February - April 2017
Prairie Horizons In this issue...
Iowa Invasive Species Conference
By: Amy Yoakum, Natural Resource Specialist
An exciting educational opportunity is coming Public Programs and Events to Iowa in March, 2017. The Iowa Invasive Species Conference is being organized by Iowa Pages 2-5 natural resource professionals with assistance from the Midwest Invasive Plant Network. Conservation Updates The conference will be held at Honey Creek Pages 6-10 Resort and is open for all to attend! The goal is to strengthen the management of invasive Map of SCC Areas species, especially prevention, control, and Page 11 containment. A statewide conference will bring information and resources to invasive species professionals in a social, educational, and professional Calendar of Events format that exists nowhere else in the state of Iowa. At least 200 people are expected to attend including state and federal agency staff, nonprofit Page 12 organizations, university researchers, students, and members of the general public interested in managing the spread of invasive species in Partners Membership Iowa and surrounding states. The preliminary program and registration Page 13 information can be found on the conference website at www.iowainvasives.org. Hope to see you there!
Older, Wiser, Livelier Seniors Page 14
Story County Conservation 56461 180th Street Ames, Iowa 50010 Monday - Friday, 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
515-232-2516 conservation@storycountyiowa.gov
www.storycountyconservation.org
Since 1982, when the Iowa legislature created the Fish and Wildlife Fund Tax Check-off, Iowans have been able to bring a little wildness into the tax season. Affectionately called the Chickadee Check-off, it was created to allow people to make a charitable donation to wildlife conservation in Iowa out of their tax refunds or by tacking a few dollars on to any taxes owed. When filling out the state income tax form, just look for the contribution line (usually somewhere between lines 55-60) and write in any dollar amount next to Fish/Wildlife. All the money contributed helps support the Wildlife Diversity Program at the Iowa DNR. This program has statewide responsibility for all the wildlife that can’t be hunted, fished, or trapped from Peregrine Falcons to Poweshiek Skipperling butterflies. You can learn more about the program on their website: www.iowadnr.gov/wildlifediversity. Please consider donating to the Chickadee Check-off this tax season and supporting wildlife conservation in Iowa!