Iowa school students win conservation grants

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This article was written and posted on INHF's website in May 2003. 

Elementary and high school students across Iowa are taking an active role in conservation with the help of minigrants for nature-based service learning projects.

Minigrant applications were submitted by students from Iowa schools with assistance from their teachers. Of the 35 applicants,15 were approved for 2003 and will receive up to $200 each toward their projects. This funding will be used to purchase materials or equipment for the service learning projects. The minigrants are being offered for the first time through the collaboration of two non-profit organizations. The grants are sponsored and selected by the Iowa Conservation Education Council. The Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation (INHF) funds the grants through endowment proceeds from its Youth Action Endowment Fund.

Kathryn McKim (pictured) and Christine Roller of Monticello High School applied for and received an INHF mini-grant to measure how water quality varied in two different streams at different times of day. (Photo by Christine Roller)

"There was wonderful variety in the applications," said Anita O'Gara, vice president of INHF. "We received everything from second graders' drawings to high school research. It's great to see students of all ages take an interest in their environment and their communities."

Many of the selected projects involved building bird houses or feeders; planting flowers, shrubs or trees; assessing pollution; collecting water quality data; or cleaning up litter.

While most of the projects involve a particular class or group of students, one project involves an entire school, from kindergarten through eighth grade. The students will enhance the entrance to Estherville by placing native grasses, flowers, birdhouses and bat houses around a town welcome sign.

One project will study of the frog population around Decorah to identify deformed frogs. Another project involves designing and building a butterfly garden along the Fogle Lake walking trail, and one entails improving an old railroad trail near Monticello High School.

View the winning project proposals (pdf file).



For more information, e-mail Cathy Engstrom, Director of Communications, or call (515) 288-1846.