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Ethan Thies has joined Iowa State University Extension and Outreach as the program’s first conservation field specialist. Thies began the new role July 29 and will be based out of the ISU Extension and Outreach Carroll County office...

Continue reading on the Conservation Learning Group blog.

Average temperatures across Iowa for the past 7 days have stayed around 0 to 4 degrees cooler than normal, with average temperatures from 68 to 72 degrees. The average daily high temperature has been 76 to 83 degrees, which is 0 to 4 degrees cooler than normal.

Average temperatures across Iowa for the past 7 days have stayed around 4 to 8 degrees cooler than normal, with average temperatures from 63 to 70 degrees. The average daily high temperature has been 73 to 80 degrees, which is 6 to 10 degrees cooler than normal.

After a stretch of warm temperatures, the past couple of days have been mild across the state. Daily temperatures from the past 7 days averaged from 71-80 degrees with coolest temperatures in northern Iowa. This was anywhere from 1-5 degrees above average.

The decisions Iowans make about their watersheds affect the people and the communities downstream. That’s why Sara O’Connell enrolled in the Master Conservationist Program delivered by Iowa State University Extension and Outreach. O’Connell is the Youth Corps coordinator for Polk County Conservation and depends on a strong knowledge base to educate the public.

For many Iowans, the last 7 days were mostly dry. Much of the state received less than 1” of rain, however, some folks in Kossuth County received 2 or more inches.

For the first time in 219 weeks, there is no dryness present in the entire state, as reported by the Drought Monitor. This year has been the 6^th wettest January through July out of 132 years.

One of the many benefits of gardening is the opportunity to provide resources for bees, butterflies and other beneficial insects.  Luckily there are some simple steps every gardener can take that helps these beneficial insects...

Continue reading this article on the Small Farm Sustainability Blog.

So far this month, July has been around 4 degrees below average for most of the state, making the warmest month of the year feel relatively cool.

For most areas of the state, June brought close to average precipitation. However, this was not the case for northwest Iowa, where more than 300% of average precipitation fell during the month, with much of the precipitation arriving in 3 days.

During the past two weeks, temperatures across the state have been 2-5 degrees above normal. “Warm and wet” is a good way to describe most of the state. However, southeastern Iowa, while warm, has received around 2 inches of rain below average.

Forest management is a broad science that includes everything from timber to wildlife, vine and weed management, conservation and more. To help woodland owners understand each task, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach and the Iowa Department of Natural Resources has produced 31 YouTube videos known as the Iowa Woodland Steward Toolkit.

Beavers can play a critical role in improving water quality, but can also create challenges when it comes to crop or tree damage, tile drainage backflow, flooding concern, and more. Explore NEW infographics to learn more about how humans and beavers can work together to coexist on our landscapes in both rural and urban settings...

Continue reading this article on the Iowa Learning Farms Blog

Today, Thursday, June 6, was windy, with peak sustained wind around 30 mph and peak wind gusts around 45 mph across the state. US 63 north of Waterloo was closed because of little to no visibility from “a localized area of dense blowing dust.” You’re certainly not alone if you found yourself saying, “It wouldn’t be so bad without the wind…”

AMES, Iowa – The Tama Turtles took first place in the State Wildlife Habitat Education Program senior team division and will represent Iowa 4-H at the 2024 National WHEP Competition. Team members are Lauren Keller, Wyatt Silhanek, Carlee Smith and Josey Wacha from Tama County.

After 203 continuous weeks of drought existing across the state, now only D0 (abnormally dry) remains. Between March 1 and May 30, 10-15 inches of rain fell across the state, which was around 4-8 inches above average. Consistent above average rainfall allowed drought conditions to diminish.

In my work, I spend a lot of time talking about the ecosystem services, or benefits to humans, that wetlands provide.  I often focus on the floodwater retention, nutrient reduction, and wildlife habitat benefits of wetlands, but tend to gloss over the food and fiber these ecosystems can provide.  For many people the first idea that pops into their minds of food or fiber from a wetland is likely animal related – fish, frog legs, waterfowl, or beaver pelts.  These are all potenti

Active weather is starting to sound like a broken record.

Globally, this April was the warmest April on record, and now the 11^th consecutive month of record warmth. In Iowa, the past 30 days were around 3 degrees above normal.