Together, we grow healthier parks, thriving programs, and wild places across Des Moines County.
We help you make a bigger impact on the parks and places you love.
Your support fuels:
Healthy, accessible parks where friends and families gather.
Outdoor education and immersive programs that spark lifelong curiosity.
Revitalized trails and riverfront spaces that draw people in and reconnect us to nature.
Big-impact community events that bring fun, purpose, and connection.
How you can help:
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Donate Now
Make a tax-deductible gift that funds real local conservation, outdoor programs and park improvements.
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Attend an Event
Join us at our signature community events—connect with others, have fun, and support the cause.
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Volunteer
Bring your energy, time, and/or expertise and help care for parks, lead programs, or assist with fundraising.
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Advocate for Parks
Be a voice for healthy lands, clean waters, accessible parks, and engaging programs that enhance our community.
What we do:
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County parks & programs
We support Des Moines County Conservation’s parks, trails, and programs.
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Burlington River Days
A major outdoor-festival celebration that channels fun into fundraising for local parks and conservation.
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Big Muddy's Building Resurrection
Transforming the iconic riverside building into an interpretive center and restaurant.
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Annual Banquet
Our annual banquet unites donors, leaders, and nature-lovers to invest in the places we all cherish.
Our Vision
A community where everyone has access to great parks, engaging environmental education programs, and healthy lands and waters.
Our Mission
To enhance the programs of the Des Moines County Conservation Board and generate conservation and outdoor recreation in Des Moines County, Iowa.
Our Projects
The Big Muddy’s Building Resurrection Project
For years now, the iconic riverfront building that was Big Muddy’s restaurant has sat empty. But recently a group of local community-minded volunteers have banded together to dream of something more for the place.
Their dream?
More than just a restaurant. An eatery with a dash of environmental education for dessert.
Imagine an interpretive center with floor-to-ceiling aquariums with native Mississippi River fish swimming around. Displays and interactive exhibits interpreting the history and ecology of the Mississippi River and Burlington’s place on it. And the story of Burlington-born Aldo Leopold, the “Father of Wildlife Management” and key figure of the modern conservation movement.
Burlington River Days
The inaugural Burlington River Days, a celebration of the town’s deep-rooted boating and river culture was held June 12-14, 2025, bringing live music, outdoor activities, and a community-focused fundraiser to the Mississippi riverfront.
The festival featured live music, headlined by multi-platinum rock band Saliva on Saturday night. Additional performances included Jive Radio, Jake Clayton, Ghost of Judas, and Fivefold. Instead of traditional tickets, attendees purchased a $40 All-Access Golden Ticket, which included entry into a massive giveaway—with a boat as the grand prize—plus discounts, VIP perks, and participation in the River Days Olympics, a series of outdoor-themed competitions hosted by local conservation and recreation organizations.
Next year’s event will be June 11-13, 2026 and promises to be even bigger and better!
Sponsorships, donations, and volunteers are needed to bring this event to life. For more information, visit www.BurlingtonRiverDays.com, follow Burlington River Days on Facebook, or contact BurlingtonRiverDays@gmail.com.
Building a "World-Class Park"
For decades now, we've worked with Des Moines County Conservation to create a park where families can go to lose themselves for a weekend outdoors. A place free from the distractions of everyday life and full of opportunity to play outside where families can make the kind of life-defining memories that are so important for so many reasons.
That park is Big Hollow, an 800-acre multi-use park near Sperry, IA. And we have big plans for its future. We want to turn it into the type of park that puts our county on the map. A place that residents are proud to have in their backyard. A place that draws visitors from far-off metros. A place that rivals any state or national park, not in size but in quality.
Expand & Improve Local Trails
We seek to grow and improve the local trails in our community. We have worked closely over the years with Des Moines County Conservation and the City of Burlington on many trail projects, most notably the Flint River Trail. We continue to seek contributions to keep these projects moving forward.
Connecting You to Nature
Another major area of focus is supporting local environmental education programs. Whether its the creation of the outdoor classroom at Aldo Leopold School or supporting summer camps and other education programs at Des Moines County Conservation's Starr's Cave Nature Center, we work hard to raise the funding needed to connect our community to nature through education.