Following the completion and revision of a report regarding The University of Iowa’s lease with Macbride Nature Recreation area, the university has decided to exit its decade-long lease with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
In the fall of 2024, the university put together a committee filled with UI educators, students, and employees to research and craft a report based on what would need to be done in order to successfully continue the lease.
The official report was turned in to the UI President Barbara Wilson on May 1 of this year. After careful analysis, she announced on July 10 announcing the university’s exit from the long-term lease. The current lease ends on July 1, 2029.
“This was not an easy decision. But after extensive analysis, we determined that the long-term financial requirements are not feasible given the university’s current resources and the need to stay focused on our highest priorities, which include educating 30,000 students, supporting cutting-edge research, and delivering world-class patient care,” Wilson said. “I very much appreciate the work of the committee and their outreach to potential partners as we explored numerous options.”
The University of Iowa has leased the 485-acre area since 1959. Many UI based education programs, such as UI WILD, Wildlife Camps, School of the Wild, and the Iowa Raptor Project, will now be looking for a new spot to call home for these programs.
The lease agreement between the university and the Army Corps of Engineers states that UI is responsible for maintaining all landscapes, structures, and roads on the MRNA land. UI Recreational Services was in charge of managing the lease for more than 35 years before the UI Facilities Management team assumed leadership in 2022.
The ten-member committee was formed to “ensure fiscal sustainability and consistency with the university’s mission of excellent education and research opportunities for a broad array of students.” The committee was divided into three subcommittees, each with specific factors to review, such as the land history, environmental data, and finances.
The official report, which was made public in May, estimates that the university would need to immediately invest around $15 million in basic development in order to continue the lease. This would be on top of the annual $1 million maintenance cost. The estimated repair costs include roadways and sidewalks, cellular data and reception, and site and building operations. The report also details the educational programs and benefits, as well as student interaction with MRNA.
Senior vice president for finance and operations and committee co-chair Rod Lehnertz said operations at MRNA will continue up until the exit of the lease.
“Our next steps are to address the logistics of the end of the lease. The changes won’t happen overnight, so we have to get started on those now,” Lehnertz said. “The next major steps will be working with the College of Education and its team related to the School of the Wild programs. Also working with the Corps of Engineers and determining with them the best way for us [UI] to step away from the lease.”
The university announced that the School of the Wild program, Wildlife Camps, and the Raptor Project will not expire with the lease in 2029 but rather relocate to a different outdoor environment.
These programs are actively searching for a new space to call home. Karen Allen, UI Wild Director, says that a new area will have to meet the different needs for each individual program.
“We are seeking out land that matches our needs,” Allen said. If you think about Iowa City, North Liberty, and Coralville, we touch almost every household because every child gets to do School of the Wild…some get to do camps and many visit the IRP [Iowa Raptor Project].”
The distance and terrain of possible locations also factor into choosing the location. Allen works with the other program directors daily, collaborating with them on how to make these programs the best they can be. Phoebe Yetley, Wildlife Camps Director, said that the location of these programs makes them what they are.
“We’re hoping for a place similar to MNRA that highlights the unique and long natural history of Iowa, so places like wetlands, places with prairies, and woodlands,” Yetley said.
Jay Gorsh, Director of School of the Wild, added on to Yetley’s point, saying that the habitat is a key piece of the decision.
“It might not be one specific location,” Gorsh said. “Based upon our programs, we might need to utilize multiple locations in order to create those learning experiences and environments that we target.”
While the camp programs are more adaptable to different environments, the Raptor Project is not. The current location of the birds is about two miles from the main road, sending those who visit on a woodsy expedition. Iowa Raptor Project Director Dave Conrads wants to keep the natural setting among the future location changes.
“Our current enclosures already need to be updated. The assistant director and I talk a lot about what species of birds we would like to add that represent Iowa, and that list can get pretty long…with that comes the added costs,” Conrads said. “At this point, because there’s a lot of uncertainty financially, we are on as far as adding new species.”
The University of Iowa and the College of Education are committed to continuing program operations as normal throughout the end of the lease. With four years remaining on this lease, UI administrators and educators have time to plan the next steps of these programs and the MNRA land.