Pollinator Park Prowl is a self-paced STEM-based, city-wide scavenger hunt all about pollinators! Discover how parks and greenspaces support pollinators, while learning about the vital role pollinators play in our ecosystem. This program is a collaboration between the Iowa City Parks and Recreation Department and The LENA Project.

How it Works

1. Download our full site maps to plan your adventure.
2. The Pollinator Park Prowl runs from July 1 through August 13, 2023. During that time, your goal is to visit as many of the 16 Pollinator Park Prowl locations as possible and find the hidden pollinator there.
3. At each location, once you have found the initial Pollinator Station (marked by a sign and a large bow), read the posted instructions on where to find each pollinator. The station signs will give you information about the pollinator’s preferred habitat and habits and that will help you find the hidden pollinator.
4. Congratulations! Once you find the pollinator you are looking for, take a selfie with the pollinator and post to social media (Instagram or Facebook). With each photo submitted, you early an entry into the Pollinator Park Prowl raffle. Be sure to use the hashtag #ICPollinatorParkProwl and set your account/post to public, so we can view the post. Alternatively, you may email your submissions to: ParkImages@Iowa-City.org
5. Bonus Points: Correctly identify the pollinator you found and you will receive a bonus point!
6. For each station completed, you will be entered into a raffle drawing for an assortment of fun prizes. Participants who visit 14 stations or more will be entered to win the grand prize!

2023 Raffle Prizes
Grand prize to be announced soon!

Additional Prizes:

• Outdoor enthusiast package from New Pi Food Co-op
• Pollinator kitchen towel, coasters, and mug from RAYGUN
• FilmScene Date Night Package
• Molly’s Cupcakes Gift Certificates
• Iowa Chophouse Gift Cards
• Vortex package- Crossfire HD 1400 optics and carrying case, trucker hat, pen, sticker, & more
• Potholders from Iowa City Farmers Market vendor Ema Jo Designs
• One-month free music lessons from West Music
• Children’s Nature Books from Prairie Lights
• Prairie Kitchen pollinator-themed gift box
• Monarch-themed kids tee and tote from The LENA Project
• Family Day Pass to the Iowa Children's Museum
• IC Pool Passes
• Iowa City Parks & Rec Swag Package
• Handcrafted Iowa City Farmers Market quilt (made by Juli Seydell Johnson, Iowa City Parks and Recreation Department Director)
• Gift Certificate to the Iowa City Farmers Market

Tips for Success
What to Bring:
Dress comfortably for outdoor recreation. Some stations require more walking and exploration than others. Check the forecast before you go. Bring water to drink and think about packing a picnic for your adventure! We have done our best to note additional activities that take place at each location, so you can take advantage of those things.

Thanks!
We want to offer a huge thanks to our program’s donors. Each of the raffle prizes were generously donated by local businesses and community organizations. If you enjoy this event, be sure to thank them for their support of the Pollinator Park Prowl!

A special thanks also goes out to Martin Construction for designing, cutting, and donating the special pollinator pieces located at each park site.
Finally, thank you for participating in the Pollinator Park Prowl! We hope you enjoy the program, discover some new-to-you parks, and enjoy learning more about pollinators in our region.

About the Artist
Hope Spragg hand painted each of the wooden pollinators used in the Pollinator Park Prowl. Hope is a born and raised Iowa artist, inspired by the vast midwestern skies. Her work is an expression of her belief in science and magic, ranging from expressive hypercolor landscape paintings to delicately drawn birds. She studied art education and theatre at the University of Iowa and graduated in 1999. She is the proud mother of two and an enthusiastic teacher at Preucil Preschool.
Hope Spragg is available for commission and ships worldwide. You can see more of her work @hope.spragg on Instagram.