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Murmurating blackbirds

Nature's Shapeshifters: Bird Murmurations

Turn your eyes toward the sky at dusk, and you just might get to see nature’s shapeshifters: a flock of...
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Topeka Shiner minnow

Risk, Reward, Recovery

Small and unassuming, the Topeka shiner (Notropis topeka) might not immediately catch your eye. Outside of late summer when the...
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Chinese mantis, Larry Reis

Species spotlight: mantids

Once you’ve seen a praying mantis, they won’t be difficult to identify. Named for their apparent piety — the way...
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Photo of Friends of Maquoketa Caves State Park Volunteer group

Inaugural year of the State Parks of Iowa Fund

Since 2017, annual state park visitors have increased by roughly 1.7 million, according to a study done by MSA Professional...
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Cumulus clouds, photo by Larry Reis

Acorn Crew: Clouds

Cumulus clouds form over an Iowa barn, photo by Larry Reis Did you know there are more than 10 different...
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Mississippi River pool by Larry Reis

What's a Watershed

If you live near the Mississippi River, you have probably noted its impressive length, spanning from Minnesota to Louisiana. Less commonly known is how far water has traveled to get to that point. The Mississippi River’s watershed is the biggest in the United States, spanning from the Rockies to the Allegheny Mountains.

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City Escape

When Iowans think of Des Moines, they may picture colorful city buses, popular restaurants or towering buildings. INHF and the...
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Acorn Crew: Water Wonders

Do you enjoy splashing in creeks, floating in the river, or going to the beach? You’re not the only one!...
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State Symbols

All illustrations done by Jordan McDowell, Graphic Design Intern “A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” At...
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Gray partridge photo by Larry Reis

Non-native and invasive. Are they the same thing?

When scientists discuss the environment, they can throw around some confusing lingo. Sometimes it seems as though science has its...
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Ray Hamilton overlooks a prairie at Codfish Hollow Hill Prairie

Becoming the Bison

Ray Hamilton first noticed the strange plant atop the rocky, rolling peaks at Codfish Hollow Hill Prairie, a 60-acre parcel...
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Deeping Roots: Building an Ecosystem

In 1986, Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation (INHF) hired its first intern. At a time when our staff was small but...
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