The Iowa Water and Land Legacy (IWiLL) Constitutional Amendment passed in 2010 with 63% of the vote. It was designed to fund a Natural Resources and Outdoor Recreation trust fund, but 16 years later, the trust has never been funded. A new effort to fund the trust is underway. On this episode, we hear from Adam Shirley, CEO of Iowa’s County Conservation System, Anna Gray of the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation, and Lindsay Brice of Audubon Upper Mississippi River. We talk about the strain of stagnant or dwindling funding on county conservation boards and what IWiLL could mean for those programs. Then, we listen back to a conversation about some of the oldest book clubs in Iowa from their members. (Part of this show was originally produced March 31, 2026.)
Rachel Cramer
/
Iowa Public Radio
-
Over the last 20 years, a conservationist in LeClaire has been trying to raise awareness about pesticide damage to his oak trees. He points to herbicide drift from nearby agriculture fields as the source of the problem. -
The Iowa Wildlife Federation promotes the national program, which helps people certify their yards and other outdoor spaces as healthy habitats for local wildlife. -
Gov. Kim Reynolds signed the state’s first so-called Iowa Farm Act, along with the appropriations bill for agriculture and natural resources. The legislation provides more funding for local food and water treatment plants.
-
We can't save the whole world on our own, but we can save our own backyard. 'National Geographic' photographer Joel Sartore has spent his career championing biodiversity and promoting conservation. His Photo Ark project aims to photograph every species living in captivity. So far, he has photographed nearly 18,000 of them. But Joel said he feels just as good about planting prairie in his yard as he feels about his work with 'National Geographic.' In this bonus episode, he shares how everyone can join the conservation team. -
There are a number of nonprofits operating in Iowa that are focused on giving beginning farmers access to land, education and equipment. On this episode, we hear about four of these organizations, and how they've been impacted by the sudden termination of a grant program from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. -
The Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge in Prairie City shared plans to reopen its visitor center, which has been closed for nearly two years due to major damage caused by a severe hailstorm. It's also seeking public input as it reevaluates what educational opportunities it can offer.
-
Bison once dominated North America, with estimates between 30 and 60 million once roaming and shaping the prairies and grasslands. Westward expansion and U.S. policy greatly diminished the species, and by 1870, there were no more bison in the state of Iowa. On this episode, we learn about the keystone species with wildlife experts Jim Pease and Pete Eyheralde, and how the species became a conservation success story. We'll also learn about a herd of 70 bison at the Neil Smith National Wildlife Refuge in Iowa from visitor services manager Nancy Corona.
-
As a federal program that helps school districts buy electric buses is under review, one of Iowa’s largest school systems is putting new EV buses on the road this week. -
According to new DNR reports, raptor surveyors and volunteers documented 58 osprey fledglings and 28 peregrine falcon fledglings in 2025. The positive numbers stem from years-long restoration efforts in Iowa.
