Protect & RestoreThis article first appeared in INHF's Fall 2008 magazine.
You’ve heard us say it before: The Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation has helped protect more than 100,000 acres throughout our state. This issue of our magazine shows how protection and restoration must go hand-in-hand if we want to ensure healthy lands into the future. The longer I do this work, the more I’m convinced that land protection is less a one-time action than a process – and that process involves active stewardship. For example, you can’t protect a small prairie by simply buying it and putting a fence around it. Without human management, that prairie — though technically protected – eventually degrades and can be lost. On a much larger scale, Stan Buman’s photo essay on the Loess Hills landscape (pages 8-10) illustrates such changes over time. In recognition of the role of restoration and management in protection, INHF has steadily increased our staff and resources devoted to land stewardship. For example, this summer three full-time staff, nine interns and 11 AmeriCorps NCCC members cared for land that INHF owns permanently, that we own temporarily (pending transfer to a public agency), or that we’ve protected through private conservation easements. On the flip side, restoration alone does not assure permanent protection. Many Iowa landowners have devoted their hearts, sweat and treasure to restoring their land. But what happens when they’re no longer here or able to care for their land? Thanks in part to INHF efforts, Iowa just started offering new conservation tax credits (see New Tax Credit Article) to make full protection more affordable for landowners. By supporting INHF, you’re truly protecting Iowa’s natural resources. Thank you for your partnership!
Mark C. Ackelson, For more information, e-mail Cathy Engstrom, Director of Communications, or call (515) 288-1846. © Copyright
2009
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