains its funding through memberships, donations, program fees and gift shop sales. The organization is entirely run by volunteers and all funds that are generated are used to promote education and recreation within the Waterloo Area. If you would like to find out more about the WNHA visit the website at WNHA.org
I have been a member of the Waterloo Natural History Association for 20 years and can enthusiastically recommend it to anyone interested in promoting an appreciation of the natural world. The purpose of the Association is to provide both educational and recreational opportunities to people visiting the Waterloo Recreation Area. The Association is composed of concerned citizens who value environmental education and want to share their love of the Waterloo Recreation Area with others. Everyone is invited to become a member. WNHA uses its resources to support the DNR and to provide additional offerings to the public. Projects which have been done in the past include: an observation deck with handicap-accessible spotting scope, live-animal exhibits, display cases, a beehive, and an osprey nesting platform. WNHA also sponsors festivals, entertaining and educational programs, and maintains the gift shop at the Eddy Discovery Center. Currently the Association is raising funds to upgrade the projection system to improve its program offerings. WNHA members are all volunteers, so funds are used entirely to support its mission.