Waterways carve and shift the landscape, creating a dynamic and ever-changing environment, perfect for sketching and finding an array of visually interesting elements—something new can be found during each visit to this riparian location in a Story County Conservation Park. All beings and materials here are interconnected and tell a story about the past, present, and future ecosystems. Pay close attention to the big scene with reflected light and shifting forces as well as the smaller organisms growing and surviving here. Sketching what you find is really a documentation of change over time.
! This GSC location is a bit harder to find than others (note that you may need to wade through tall grasses, duck under invasive honeysuckle, and scramble up a muddy riverbank). Look for chert, shale, bones, feathers, insects and aquatic plants to sketch. Note their size, location, behavior. What is the weather and time of day? Jot some notes about what you see and make some predictions for the upcoming months. If you see any garbage during your adventure, be kind and pack it out—help keep our natural areas and parks clean.
