Welcome to UNI's Biological Preserves
Natural habitat on the UNI campus serves students and the community
The University of Northern Iowa Biological Preserves System is an 88-acre complex of prairie, riparian woodlands and upland forest, open to the public year round. The system includes 5.8 miles of regularly maintained trails, connecting the Preserves with other naturalized areas on the south side of the UNI campus, along Dry Run Creek. UNI students use the Preserves in a variety of courses, especially Biology and Environmental Resource Management majors.
Join us for UNI BioBlitz!

Details
Saturday, September 13, 2025
Meet at Daryl Smith Prairie, University of Northern Iowa, 720 W 29th St, Cedar Falls, IA 50613 (see parking information below)
Schedule of Events
- 7:00am-8:00am
Skyward Explorers: Birding on the Preserves - 6:00pm-7:00pm
Macroinvertebrate Mayhem: Search for macroinvertebrates in Dry Run Creek - 7:45pm-8:30pm
Winged Wonders in the Dark: Bat ultrasound detection - 8:00pm-9:30pm
Nocturnal Nibblers: Night time insect observation
Additional Information
All sessions throughout the day will meet at the entrance to Daryl Smith Prairie, 720 W 29th St, Cedar Falls and move on from there for the activity. We recommend wearing long pants, comfortable walking shoes, using sunscreen and bug spray, and bringing a water bottle. Below is a map for parking. Please use W 29th Street, W 28th Street, or Walnut Street for parking. Only permitted vehicles can park in the paved lots.


Students Reflect on the Annual Monarch Count
“One of the things that surprised me was how relaxing it was to be out in the prairie. This gave me a chance to escape for a little bit."
“An interesting take away is the serenity ... You can sit back and enjoy the sounds of nature."
"I saw 3 huge praying mantises just climbing up the prairie grass. Spending time in the prairies made me think about how lucky UNI is to have valuable areas like this."