The late Gladys Black, sometimes called “Iowa’s bird lady,” is the subject of an upcoming book by Larry Stone and Jon Stravers. Learn about the book and how you can help support it
NEW! INHF co-sponsors updated prairie guide.
Wildflowers of the Tallgrass Prairie, a popular field guide to prairie wildflowers, is back in print! The text has been slightly updated from the original by the late Sylvan T. Runkel and Dean M. Roosa, and includes all new color photos by Thomas Rosburg. Published by the University of Iowa Press with financial support from the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation, the guide is now available in bookstores and online for $29.95. Get details and ordering info at www.uiowapress.org.
NEW! INHF is now accepting nominations for the 2009 Hagie Heritage Award. This annual award honors Iowans who "have demonstrated an extraordinary personal service and commitment to improving the quality of Iowa's natural enviornment and who encourage others to do the same." All nominees and their nominating organizations receive publicity. The winner also receives a $1000 check and hand-carved sculpture. The nomination process is simple - letters from two people (or more) that explain why this nominee deserves the award. Get award details, links to past winners and nomination tips. The nomination deadline is July 7, 2009.
NEW! With approval of construction bids May 13, work on the final three-mile segment of central Iowa's recreational trail between Ankeny and Woodward is underway and on schedule for a Fall 2010 completion date. With this milestone, the partners unveil the trail's new, "official" name: High Trestle Trail. Read more and see the new tagline and logo.
NEW! Two Knoxville High School seniors, Jay Hoch and Brandon Mayland, have been selected as the 2009 Gladys Black Scholarship recipients. The Gladys Black scholarship is available on a competitive basis each year to students living in Marion County or graduating from a Marion County high school who plan to pursue careers related to conservation or natural resources.
Spots are still available for the June and July sessions of EXPERITORS!, an outdoor education program that connects people to nature. The June session's theme is the summer nighttime sky and the July focus is the magic of the prairie. (The June session is not open to youth.) To register, contact organizer Cindy Findley at 641-420-2462 or timberfin@netins.net. Read the news release. (4/28/09)
Read about the landowners and project gifts recognized at Iowa's first annual Gifts to Iowa's Future Day in April 2009.
INHF is branching out to social networking sites! Become a fan of our Facebook page or follow INHF and IowaTrails on Twitter. These pages are interactive resources for Iowa conservation news, ideas, events and volunteer opportunities. They help environmentally-minded folks connect with each other and with us. (3/24/09)
George and Alliene Schrimper of Iowa City donated a conservation easement on their land in Winneshiek County. The easement helps protect the North Bear Creek watershed to enhance public water quality and recreation, along with wildlife habitat and open space. Read the news release. (2/3/09)
An Allamakee County couple, Lee and Andrea Venteicher of Waukon, donated a conservation easement to protect blufflands in the Yellow River Valley. The easement permanently protects unique northeast Iowa landscapes, wildlife habitat, water quality and scenic beauty. Read the news release. (1/22/09)
Donations for the Ankeny to Woodward recreation trail have exceeded the $550,000 required to secure a pending $1.75 million Vision Iowa grant. The project is proceeding, thanks to widespread support from indivduals, businesses and communities in central Iowa. Read the news release. (12/10/08)
A Lansing man, Doug Mullen, has donated his third conservation easement to protect Mississippi River blufflands. Doug was the first person in Allamakee County to donate a conservation easement to INHF, and his latest donation means that nearly all of his property is protected in perpetuity. Read the news release. (11/17/08)
A new addition to Emmet County's Bur Oak Lake Wildlife Area is open to the public. The acquisition nearly doubles the size of this prime spot for habitat and recreation. The Iowa DNR, which purchased the site from INHF, will restore portions of the land to wetlands and prairie, benefiting water quality and wildlife. Read the news release. (10/28/08)
The latest issue of the INHF magazine, with project news and feature articles, is available online. Our latest Annual Report is also available.
Landowner’s Options, a free land conservation guide published by INHF, won the annual Ada Hayden Conservation Education Award. The guide outlines numerous options for Iowans who are exploring permanent land protection — whether they intend to maintain private ownership or convert it to public use. (4/16/08)
For more information, e-mail Cathy Engstrom, Director of Communications, or call (515) 288-1846.