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Kaufmann Avenue Prairie

Bluff prairie is located in the middle of Dubuque, Iowa. This is an odd example of a high quality prairie in the middle of a city that managed to survive before the Conservancy obtained it despite multiple arson fires. Now, land stewards maintain the area.

Why You Should Visit
Kaufmann Prairie features rugged, rocky ridgetops with an expanse of native hill prairie.

Location
Dubuque

Directions
From Central Avenue in Dubuque, travel west two blocks on Kauffman Avenue

  • Turn right (north) on Valeria and follow the street northwest to a quarry (on the right side of the street) which marks the south end of the prairie.
  • Guests should meet at the quarry and then carpool to an easier access point.

Size
9.3 acres

Conditions
Kauffman is a "goat" or hill prairie, which occurs on steep, thin soils with a south-southwest exposure. The best examples occur here in northeast Iowa’s Paleozoic Plateau, but similar prairie can be found in other parts of the state. "Goat" prairie refers to the steepness of the slopes, on which only goats could be expected to graze.

Preserve Visitation Guidelines

What to See: Plants
This high-quality prairie features spectacular displays of bird’s-foot violet in the spring, also contains a good population of the Great Plains ladies’-tresses orchid and lead plants, traditional prairie plants and shooting stars.

What to See: Animals
Birds at the preserve include the catbird, cardinal, brown thrasher and American robin.

Why the Conservancy Selected This Site
The purchase of Kaufmann Avenue Prairie from the William Connery Estate was made possible by a donation from Dr. John Brennan, who was instrumental in helping to protect this site.  The nearby quarry is reported to have been used for hibernation by the state-endangered Indiana bat.