EVENTS
All are welcome to attend our events! Our monthly programs run from September through May. Our events are usually free and open to the public (any exceptions would clearly noted).
Cancellation Policy: If the Dubuque County School District cancels classes on the day of our event, our program will also be cancelled. Any changes or cancellations will be posted here if possible, as well as on Facebook.
When we share an event sponsored by another organization, please check with the sponsor for details and up-to-date information.
Upcoming Events
Dubuque Audubon October Program
Audubon Conservation – Grazing for Grassland Birds
Thursday, 10/8/26
6:45 PM Social Time
7 – 8 PM Program
EB Lyons Interpretive Center
8991 Bellevue Heights Road
Dubuque, IA 52003
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Tucker Lutter, the new Iowa Conservation Manager for Audubon Upper Mississippi River, will discuss the introduction of the Audubon Conservation Ranching Program to Iowa. The program promotes regenerative grazing practices that help support grassland bird populations, which have declined by 43% across North America over the past 50 years.
Launched in Missouri in 2017, the Audubon Conservation Ranching Program has expanded to more than 4.5 million acres on 150+ ranches across the western United States. The program partners directly with farmers and ranchers to implement conservation-focused grazing practices while providing technical and financial assistance, as well as unique marketing opportunities that recognize their stewardship efforts.
During his presentation, Tucker will share how well-managed grazing can serve as an effective tool for improving grassland habitat and increasing grassland bird populations. He will also discuss the opportunities the Audubon Conservation Ranching Program offers producers who are interested in enhancing wildlife habitat while maintaining productive working lands.
Tucker grew up in the Loess Hills near Sioux City, Iowa, and has a B.S. in Anthropology from Franciscan University and a Masters of Natural Resources Management from North Dakota State University. After a few years of working in archaeology, Tucker decided to return to school for natural resources management after spending time on his in-laws’ farm in North Dakota and realizing how grazing and grassland bird conservation can go hand in hand. Previous to this position, Tucker was the Western Iowa Assistant Land Steward for The Nature Conservancy, helping to manage a bison herd and remnant prairies at Broken Kettle Grasslands and other preserves in western Iowa.
Dubuque Audubon November Program
Birds and Wildlife of Nebraska
Thursday, 11/12/26
6:45 PM Social Time
7 – 8 PM Program
EB Lyons Interpretive Center
8991 Bellevue Heights Road
Dubuque, IA 52003
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Our speaker will be Ty Smedes, who some may remember from his “Voyage to the Bottom of the World” program in March. This time, we’ll learn about Nebraska, with Ty describing the program as follows:
Although a drive through Nebraska is sometimes referred to as “boring” or “uninteresting”, our neighboring state plays host to a wonderful variety of birds, and other wildlife. This presentation will introduce you to a stunning variety of Nebraska wildlife, which is unique because of its location “where East meets West”. Along with the scenic beauty of the sandhills, we’ll experience the Sandhill Crane Migration along the Platte River, and visit the waterfowl and wetland birds of The Rainwater Basin. We’ll also travel to a ranch, where we will enjoy Prairie Chickens displaying on an ancient lek, along with the amazing array of birds and mammals that call the Crescent Lake National Wildlife Refuge home. Along the way, we’ll also discuss viewing blinds, visitor centers, and locations to stay, for those nature-lovers who might want to visit!
Ty’s photos have been published by many major magazines and book publishers. He specializes in landscape, wildlife, and prairie wildflower images. As a freelance feature writer for the Iowa DNR’s Iowa Outdoors Magazine, he has written and photographed articles about many of the lesser-known birds, animals, and places in Iowa. Ty has taught nature photography classes and is as an experienced Photo-Tour leader, having led nature photography tours to Yellowstone & Teton parks, as well as the Eastern Sierras, and Africa. He has toured 4 South American Countries, and 8 African countries, along with Mongolia and West Papua, and Papua New Guinea. Information regarding Ty’s three books – “Capturing Iowa’s Seasons,” “The Return of Iowa’s Bald Eagles,” and “Iowa’s Wild Beauty” can be found on his website at www.smedesphoto.com. His best photo credits include the BBC, CNN, and Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom.
Dubuque Audubon December Program
Gorongosa Restoration Project in Mozambique
Thursday, 12/10/26
6:45 PM Social Time
7 – 8 PM Program
EB Lyons Interpretive Center
8991 Bellevue Heights Road
Dubuque, IA 52003
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Jason Denlinger, a naturalist with Dubuque County Conservation, will share his experience as the Research Manager for Gorongosa National Park in Mozambique from 2015 to 2021. He worked with wildlife ranging from elephants and bats to a variety of birds, including aquatic birds and vultures.
The Gorongosa Restoration Project helped to restore this amazing African wilderness after the national park had been devastated by decades of war. The project has become a conservation success story through human development work in communities around the park in addition to reintroducing and protecting wildlife within Gorongosa National Park. Jason was privileged to play a role by providing scientific and logistical support to young Mozambicans and other researchers from around the world.
Jason will describe his work placing GPS trackers on vultures, conducting aquatic bird surveys, tracking and identifying elephants, organizing biodiversity surveys, and monitoring trail cameras. He will compare local and global conservation challenges, sharing lessons from Gorongosa and how his experience relates to his current work in Dubuque County.
Jason’s passion for nature and conservation grew through his experiences of camping, canoeing, and hiking as a Boy Scout in Dubuque. One of his first summer jobs was working for Dubuque County Conservation. After earning a biology degree from the University of Iowa, he served as a science teacher with the Peace Corps in Mozambique. Upon returning, he worked for the local Scouting program, before moving to New Orleans shortly after Hurricane Katrina to teach again. Jason didn’t hesitate when afforded the chance to return to Mozambique and Gorongosa but is now back in Dubuque where he uses each of his experiences as an environmental educator.