Iowans can replace traditional, sod-forming grass lawns with native plants to create multiple benefits. Native plants generally require less maintenance, help reduce soil erosion and nutrient transport, and (my favorite) help wildlife like birds and pollinators. However, creating these areas in your yard and garden can sometimes seem daunting, especially if you see someone else with a beautiful-looking yard that exemplifies what you want...

Iowa landowners are being asked to help document the remarkable monarch migration as thousands of butterflies make their journey south to Mexico this fall. Researchers with the Iowa Monarch Conservation Consortium (IMCC) ask for assistance to identify areas where monarchs rest in clusters, like trees and sheltered areas, when they funnel through Iowa during their trip... 

Gina Buelow is noticing a growing interest among Iowa communities: mushroom cultivation. While some with an eye for fungi grab their mushroom knives and regional guides to forage for wild mushrooms outdoors, Buelow, a natural resources field specialist with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, is teaching Iowans a new way to enjoy fungi through cultivating them at home...