Rodney Schmidt Legacy

About

Rodney Arthur Schmidt
December 17, 1949 – March 10, 2024

This website is dedicated to honoring the life and legacy of my late uncle, Rodney Arthur Schmidt. Rod grew up on a farm in Kossuth County, Iowa, the youngest of four sons born to Robert and Verona Schmidt. He believed deeply in preserving the history and natural beauty of the land—wanting future generations to know what existed before them: the prairies, elk, buffalo, sand hill cranes, prairie chickens, and more. Today, much of it is farmland, but Rod felt it was our responsibility to educate ourselves and our children about our roots and the value of a self-sustaining way of life.

Rodney donated his final piece of land to the Kossuth County Conservation Board, establishing what is now the Buffalo Creek Nature Preserve. Before he passed, he planted hundreds of wildflower seeds and oversaw the digging of three ponds. The preserve is a place for quiet recreation—visitors can practice archery, but no hunting is allowed. It’s also an outdoor classroom for schoolchildren, where they can birdwatch and learn about native grasses, wildflowers, and the animals that live here today—and those that once did.

Rodney’s lifelong passion for wildlife and conservation is reflected in his many roles:

  • Biology degree from Washington State University
  • Park ranger and naturalist in Yellowstone National Park
  • GS-13 wildlife research biologist for the U.S. Department of the Interior in North Dakota
  • Wildlife/Nature Photographer
  • Columnist for the Algona Upper Des Moines newspaper titled The Plum Creek Naturalist
  • Professional elk hunting guide in Wyoming’s Teton Wilderness
  • Call State Park ranger for the Department of Natural Resources
  • Private elk and bison rancher in Kossuth County, and later Decatur County
  • Wildlife Entrepreneur
  • Poet
  • Writer

Rod had stories from Washington’s North Cascades to Florida’s Everglades, and everywhere in between.

This website is a work in progress. Upcoming posts will include Rod’s wildlife photography, Vietnam photography, family and childhood photos, videos of Rod telling stories, journal entries he began in high school and continued throughout his life, favorite quotes, personal stories, and reflections from his time serving as a helicopter pilot in Vietnam.

I’m so honored and excited to share Rodney’s life with you.