EDITOR’S NOTE: This press release has been updated from a version published October 7, 2021 to include a recording of the webinar.
AMES, Iowa — The Iowa Learning Farms conservation webinar recorded Oct. 13 at noon features Jake Hansen, water resources bureau chief, Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS). Hansen discusses IDALS programs and projects in the Iowa Water Quality Initiative, including in-field management practices, edge-of-filed practices, and wetland construction and restoration efforts.
In the webinar, “Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship Wetland Initiatives,” Hansen highlights wetland initiatives and funding options available to landowners interested in building or restoring wetlands on their property. IDALS is significantly scaling up efforts to build and restore wetlands because of their effectiveness in intercepting nutrients carried in subsurface tile drainage and improving downstream water quality. With exponential growth in annual funding received by IDALS to provide technical and financial assistance for wetland projects, there is a substantial opportunity to increase the number of wetlands in Iowa.
“IDALS has participated in the construction of more than 100 wetlands over the past 20 years, and we are striving to install the next 100 in a fraction of that time,” said Hansen. “IDALS and the State of Iowa are fully committed to accelerating wetland development as one part of our water quality improvement initiatives. In order to meet our goals, we will need to identify hundreds of sites over the next several years and we welcome inquiries from interested landowners and partners.”
Iowa Learning Farms – October 13, 2021 from ISU CALS ONLINE on Vimeo.
About Iowa Learning Farms:
Established in 2004, Iowa Learning Farms is building a Culture of Conservation by encouraging adoption of conservation practices. Farmers, researchers and ILF team members are working together to identify and implement the best management practices that improve water quality and soil health while remaining profitable. Partners of Iowa Learning Farms include the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, and Iowa Department of Natural Resources, EPA Section 319 Grant Program and GROWMARK, Inc.
— Iowa Learning Farms
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