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Role of Prairie Contacts: Iowa Native Lands is working to coordinate a system of field-office level County Prairie Contacts(CPC), essentially prairie technical advisors, to function as a contact resource for prairie-related questions and issues. We have received commitments for NRCS, DNR, DOT, County Conservation Boards, and other organizations to share in the management and support of this network. We have designated existing employees that have an interest and desire to provide technical assistance on prairie issues. It is anticipated that much of the CPC effort will be referrals - that they will serve as a first contact resource for questions about native lands, and direct people to appropriate resources. In this manner all agency employees will have access to dependable, local prairie expertise when questions arise or a referral is needed. Our goal is to identify at least one prairie advisor in each Iowa county. We emphasize that we are not asking the CPCs to take on a large amount of new responsibility, but rather to serve as referral and advice resources for local prairie issues. Our hope is to identify individuals that already have an interest in prairies (and other native ecosystems) that would enjoy an opportunity to promote and protect native lands as part of their existing job duties. This website will be a central
referral resource, with information about land management, easements,
useful websites, and other relevant items. Lists
of recommended native Iowa landscaping, butterfly garden, and raingarden
plantsare currently available. |