The mission of Nahant Marsh Education Center is to protect, enhance, and restore the Marsh through education, research, and conservation.
Our vision is to foster wonder, appreciation, and stewardship of the natural world.
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.
The Nahant Marsh Education Center is open:
Monday through Friday
8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Saturdays
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. Look for the opening in the fence near the kiosk.
There is no fee to visit the Marsh.
We are in control of how we live on this planet. Consider becoming part of the movement. Protect our rivers year round! Rising temperatures and drought due to climate change have accelerated evaporation and temperatures are only on the rise.
Nahant Marsh Education Center 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 projects are conducted year round and guide our management practices. Ongoing projects include water quality testing, turtle population monitoring, and avian population studies.
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.
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.
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