Conservation Connection
Appreciating Water and Wastewater Workers
Let’s recognize water and wastewater workers this week and learn about how their communities are protecting water quality through better sewage treatment.
Glitter in Your Grass: The Secret Lives of Fireflies
While the season of twinkling twilight in Iowa has nearly ended, fireflies (aka “lightning bugs”) live in Iowa year-round! What do you really know about these mysterious sparks of light? They are not just magical glittering displays – they are real insects that serve important ecological and medicinal roles and are threatened by habitat loss and light pollution.
Drainage “Improvements”
A guest post by Steve Swan tells how a group of landowners took control of their drainage district in order to block “a huge, costly and environmentally destructive improvement on Pickerel Run.”
How to Start Caring About Pollinators: A Guide for Iowans
We asked three central Iowans from different backgrounds about how they came to appreciate pollinators and wildlife in general, what catalyzed their appreciation into action, and how they stay energized and hopeful for the future of pollinators and our natural environment as a whole. Lori Biederman, Lynne Kellner, and Todd Burras share their journeys with us here.
Tallgrass Prairie – A View from the Fly on the Gall
Insights from the 2023 North American Prairie Conference about the diverse prairie insects that you can only see if you “walk slow, look close, and be curious.”
Tallgrass Prairie – A Butterfly’s View
Insights from the 2023 North American Prairie Conference about the balance between grasses and forbs, written from a butterfly’s perspective.
Tallgrass Prairie – A Bird’s Eye View
Insights from the 2023 North American Prairie Conference, written from a meadowlark’s perspective. Can working farmland support wildlife?
Notable Quotes from Sackett v. EPA
A major decision by the Supreme Court (Sackett v. EPA) has limited the scope of the Clean Water Act. A few choice quotes from the concurring opinions reveals what’s at stake.
What’s next for water monitoring in Iowa?
Over the next year, with the support of the Water Foundation, we’ll be building a network of groups in Iowa interested in water monitoring.