Nahant Marsh is a 382-acre preserve nestled in southwest Davenport. It is part of a 513-acre wetland complex that is bordered by the Mississippi River, Interstate 280, and Highway 22.
EDUCATION CENTER HOURS
The Nahant Marsh Education Center is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to noon (extended to 3 p.m. from April through October). Trails are open daily from sunrise to sunset. If the main gate is locked, trails are accessible from the front parking lot - just look for the opening in the fence near the kiosk. Click here for a trail map. There is no fee to visit the Marsh.
PRESERVE HOURS
Trails are open daily from sunrise to sunset. If the main gate is locked, trails are accessible from the front parking lot. Look for the opening in the fence near the kiosk.
EDUCATION
Nahant Marsh Education Center, through the Eastern Iowa Community Colleges, offers a wide variety of environmental education programming for people of all ages. Educational programs are conducted both on and off-site and provide programming that focuses on midwest ecosystems, conservation, and stewardship.
RESEARCH
Research projects are conducted year round and guide our management practices. Ongoing projects include water quality testing, turtle population monitoring, and avian population studies.
CONSERVATION
Wetlands are a vital part of our ecosystems. They filter pollutants, reduce sedimentation, reduce flow, and provide habitat. Nahant Marsh is a protected natural area and our management practices strive to maintain the health and diversity of the preserve.
NAHANT MAKES A COMEBACK
At one time eastern Iowa's Nahant marsh was home to the Quad Cities Trap and Skeet Gun Club, leaving heavy doses of lead in the mud of the marsh. The lead in the pellets can sicken or kill many native birds. This lead contamination prompted the Environmental Protection Agency to list Nahant Marsh as a Superfund site in need of cleanup. Nahant now serves as an environmental rallying point for the eastern Iowa community.
