Winnebago CCB

The Winnebago County Conservation Board--We provide outdoor recreational and educational opportunities for everyone and work to conserve our natural resources.

[Winnebago CCB @WinnebagoCCB]

Anyone interested in either of these opportunities should contact WCCB Director Chris Barber at 641-567-3390 for more details.

[Winnebago CCB @WinnebagoCCB]

The WCCB will be hiring a campground host this year for Thorpe Park! The host will receive free camping for the summer, along with a stipend. Yes, there are some work details involved, but you'd also be getting paid to camp at a beautiful, quiet park all summer!

[Winnebago CCB @WinnebagoCCB]

In addition, the Board is also looking for summer help to assist with various projects at our county parks and wildlife areas this year. This is full-time, summer employment. You must be 18 years old and, preferably, working towards a college degree in an outdoor-related field.

[Winnebago CCB @WinnebagoCCB]

A hearty thank-you goes out to the Thompson Lions Club for donating $500 towards the installation of a flagpole at the Hanson Nature Center! We truly appreciate the donation and this new addition to our nature center!

[Winnebago CCB @WinnebagoCCB]

We have a few of Mae Helgeson's 2026 calendars for sale at the Hanson Nature Center! Mae's family has been selling these calendars for $20 to raise money for the nature center in her memory and each calendar is beautifully-adorned with photographs that Mae took! Get yours soon!

[Winnebago CCB @WinnebagoCCB]

So, we invite you instead to watch for our Spring Stargazing Program, which will most likely be scheduled for April. Hopefully, our temps will be above zero by then!

[Winnebago CCB @WinnebagoCCB]

Due to the bitterly cold temperatures, we are canceling our Indoor Winter Stargazing Program this evening at the Hanson Nature Center. Although the program was to have been indoors, traveling on nights like this is generally not recommended.

[Winnebago CCB @WinnebagoCCB]

The Indoor Winter Stargazing Program, that was to have been held at the Hanson Nature Center tonight, has been postponed to the Winter Weather Advisory. The program will now be held next Friday evening, January 23rd, from 7:00-8:00 PM. We hope that you can join us then!

[Winnebago CCB @WinnebagoCCB]

The program will be indoors, so people can enjoy the program from the comfort of the nature center. But everyone can then take that information (along with the provided star chart) and observe the sky at home on any winter night.

[Winnebago CCB @WinnebagoCCB]

Plan to attend the WCCB's Indoor Winter Stargazing Program at the Hanson Nature Center this Friday! The program will begin at 7:00 PM and last 45-60 minutes.
During the program, people will learn about some of the brighter stars, constellations, and planets visible now.

[Winnebago CCB @WinnebagoCCB]

Thorpe Park will be closed during the shotgun deer seasons, from December 6th-21st. The Thorpe Recreation Area, and the Russ Wildlife Area, will remain open; but Thorpe Park will be closed to the public. If you have any questions, please contact the WCCB at 641-567-3390.

[Winnebago CCB @WinnebagoCCB]

If you have a 2025 Hogsback Shooting Range permit, your permit will expire at the end of the year. To renew your permit for 2026, simply go to our web site and complete the Recertification Course. Then, once you pay your permit fee, you are good for another year!

[Winnebago CCB @WinnebagoCCB]

The WCCB and the Hanson Nature Center will be closed on Monday and Tuesday, November 10th and 11th. (Both are also closed on the weekends, as well.) The offices and the nature center will reopen on Wednesday, November 12th.

[Winnebago CCB @WinnebagoCCB]

There will be a Hunter Education Field Day at the Hanson Nature Center on October 11th, from 8:00 AM until noon. For more information about the Field Day, or to register for it, click on this link: https://t.co/v6hU1BPkP0...

[Winnebago CCB @WinnebagoCCB]

Assuming that we have some Monarchs to tag, we will tag and release them after the program. All attendees are also welcome to bring along their own Monarchs to tag, or try to catch some at the nature center. We hope to see you on Sunday!

[Winnebago CCB @WinnebagoCCB]

Come to the Hanson Nature Center this Sunday, 9/7, for our Monarch Tagging program! It will begin at 3:00 PM and highlight the life cycle of the butterfly, the amazing journey it makes each year to Mexico, and how tagging is helping scientists to learn more about the migration.

[Winnebago CCB @WinnebagoCCB]

The cost of the campout is $15.00/child and registration is through NIACC. To register, people can go to https://t.co/RixVnhNdyw either search for Class #19803 or “Overnight.” People can also call NIACC directly at 641-422-4358 to register.

[Winnebago CCB @WinnebagoCCB]

The WCCB and NIACC are offering a fun opportunity for kids who will be 3rd, 4th, or 5th-graders this fall—an Overnight Campout at the Hanson Nature Center! The campout will begin at 5:00 PM Friday, June 27th, and will end at 10:00 AM Saturday, June 28th.

[Winnebago CCB @WinnebagoCCB]

The kids will enjoy campfire cooking, stargazing, a night hike, and a movie with popcorn. And, of course, they will also enjoy seeing everything that the new Hanson Nature Center has to offer! Participants will need to bring a sleeping bag, a pillow, and an overnight bag.