New fundraising project for Floyd County Conservation

By Thomas Nelson, tnelson@charlescitypress.com

The Floyd County Conservation Board will be looking for funds to help build a new modern cabin at Tosanak Recreation Area.

“The conservation board last summer decided to look into a cabin project,” said board Vice-President Joel Cannon. “We looked at what we wanted and we decided on a certain cabin plan. It’d be a three-bedroom, three-bathroom, handicapped-accessible cabin that would be built on a ridge overlooking the river.”

The cabin, which would have log siding, is set to be built near a now defunct pool filled with sand near the river.

“It’ll be completely modern,” Cannon said. “Our usage here the last couple years is increasing so we’re seeing the need for more space.”

In the 17 counties of Northeast Iowa, only two have cabins from their county conservation boards, Cannon said.

“We’re hoping it’ll bring more people here,” he said.

During the Tosanak Recreation Area open house Saturday, May 6, the new cabin was advertised to the public during a scavenger hunt.

After realizing that they wanted a cabin and deciding what kind of cabin they wanted, the next step was fundraising to make it a reality.

“We just came up with the cabin project itself,” Cannon said. “That was step one; now we’re on step two.”

The Conservation Board hopes to start fundraising in the next month or two and begin building sometime next year, he said.

“We’re hoping to raise a lot of the money from private donations, which are going to be tax deductible,” Cannon said. The board will also be looking at it own funds as well as grants.

“We’re hoping we can work with the Prairie and Fossil Foundation to get the money,” Cannon said.

“We’re just kind of starting that part,” Cannon said about fundraising. “We’ll take anything. Our goal right now is to raise about $100,000.”

Anyone interested in donating to the Floyd County Conservation Board can contact the Floyd County Conservation Office at 641-756-3490.