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A recently-funded study is kicking into high gear this spring, intent on investigating the water quality and quantity impacts of certain woody structures that are all-too-familiar to Iowa landowners—beaver dams.

On December 15th, 2020 the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced that the monarch butterfly is warranted for listing under the Endangered Species Act (ESA).  However, because of on-going work with higher-priority species, the Service precluded issuing an immediate proposed listing rule.

Adam Janke, assistant professor in natural resources ecology and management and extension wildlife specialist at Iowa State University, offers these special tips for getting rid of your live Christmas tree after the holiday season... 

Click here to read the full article on Iowa State University Extension and Outreach News.

Soil and water conservation is critical to the long-term sustainability of Iowa agriculture. Farmers can use a range of soil and water conservation practices to maintain agricultural productivity while minimizing impacts on water and wildlife.

Temperature has a direct effect on fish metabolism, feeding, and survival. No other physical factors affects the development and growth of fish as much as water temperature. Metabolic rates of fish increase rapidly as the temperature rises. Conversely, as temperature decreases, so does the fish’s demand for oxygen and food. Many biological processes, such as spawning and egg hatching, are geared to annual changes in environmental temperature.

Everyone has learned a lot about the spread and control of infectious diseases in 2020. Although the important task at hand is to apply that knowledge in helping our neighbors and family avoid a Covid-19 infection, we would be wise to apply many of these lessons to help white-tailed deer fight a disease of their own.

Iowans will have three in-person and online opportunities to learn about edge-of-field nutrient management practices in early December, with a special focus on projects being done within the South Skunk River Watershed in central Iowa. Practices to be discussed include saturated buffers and bioreactors, their benefits, who is eligible, and funding opportunities.

Iowans can expect next year to be bright and colorful – at least according to the images found within the 2021 Garden Calendar produced by Iowa State University Extension and Outreach. With a theme of Iowa Natives, the new calendar features 12 months of native plants, including bloodroot, bluebells, prairie smoke, bur oak, witch hazel, winterberry, and others.

AMES, Iowa -- Iowa 4-H is partnering with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Agriculture and Natural Resources to bring a new youth program to the state.

Pond owners should use the last warm days of fall to take note of what worked well this year and what they can do to improve next year. “Now is the time to take stock of what went well, what did not go well and think of a management plan for the spring,” said Joe Morris, professor in natural resource ecology and management and extension aquaculture/fisheries specialist at Iowa State University...

Continue reading this article on Iowa State University Extension News

Virtual forestry days will continue to be offered online this fall, with two events scheduled in October. On Oct. 20, Iowans can tune in for the Yellow River State Forest Virtual Field Day, in northeast Iowa, to learn about forest resiliency. A second field day is planned for Oct. 29, known as Touring Iowa’s Forests.

The National Extension Association of Family and Consumer Sciences recently recognized northeast Iowa for outstanding work in environmental education. The Nurturing Nature Explorers in Northeast Iowa Project received first place nationally for environmental education during NEAFCS’s recent annual session, noted Cindy Thompson, human sciences specialist with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach and team coordinator for the project.

A recently published analysis of data on tagged monarch butterflies migrating from the United States to Mexico emphasizes the importance of creating new habitat to ensure the future of the species’ iconic migratory pattern...

Click here to read the rest of this article on Iowa State University News.

New extension publication highlights the importance of forests for birds

August 26, 2020, 11:58 am | Adam Janke

AMES, Iowa – Forests provide critical habitat for Iowa’s wildlife, and that is especially true for birds.

The August 10^th derecho produced devastating impacts to Iowa’s agriculture, infrastructure, and forest resources. Certain regions of Iowa may have dodged the brunt of this event, however, lessons learned from the storm regarding the care and management of trees, windbreaks and woodlands are definitely relevant statewide — Iowa is windy! The storm left many folks saying “my forests and trees are severely damaged, what do I do now?”.

Converting grasslands to pollinator habitat takes a well thought out plan. A new report from Iowa State University Extension and Outreach helps landowners understand the steps involved and the best practices.

The Integrated Pest Management program with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach is providing three new videos on tree pathogens: black knot (apiosporina morbosa), diplodia tip blight and dothistroma needle blight...

Click here to continue reading this article on the Acreage Living Newsletter 

Arguably, the most important innovation in agriculture technology for conservation and farmers in the last 30 years has been the growth and use of spatial data made possible by the Global Positioning Systems (GPS).  Many different types of agricultural data can be captured with pinpoint accuracy but far and away the most actionable information to farmers is the yield of their crops.  Improvements in that technology has provided farmers the information they need to fine tune manageme

In my world, “diversity” often comes with a prefix. I remember learning the word early in my college days, having come to the wildlife ecology discipline not as a woke environmentalist but rather because of an obsession with ducks from a childhood spent hunting them. “Biodiversity” wasn’t exactly something we talked about in the duck blind.

Two new coloring books are now available through the Iowa State University Extension Store. Titled “Bailey the Bee,” and “Ava Visits the Apple Orchard,” these free books offer fun, colorable illustrations, while also telling educational and scientific stories about pollinators and apple orchards...

To continue reading this article on Extension and Outreach News, click here.