Forestry
Experience Iowa Woodlands
Learn about Iowa’s three million acres of woodlands. Explore and experience woodlands in your community. Engage with fellow woodlands stewards statewide. Your journey begins here!
Forestry Contacts by County
Tree Identification Guide
Identify the most common trees in Iowa from characteristics such as leaves, twigs, fruits, and bark.
Forestry Resources
Recent Forestry Blog Posts
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More than a Pile of Woodchips: The Forest Stewardship-Bioreactor Connection
April 17, 2026Content Author
The Forest-to-Farm effort is an interdisciplinary research-extension effort aimed at increasing denitrifying woodchip bioreactor adoption while simultaneously addressing a range of issues facing Iowa’s woodlands and forest products industry. Started in 2019 as a First Year Honors Mentor Program project (budget of $250), the effort has since expanded to ~$1.5 million through combined funding from the US Forest Service, USDA NIFA, NRCS, and the Iowa Nutrient Research Center – each award focusing on individual, yet interrelated, components of the bioreactor system and woodchip supply chain...
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March 12, 2026Content Author
This past fall, The Iowa Monarch Conservation Consortium partnered with the ISU Windbreak School to host workshops across the state to discuss establishing and managing windbreaks, along with how to enhance these valuable landscape features for monarchs! Watch this short video to hear from the Webster family, one of the hosts for the Windbreak School, about their windbreak journey and what its presence means to them.
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Grow Your Own Mushrooms: Spring Cultivation Workshops
February 24, 2026Content Author
Iowans with an eye for fungi are invited to participate in upcoming Mushroom Cultivation Workshops in central and eastern Iowa this spring. Hosted by Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, the workshops are open to anyone interested in learning how to grow mushrooms at home.
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February 5, 2026Content Author
As winter gradually gives way to spring, a unique and rewarding tradition comes to life: maple sap collection. This practice is a fun way to connect with nature and turns tree sap into a useful kitchen ingredient. Whether you're an experienced syrup maker or just starting, tapping trees and boiling sap can be a fun experience.