Blog

Catherine DeLong
February 20, 2024 3:19 PM

Almost exactly two years ago, on February 16, 2022, I wrote a blog post titled What “Type” of Cover Crop Farmer are you? about how to talk about

Water Quality

Dr. Adam Janke
November 30, 2023 8:32 AM

While our growing degree days are now firmly in the rear-view mirror and many of our most lauded phenological events – the serenade of the dawn chorus of birds, the stunning blooms of trees in spring, and the tapestry of prairie wildflowers of summer – have come and gone too, we head now into one

Wildlife

Aaron Steil
November 21, 2023 5:57 PM

As leaves and temperatures fall, trees and shrubs in the home landscape become increasingly at risk for damage from animals, snow load, salt, sunscald, and desiccation. Fortunately, there is still time to protect trees and shrubs from winter damage...

Forestry, Problem Wildlife, Wildlife

Dr. Adam Janke
September 21, 2023 7:52 AM

Picture a weed. Or better yet, a mess of them.

Now, what if I told you to turn to a stranger contemplating the same question and share your imaginings: do you think you’d have pictured the same place or plants?

My guess is no.

Wildlife, Iowa's Habitats

Kaycie M Waters
August 21, 2023 12:57 PM

Ames, Iowa – Graduates of Iowa State University’s Master Conservationist Program are invited to gather in the Loess Hills this September for the first-ever statewide meetup.

Wildlife, Master Conservationist Program

Dr. Billy Beck
August 21, 2023 11:20 AM

If you’re considering establishing a new tree planting in spring 2024, late summer 2023 is the ideal time to start planning.

Forestry, Planning and Planting, Wildlife, Problem Wildlife

Dr. Adam Janke
August 21, 2023 9:39 AM

High schoolers representing 15 states from across the United States visited the Iowa Lakeside Laboratory on the shores of West Lake Okoboji near Milford to compete in the 2023 4-H and FFA Wildlife Habitat Education Program National Contest, July 30 to August 2.

Wildlife

Nicole E Shimp
June 12, 2023 11:48 AM

In a world where the delicate balance of nature is increasingly threatened, each one of us has the power to be a hero. We often think of heroes as those with superhuman abilities, but sometimes, the simplest actions can have a profound impact.

Wildlife

Catherine DeLong
June 9, 2023 12:00 AM

Working directly with farmers and community leaders, watershed coordinators are the “boots on the ground” of water quality improvement in Iowa. Coordinators meet people where conservation decisions happen – farm fields, dinner tables, and community events – and work hand-in-hand with these d

Water Quality

Kaycie M Waters
May 26, 2023 12:45 PM

Flowers are starting to bloom, trees are leafing out, and the grass is greening up again; Spring has sprung! Many folks like to celebrate the beginning of Spring by spending time in the garden and working to beautify their lawns.

Wildlife

Dr. Adam Janke
May 24, 2023 10:17 AM

Known for singing their own name, the bobwhite quail is an iconic bird in Iowa and the Midwest.

Wildlife

Aaron Steil
May 2, 2023 12:55 PM

No Mow May is a conservation initiative started by the UK-based organization, Plantlife. Over the last couple of years, this effort has gained a lot of attention in the United States.

Wildlife

Nicole E Shimp
April 17, 2023 11:41 AM

The last year was a difficult one for the eastern monarch butterfly, according to a report just released that indicates monarchs occupying forest canopy in their wintering grounds in Mexico decreased by 22%, down from approximately 7 acres in 2021 to a little under 5 ½ acres during the winter of

Wildlife

Dr. Billy Beck
March 31, 2023 9:05 AM

I had seven years of pent-up tree planting desire and it all erupted in spring of 2022. After years of apartment living (as an adult graduate student) and then derecho cleanup, I was finally able to get some trees in the ground at our new place in central Iowa.

Forestry, Planning and Planting

Catherine DeLong
March 16, 2023 3:29 PM

As outdoor temperatures warm and ice begins to thaw, ponds can provide an outdoor retreat for many Iowans. In this article, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach water quality program manager Catherine DeLong discusses best practices when treating or preventing common pond problems.

Fisheries, Water Quality

Liz Ripley
March 6, 2023 9:09 AM

The award-winning Conservation Station educational trailers provided by Water Rocks! and Iowa Learning Farms are now available for request. Both programs are part of Iowa State University Extension and Outreach and are committed to conservation and educating Iowans about water quality.

Water Quality

Julia Baker
February 27, 2023 2:10 PM

As I sat at home watching a webinar in October of 2020 about an Oregon State University Extension and Outreach program that supported female woodland owners through educational and networking opportunities, I thought

Forestry

Catherine DeLong
February 20, 2023 12:46 PM

Last year I invited Dr. Tom Isenhart to speak at a field day about saturated buffers.

Water Quality, Wildlife

Dr. Billy Beck
January 23, 2023 8:44 AM

The Iowa Master Woodland Steward Program (MWSP) is primarily intended to serve woodland owners, stewards, and land managers, but may also be of interest to school teachers, loggers, and government employees.

Forestry

Sarah Hayes
January 9, 2023 1:30 PM

“It’s like weeding your garden,” Billy Beck said. “But instead of throwing the weeds into the yard, you are chopping them up and using them to clean water.” Think of a garden, but bigger.

Forestry, Water Quality

ISU ANR
December 17, 2022 12:00 AM

After graduating from St. Andrew’s University in Scotland with a degree in international relations, Catherine DeLong decided to try something different. For two years, she worked as a ski lift operator in Colorado, and enjoyed spending time outside on a beautiful mountain.

Water Quality

Dr. Steven P Bradbury
December 15, 2022 10:56 AM

When the Iowa Monarch Conservation Consortium was formed seven years ago, Iowa State University researchers faced two big questions about reestablishing the milkweed and other wildflowers needed for the iconic butterfly’s survival: How can

Wildlife

Dr. Adam Janke
November 15, 2022 11:30 AM

White-tailed deer are as synonymous with the ‘acreage living’ experience as fences and ragweed. We find them everywhere in Iowa, thriving in urban forests and remote sections of cropland with little more than a ditch for cover.

Wildlife

Pages

Subscribe to Blog