To restore and preserve the park for quiet enjoyment, environmental education and research.

The first Saturday in May was a beautiful day for foraging and Marion County naturalist Karen Johlas-Szalkowski led an enthusiastic group through Big Rock Park in search of nature’s edibles. She began with a list of safety rules. 1. Tell someone where you are going. 2. Get permission if you want to forage on private property. Be sure to check park rules and regulations before harvesting in public areas. 3. Forage sustainably by not overharvesting and take only what you will u

Saturday April 25, 2026, was a beautiful day for the first program at Big Rock Park sponsored by the Pella Community Foundation. It was also a beautiful day for bees. Lead by biologist Paulina Mena of Central College, a sizeable crowd heard about Iowa’s native bees and went on a walk along the edge of the park. 10 am- 2pm is the ideal time to spot bees. The group met at 11 and the bees were active. Iowa’s native bees are solitary, arising from their underground burrows in the

It’s A Grant! People often ask us when we will have more educational programs and opportunities at Big Rock Park. The answer is: we’ll know when we get a grant. Friends of Big Rock Park is a non-profit run by volunteers. Our goal is to restore and preserve the park for quiet enjoyment, environmental education and research. To advance our goals, we offer programs focusing on nature and the environment. To be able to offer quality programs that are well-attended, we seek g