Posts by Achilles Seastrom

The gray fox is a unique, charismatic animal and they’re native to Iowa, so why have so few Iowans ever seen one?

Agent, your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to save Iowa’s bees. It’s summer. The bees are buzzing about. They pollinate our flowers which makes Iowa beautiful and helps grow our food.

Find out how you can advocate for funding the Natural Resources and Outdoor Recreation Trust Fund. 

Iowans with strong ties to their community are key in an addition to Palisades-Kepler State Park.

Have you ever seen Iowa’s biggest native mammal, the bison? They can be hard to find even though they’re so big. If you visit one of Iowa’s bison herds this year, play this “I Spy” game with your friends and family to spot some of the ways bison keep prairies healthy. If you’re playing along at home, don’t worry! You can still spot parts of Iowa’s native prairies and imagine how a bison would help a prairie grow in your yard.

Despite first appearances, prairies aren’t just made of grass. There’s much more out there on the wide-open plains. Broadly, prairie vegetation falls into four categories: grasses, sedges, rushes, and forbs. So, how do you tell what’s what?

An Iowan sets out to visit every county park in the state

New Klingman Etringer WMA in Clayton County creates more public access and honors family legacy

Spring in Iowa is alive with colors! Birds migrate back and flowers begin to bloom. There’s even fish, bugs, butterflies and colorful tree blooms to find. You have a whole rainbow of colors to explore in Iowa. When you’re walking through your neighborhood, out at the playground or visiting your county and state parks, you can look out for some of these rainbow birds and flowers.

Humans like to toss all kinds of things into our yards for birds to use. Hair from a brush, freshly groomed dog fur, scrap bits of sewing projects, dryer lint. We like to help and we like to think of nestlings cozied up in a soft, warm home, but not everything is as helpful as we’d like.

Since baby birds deserve a soft, warm, and safe nest, it’s important to know what’s safe and what isn’t.

Each spring brings back birds we haven’t seen since they left Iowa last fall. April – May is a great time to watch your backyard, your favorite park or the playground at school for the return of our feathered friends.

Hannah Hageman and Jessica Paul sign on as temporary Field Assistants.