Description
Behrens Ponds and Woodland is one of the only places that the blue-spotted salamander has been found. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources considers this salamander endangered, making this site very important.
Why You Should Visit
Behrens Ponds and Woodland Preserve features gently rolling sand dunes, with a series of sandy ponds that are surrounded by marshy grasslands, oak-hickory woods, thickets and sand prairie. The ponds have exceptionally clear water and support a variety of freshwater sponges, bryozoans (moss animals), insects and crustaceans. The ponds and surrounding habitats are home to 345 species of vascular plants and 17 species of amphibians and reptiles.
Location
Six miles northwest of Cedar Rapids, in Linn County
Conditions
For best viewing, visit in the spring. The ponds dry up during the hot Iowa summer.
Why the Conservancy Selected This Site
Behrens Ponds and Woodland was deeded to the Conservancy by Karl W. Behrens in 1977. It was dedicated as a biological State Preserve in 1982.
What the Conservancy Has Done/Is Doing
Coe College uses the preserve for education and research.