What is the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation (INHF)?

Updated

inhf.org is the website of the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation (INHF), a statewide conservation organization that works with private landowners and public agencies to protect and restore Iowa's land, water and wildlife. The site is useful if you want to understand the organization's mission, explore Iowa trails and protected places, find volunteer events, or look into land-protection and giving options. It is not a government agency site, and the page evidence does not state any membership or access fees.

What INHF does

INHF describes its core work as protecting and restoring Iowa's land, water and wildlife. Two things stand out on the site:

  • Land protection at scale: INHF says it has helped protect over 200,000 acres of Iowa prairies, woodlands, lakes and rivers.
  • Trails: The organization says it has "blazed the way for Iowa's trails," and the site maintains a trails guide and a list of current trail projects.

It also works on grassland restoration, land stewardship and management, and conservation policy.

How it works with landowners and agencies

The site frames INHF as a partner rather than a regulator: it works with private landowners and public agencies. For landowners, the relevant section is "Protect Your Land," alongside giving options such as gifts of land, estate gifts, charitable gift annuities and other legacy gifts. For public agencies, the site lists current protection projects and a map of INHF projects.

Trails and places to visit

If your interest is recreation, the site's trails section is the practical entry point. It includes a trails guide, an FAQ, and specific current projects such as:

  • A connector linking the High Trestle Trail with the Raccoon River Valley Trail
  • The Admiral Trail and the Laurens Trail Connection
  • The Red Rock Prairie Trail
  • The Iowa River's Edge Trail

The "Iowa By Trail" and "Iowa Land Options" pages are also linked from the main navigation.

Volunteering and events

INHF lists hands-on events on its site, which is a good way to see the work in practice. Examples from the page include:

  • Hoppy Harvest with Big Grove Brewery
  • Moonlight Seed Harvest with Polk County Conservation
  • Indiangrass Hills Prairie Seed Harvest
  • Weimerskirk Workday

The site also offers action alerts and advocacy resources, including tips for contacting representatives and an overview of Iowa legislative issues.

Internships and careers

INHF notes it is accepting applications for 2027 interns, and says it hires nearly 20 field and office interns each summer. Job and internship listings, staff information, board of directors, publications, annual reports and financials are all published on the site.

When this site is the right starting point

Use inhf.org if you want to:

  • Confirm what INHF is and what it has protected
  • Find an Iowa trail project or trail guide
  • Sign up to volunteer or attend a seed harvest or workday
  • Explore options for protecting your own land or making a legacy gift
  • Read the organization's annual reports and financials before deciding whether to support it

If you need official regulatory or permitting information, this is a nonprofit's site, so check the relevant Iowa state agency instead.