The Loess Hills in Western Iowa were shaped by wind. It's a rare and rugged landscape that is home to some of the largest tracts of native prairie in the state. On this episode, we learn about the new Loess Hills Hiking Guide, which highlights 20 places to hike and explore. We talk with its creator Seth Brooks of Golden Hills Resource Conservation and Development and Tyler Ruge of Monona County Conservation about why these landforms are so unique and how access has improved. Jason Taylor of the Bur Oak Land Trust also joins us to talk about how prescribed burns have shaped the Loess Hills. Then, he shares some common nature misconceptions.
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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. -
Larger-than-life bison sculptures made of bronze will make a stop at the University of Iowa Museum of Natural History on March 15 as the exhibit heads to Washington, D.C. It's one of several ways Iowa is participating in the 250th anniversary celebration of the U.S. -
Prairie experts Jim Pease and Mark Muller talk about what we can learn from the prairie and the wildlife that live in it.
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Since 2000, a small team at the Iowa Department of Natural Resources has been collecting, cleaning and distributing seeds to reconstruct prairies across the state. One of their longest running partners to help fill orders is Iowa’s Department of Corrections. -
The Mann family in Marshall County has created a lasting legacy by transitioning the family farm to public land, restoring it to its native wetland ecosystem.
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While corn and soybeans dominate the Midwestern landscape today, some farmers are integrating strips of native prairie back into their fields. This conservation practice has expanded to more than a dozen states.
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Justin Roberts didn't set out to be a children's musician, but his tunes and inventive lyrics brought him success and national attention.
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Less than 0.1% of Iowa's tallgrass prairie remains today, which once covered 85% of the state's land prior to European-American settlement.
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Host Charity Nebbe and wildlife biologist Jim Pease observe the prairie chicken mating dance and discuss the species' precarious situation in Iowa on this encore episode.
