Mission and Contacts

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The mission of the Friends of Hickory Hill Park is to permanently protect the park's unique qualities as urban park land. Hickory Hill's woodlands, fields, and waterways provide habitat for a variety of wildlife and provide citizens the opportunity to enjoy a natural setting within city limits.

We are committed to the following:

Preserving and, where possible, expanding the boundaries of Hickory Hill Park.
Preserving low impact recreation within Hickory Hill Park.
Enhancing water quality and protecting wildlife that live in or migrate through Hickory Hill.
Promoting outdoor education as it relates to Hickory Hill Park.
Protecting Hickory Hill as a place that invites solitude and contemplation.
Actively influencing planning and development decisions that may have an impact on Hickory Hill Park.

We treasure Hickory Hill Park as a resource and sanctuary
for present and future generations.

Friends of Hickory Hill Park Board Members 2005
Chair	Christopher (CJ) Voci 400-4919	cjvoci_at_gmail_dot_com
Secretary	Sarah Walz 466-0908	walz_dot_sarah_at_gmail_dot_com
Treasurer	Joan Jehle 338-5331	jjehle_at_mymailstation_dot_ com
	John Cunningham	Jbcunningham2_at_aol_dot_com
	Pete Kollasch	pkollasch_at_prodigy_dot_net
	Honorees
	Mike Fallon
	William Batten
	John Loomis
	Karen McKeone
	David Purdy
	Bob Sessions
	Stacy Van Zante

Contacts

Friends of Hickory Hill Park

P.O. Box 3439

Iowa City, IA 52244-3439

CJ Voci, Chair, (319) 400-4919

cjvoci_at_gmail_dot_com

Annual Membership Meeting Agenda (June ??, 2007)

Stewardship Plan. Creation of a stewardship plan for the park is essential in
guiding our efforts to remove or control invasive species, restore and/or
reconstruct native habitats and other efforts to preserve that park as a vital
natural area. A professional stewardship plan for the park that combines
inventories from biological, cultural and historical perspectives. The goals
of the stewardship plan include:
1. To provide a bridge between FHHP and Park users public awareness & education.
2. To guide practical efforts for vegetation management by FHHP and the Parks & Recreation Dept.
3. To provide a justification for why the Park should be managed as a natural area.
4. To identify specific management areas within the park and objectives for sub-areas.

Prairie Reconstruction. Two of the eight acres of the site have been seeded
with prairie plants. Volunteers kept the entire site mowed all summer and fall
to help the prairie plants establish themselves. At present, we await approval
from the Fire Marshall for a second burn, to be followed by seeding of the
entire site. Regular mowing of entire site will continue for several years
until prairie plants are well established.

Invasive Species Control. Volunteers will continue working with the City's
Parks and Recreation Department to remove garlic mustard, multiflora rose,
honeysuckle and other invasive species from the park, and to educate the
public about the need to control these pests. FHHP, the City and local
homeowners should form a partnership to combat garlic mustard on public and
private sites within the city.

Heritage Trees. The board will coordinate efforts with Carl Klaus and the
Heritage Tree Foundation to weed, mulch, water and replace (when necessary)
young trees planted near the Dodge Street entrance to the park. The goal of
this project is to establish (to the extent compatible with multiple park
uses) a savannah-like appearance in this area.

Rain Garden. Volunteers will continue to weed, plant and maintain the fence
that will remain around the site near the Bloomington Street entrance until
plantings are well established. The board will study the feasibility of
involving more grade-school classes in studying and helping to expand this
unique outdoor learning environment.

Bur Oak. Volunteers are needed to help maintain the bur oak donated to the
park by Johnson County Heritage Trust in recognition of FHHP's conservation
efforts in 2003-04. The oak was planted last fall near the rain garden, and a
plaque commemorating the conservation award will be placed near the tree this
summer.

Park Cleanup. Volunteers will continue cleanup efforts every second and fourth
Saturday of the month between April and October. FHHP became involved in the
City's adopt-a-park program through this activity.

Buffer Areas. FHHP will continue to work with park neighbors, Johnson County
Heritage Trust, Johnson County Conservation Board and the Iowa Heritage Trust
Foundation to create a buffer area of conservation easements between new
housing and Hickory Hill Park. The Land Acquisition and Enhancement Fund
(LEAF, which now totals almost $34,000) represents our organization's
commitment to long-range planning for the park as an integral part of a
rapidly growing community.

Fundraising. FHHP will continue raising funds to support its activities
through efforts such as the annual calendar, plant sales in spring and fall
and other events.

Publicity. FHHP will maintain its website, create and distribute a quarterly
newsletter, hold an event in the fall to kick off sales of the annual
calendar, and send event notification cards to all members.

Membership. FHHP will maintain a list of members, and will keep the list up to
date by sending out an annual return address requested card to help track
address changes. The Board will also maintain volunteer lists on which members
may express their preferences for volunteer activities in the park.

Honorees

Contacts