Mike Kellner - Prairie Rivers of Iowa

Hardin County Conservation’s Chris Barber Joins Prairie Rivers Board

by Mike Kellner | Apr 13, 2023

Biologist Chris Barber has been elected as Prairie Rivers of Iowa’s (PRI) newest board member. Chris’s know-how as the interpretive park manager for Hardin County Conservation’s Calkins Nature Area will be beneficial to PRI’s conservation efforts. In his role at Calkin’s, Chris oversees the management of 76 park acres covered in prairie, forest, riparian, and wetland habitats along the banks of the Iowa River. Park visitors can also experience a nature center, museum, live wildlife display, butterfly house amphitheater, hiking trails, and bird observatory.

Chris Barber holding a rose-breasted grosbeak at the Calkins Nature Area.

Chris Barber befriending a rose-breasted grosbeak at the Calkins Nature Area.

Screech owl show and tell.

Barber has a biology degree from the University of Northern Iowa with an emphasis on ecology and systematics. He worked and studied at the Tallgrass Prairie Center while earning his master’s in biology. He also served as an infantryman in the Iowa National Guard and worked for two years at the University of Nebraska as a research technologist in grassland ecology. As if that’s not enough, he’s also on the Ellsworth College Conservation Technology Advisory Board and an adjunct instructor for the conservation department.

When he finds some spare time, Chris enjoys fishing, kayaking, camping, hiking, and golf. However, spare time priorities tend to focus more on enjoying spending family time while attending school events like sports, band concerts and plays.

I recently had a chance to ask Barber a few questions. Here’s what I found out:

What made you decide to join the Prairie Rivers of Iowa Board?
I have always been passionate about conservation in the state of Iowa. I’d had a meeting with Director Penny Brown Huber a few years prior and was somewhat familiar with Prairie Rivers’ mission so I was excited for the opportunity to serve on the board. After a deeper dive into the organization I’ve been thoroughly impressed with all the work that is currently being done, and I look forward to being a part of it.

I know you’re new, but if you’ve given it any thought, what might be something you hope to accomplish and/or what direction you’d like PRI to take?
As with any non-profit organization, funding is always an issue so I would love to see continued growth in that area, and I think that will also improve our public awareness. I’m a prairie guy so I would love to see us involved in projects that promote the use of prairies in an agricultural landscape which is crucial for improving water quality and expanding habitat.

How do you see your role at Harding County Conservation fit with what we are doing here at Prairie Rivers?
I definitely think my role here at Hardin County Conservation ties closely with what Prairie Rivers is accomplishing. My goals at Calkins Nature Area and Museum of educating the public about conservation issues, preservation and expansion of native habitats, and the preservation of historical artifacts go hand in hand with the goals of Prairie Rivers.

Please welcome Chris! We are excited to be the beneficiaries of his vast experience and enthusiasm! As a member of our community, you will too.

Family adventure in Costa Rica.

Working a prescribed fire.

Nice smallmouth catch!

Photos courtesy of Chris Barber and Hardin County Conservation.

Iowa Lands Prominent North American Prairie Conference

by Mike Kellner | Apr 11, 2023

Once in a while something big and potentially impactful happens! Something that brings together people from around North America to address the issues of biodiversity, climate change, soil and water quality and more. Something that lays out information from researchers, educators, allied professionals, students, conservation specialists, landowners and organizations who will share their latest findings while raising important questions during dozens of informative sessions and exciting, hands-on field trips.

The North American Prairie Conference will be held on June 26 -29 in Altoona, Iowa (just outside of Des Moines), right in the heart of the tallgrass prairie region in the U.S. For four days, attendees will learn and discuss, hope and dream and craft real-world action to expand prairies on the continent. Attendees will place themselves in a world that addresses the value of one of the most important and endangered ecosystems.

Prairie Walk at Jennett Heritage Area in Story County, IA

“Our future success as a society will in part derive from the degree to which we recognize and fulfill our obligation to ensure our grandchildren and their grandchildren have the opportunity to interact with and benefit from these wondrous grasslands, ” wrote Douglas Ladd in an issue of the Missouri Prairie Journal, “We depend on these biological systems to sustain us as a people, meeting human needs through healthy productive soils, clean and abundant waters, pollinator reservoirs, flood and erosion prevention, and countless other amenities which taken for granted, can be prohibitively expensive to re-create once system integrity is lost.”

In addition, attendees can enjoy a full or half day on the land touring across Iowa to see prairie remnants! Options for field trips on June 27 include a choice amongst 17 remarkable remnant native prairies, oak-hickory savannas, research sites and expansive reconstructed prairies throughout central and southeast Iowa. Afterward, participants will revel in an evening of live entertainment, food and camaraderie with fellow participants.

Drake University Professor of Ecology and Botany Dr. Thomas Rosburg is this year’s conference chair. Rosburg will join keynote speakers including the University of Northern Iowa Tallgrass Prairie Center Director Dr. Laura Jackson, Xerces Society of Invertebrate Conservation Co-Director of Pollinator Conservation Eric Lee-Mäder and the Former Director of The Nature Conservancy in Missouri Douglas Ladd to headline the conference.

Bison on Tallgrass Prairie at the Neal Smith Wildlife Refuge. Grayson Smith/UFWS Photo

During one of the field trips being offered, you can spend your afternoon at the Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge, a 6,000 acre reconstructed prairie with bison, elk, rare plant species and other interesting wildlife.

The North American Prairie Conference is America’s oldest and most celebrated native grassland conference. The conference is made possible by hundreds of attendees, volunteers, organizations and sponsors, including the Iowa Department of Transportation’s Living Roadway Trust Fund. This year’s co-hosts are the environmentally-minded nonprofits Prairie Rivers of Iowa and Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation.

Attendees can learn more and register at www.northamericanprairie.org. Students can apply for a limited number of scholarships www.iowaprairienetwork.org/napcscholarships.

Members of the media wanting a pass and wishing to attend the conference or any field trips can contact Penny Brown Huber at pbrownhuber@prrcd.org.

Dr. Mark Rassmussen Joins Prairie Rivers Board of Directors

by Mike Kellner | Mar 9, 2023

Microbiologist Dr. Mark A. Rasmussen recently joined the Prairie Rivers of Iowa (PRI) Board of Directors. Rasmussen retired from the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture in July 2021 and is a professor emeritus at Iowa State University. His academic credentials include emphases in microbiology, ruminant nutrition, animal science, and agronomy.

We are excited to have him serve on the PRI board not only for his vast academic and research knowledge but also, perhaps more importantly, for his strategic planning, resource management, and collaboration skills which are already proving useful as we continue to move forward in our work.

Rick Dietz During 2022 Ioway Creek Cleanup Event

Dr. Mark Rassmussen presenting to a group at Iowa Sate University Curtiss Hall.

“Our Prairie Rivers of Iowa board is excited to welcome Mark Rasmussen! Mark brings a wonderful understanding of our mission and is able to give a new vision as we move forward with our water quality and pollinator programs,” announced PRI Board President Reed Riskedahl.

Rasmussen has an impressive resume of professional history, service, teaching, research writing, speaking, obtaining funding, awards, technical reports, and patents (and this is the shortlist)!

In addition to his leadership at the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture, Rasmussen spent four years at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as a research microbiologist (two years as a supervisory microbiologist and division director) providing technical guidance and research support related to regulatory decisions regarding drugs, additives, and contaminants in animal feeds and much more. For about 18 years he worked for the United States Department of Agriculture, Animal Research Service, and National Disease Center in Ames, Iowa as a microbiologist and researcher. In 2000 he was appointed lead scientist/microbiologist. As a scientist for the Eastman Chemical Company, Mark conducted research in various aspects of animal nutrition and microbiology with an emphasis on cellulose digestion and fermentation.

The accolades, awards, research papers, presentations, patents, and recognition for academic and other service are too many to mention, but it’s safe to say that Rasmusen’s work in the field is extraordinary. Highlights include a U.S. Secretary of Agriculture’s Award for Food Safety and has been awarded a couple of U.S. patents.

Please welcome Mark as he becomes deeply involved with the Prairie Rivers staff, partners, volunteers, and our followers as we experience his exceedingly valuable contributions!

Significant Black History Along the Lincoln Highway

by Mike Kellner | Feb 7, 2023

During Black History Month we pay tribute to a sometimes overlooked, yet highly significant, piece of African American history that took place along the Lincoln Highway in Ames, Iowa.

Iowa State College founded in 1858 (now Iowa State University) allowed students of color to attend. But up until the 1940s, they did not have access to on-campus housing unless they roomed together. This “unofficial” policy made student housing nearly impossible due to the low number of students of color enrolled during this time. Meanwhile, two caring individuals, Archie and Nancy Martin opened their home in Ames as a place for male students of color to reside and grow while pursuing their college education. Female students of color were welcomed into the nearby home of John and Nellie Shipp at 118 Sherman Avenue. The Shipp’s daughter Mildred married Hubert Crouch, a student who stayed at the Martin home. Crouch later became the first African American awarded a doctorate in biological sciences at Iowa State University.

The Martin home provided comfort to a small but growing community of Black students, roomers, and visitors including the agricultural scientist, inventor, and first Black student to graduate from Iowa State Agricultural College – George Washington Carver.

Like Carver, the Martins were born into slavery. Nancy migrated north at the age of 60 after impressing Drs. Davis and Jennie Ghrist of Ames with her talent for preparing delicious southern-cooked meals. She took a job cooking for the Ghrists and at a fraternity house on campus. Archie soon joined her in 1914 and began working for the Chicago and Northwestern Railroad.

Archie and Nancy Martin Portrait in Martin Hall on ISU Campus.

A portrait of Nancy and Archie Martin hangs in ISU Martin Hall in their honor.

From the late 1920s through the early 50s, the Martin household gained a reputation as caring, generous, and supportive of those seeking to better themselves through higher education. Finally, it became apparent to the Martins that they could no longer house all the students of color in need. According to family tradition, Archie used his enthusiasm as a proponent of equal treatment of Black students to discuss the issue with then Iowa State College President (1912-1926) Raymond A. Pearson which eventually resulted in the ability for students of color to reside in campus housing.

For over a century, the Martin-Shipp families have retained ownership of the home. It still stands along the Lincoln Highway Heritage Byway in Iowa. Archie and three of his sons built the six-bedroom, two-bath Craftsman-style bungalow at 218 Lincoln Way sometime around 1919. The home was granted historical landmark status by the City of Ames in 2008. A letter of preliminary eligibility for listing on the National Register of Historic Places was obtained from the State Historic Preservation Office in 2021.

According to former Ames councilperson and Ames Historic Museum Martin House Chair Sharon Wirth, the Martins’ history is important to the Ames community and Iowa State.

Martin House along the Lincoln Highway in Ames, Iowa

The historic home (circa 1920) where Nancy and Archie Martin housed Black students attending Iowa State College. Photo credit: Ames History Museum, Courtesy of the Martin Family.

“Their home symbolizes the family’s legacy,” said Wirth, “This property is an outstanding cultural resource located on the Lincoln Highway and should be preserved. Few resources remain that are tied directly to the early lives of African Americans in Ames. This period of ownership by a Black family is nearly unheard of.”

Besides Carver, other notable guests at the Martin home include Iowa State College African American athlete Jack Trice who tragically died as a result of injuries he sustained during the second play of his second college football game. Additional guests at the Martin home included James Bowman who served with the Tuskegee Airmen and as a Des Moines school administrator, and Samuel Massie who worked on the Manhattan Project and became the first black professor at the U.S. Naval Academy.

In the words of the Martin Legacy Foundation, “The Martins impact on black students in Ames and on the Iowa State campus can be measured in numerous ways. Mainly their legacy is traced by the successful stories of many who stayed with them. There are numerous educators, professors, administrators, presidents of universities, and engineers that fondly remember the Martin home and acknowledge that, if not for the Martins, they would not have had the chance at an education at Iowa State University. Nancy and Archie knew and believed that an education was the only way for African Americans (to achieve an improved) quality of life. They were wholeheartedly dedicated to supporting African American students in their quest for a (higher) education. Their legacy lives on in the achievements of those students and also through their descendants who are doctors, lawyers, decorated military officers, and educators. An amazing legacy for two ex-slaves.”

In honor of the Martins, the Iowa Board of Regents approved renaming Iowa State University Suite 2 residence hall in the Union Drive neighborhood to Archie and Nancy Martin Hall. Additionally, the Martins and their home are commemorated with a brick pier at 5th Street and Burnett Avenue in Downtown Ames.

Archie and Nancy Martin during the 1940's.

Archie and Nancy Martin outside their home during the 1940’s. Photo credit: Ames History Museum, Courtesy of the Martin Family.

Martin House as it is Today on the Lincoln Highway Heritage Byway

Martin House Historical Plaque

Archie and Nancy Martin -Ames History Museum Photo Courtesy of the Martin Family

Archie and Nancy Martin’s Daughter and Son-In-Law, Nellie and John Shipp Family -Farwell T. Brown Photo Archive-Ames Public Library Photo

Sources:
Ames History Museum and Board Member Sharon Wirth
Martin Legacy Foundation Co.
Iowa State University of Science and Technology

Ames Pollinator-Friendly Practices Pilot Project Completed

by Mike Kellner | Nov 3, 2022

How can homeowners in Ames be encouraged to increase pollinator-friendly practices in their yards? That was the question addressed by former Prairie Rivers of Iowa Lincoln Highway Heritage Byway Coordinator Shellie Orngard in a recently completed pilot project using Community Based Social Marketing strategies. Now that the pilot is completed, the project will move forward in 2023 to explore ways to apply what was learned to increase pollinator habitat along Iowa’s Lincoln Highway Heritage Byway.

Community Based Social Marketing was developed by Canadian psychology professor Doug McKenzie-Moher, author of Fostering Sustainable Behavior. It is used in developing and implementing community programs that make use of scientific knowledge of human behavior in effecting change. Community programs such as composting and conserving water and energy have used it to increase participation.

According to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, 70 to 80 percent of Iowa was once covered by prairie, producing rich agricultural soil and a lush environment for pollinators. Now, with 90 percent of Iowa’s land in agricultural production, less than one percent of Iowa’s prairie remains, simultaneously reducing pollinator habitat. “Doing this project I learned strategies to encourage pollinator-friendly practices that can be employed along Iowa’s byways,” says Orngard. “We are now exploring applying these strategies to make the Lincoln Highway Heritage Byway a pollinator-friendly byway from the Mississippi to the Missouri Rivers. Some of Iowa’s other 13 byways have also expressed interest.”

Visitors to Jennett Heritage Area prairie near Nevada Iowa during Prairie Rivers Bees and Berries Family Adventure Day

While a number of groups (including Prairie Rivers) have focused on encouraging farmers, other large landowners, and local governments to improve pollinator habitat, this project will also include urban areas, businesses, and homeowners.

An initial survey was conducted to determine the perceived barriers and benefits of creating a pollinator garden. The results show that homeowners can face some big barriers such as knowing what types of plants to grow that provide diverse and useful habitat during all seasons. Additionally, by implementing pollinator-friendly practices, homeowners may, in some cases, go against societal norms of having a yard consisting primarily of well-groomed turf.

This project focused on strategies to encourage a paradigm shift in what landowners consider desirable, resulting in such practices as reducing pesticide and herbicide use, letting grass grow longer before mowing, and leaving leaves for overwintering insects.

To encourage year-round pollinator-friendly practices, Orngard worked with Xerces Society Farm Bill Pollinator Conservation Planner/NRCS Partner Biologist Sarah Nizzi to create The Pollinator Friendly Yard: A Seasonal Guide informational flyer. Homeowners were asked to commit to increasing their pollinator-friendly practices according to their comfort level.

As a final strategy, Orngard worked with local artist Naomi Friend to create a charming yard sign homeowners can use to educate passersby about why some leaves are being left to provide habitat for overwintering insects.

Pollinator Friendly Yards - A Seasonal Guide

Download the Guide Here

Pollinator-friendly yard signs are available by contacting our office.

Orngard summarizes the pilot project as a success that will guide Prairie Rivers Lincoln Highway Heritage Byway and Watersheds and Wildlife programs, local community partners, homeowners, other byways, and communities throughout Iowa as they move forward with education and on-the-ground practices geared towards improving the environment for pollinators in our state.

This project was made possible in part by Resource Enhancement and Protection Conservation Education Program (REAP-CEP) funding along with coaching support from the E Resources Group’s Dr. Jean Eells, a frequent Prairie Rivers of Iowa collaborator, and Rebecca Christoffel. The REAP-CEP funding also allowed Orngard to attend an online workshop by Doug McKenzie-Moher on Community-Based Social Marketing and Resiliency and Adaptation to Climate Change and the Iowa Conservation Education Coalition Winter Workshop.

Shellie Orngard also contributed to the content of this article.

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