Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge
Prairie Learning Center
P.O. Box 399
9981 Pacific Street
Prairie City, Iowa 50228-0399
(515) 994-3400

For General Questions, Please Contact: buffalo@tallgrass.org


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Scout Program

Neal Smith NWR recognizes that Scouts of America are integral partners that can help the Refuge reach its goals of creating an environmentally conscious youth and conserving and restoring native ecosystems. As a result, Neal Smith NWR offers a variety of stewardship and volunteer opportunities for scout groups as well as environmental education programs that are specifically geared for badge requirements.

Stewardship Programs:

Throughout the year, Neal Smith NWR has special events were groups such as Scouts are invited and needed to help us complete stewardship projects. These special events include:

  • Annual Butteffly Count
  • Monarch Madness
  • Public Lands Day/Bison Day
  • Ding Darling Day
  • Christmas Bird Count
  • Day of Service/MLK Day
  • Linking Girls to Lands
  • Earth Day
For more information on these and other events check the calendar

Scout leaders can volunteer and coordinate their troops to do stewardship activities for the Refuge throughout the year. Stewarship activities change from season to season; examples include removing unwanted trees and brush, seed collection, seed cleaning, removing invasive species, trail maintenance, and planting seedlings. Eagle Scouts are also welcome to use the Refuge as a site for their culminating project.

Badge Programs:

Neal Smith NWR offers a variety of badge programs for scouts of all ages. Typically, badge programs are offered on weekends and last about 3 hours. Leaders can request a morning session (9:00am to 12:00pm) or an afternoon (12:30pm to 3:30pm) session on Saturday. An afternoon session (12:30pm to 3:30pm) badge program is also available on Sunday. Please call and schedule a scout program at least 3 weeks in advance. Below is a list of badge programs:

Boy Scouts
  • Bear Scouts: Sharing Your World with Wildlife and Nature Crafts
  • Wolf Scouts: Birds and Your Living World
  • Webelos: Forester and Naturalist

Girl Scouts
  • Brownies: Watching Wildlife and Animals
  • Junior Girl Scouts: Wildlife and Ecology
  • Senior Girl Scouts: Wildlife