History

Our roots have always been dedicated to working locally, for local solutions. while fostering economic development through the restoration and conservation of Iowa’s cultural and natural resources. Our core values guide us to advocate for solutions, educate on ideas that work, collaborate and partner with positive and proactive organizations, assess how we are doing and how to do it better, and finally, to be transparent with our information so that individuals can make the best possible decisions for their lands.

Successes Over the Past 21 Years

• Delivering water quality and healthy soil educational projects by helping landowners, producers, and local government leaders to make a positive change in reducing nutrients and harmful bacteria in our rivers and streams. We wrote the very first grant to begin watershed planning for the Raccoon River Watershed in the early 2000s.

• Partnering with local citizens alongside city, county, and other government officials to preserve and interpret the historic Lincoln Highway National Scenic Byway, and to promote and achieve economic growth in our local communities. Our work on the byway began about 15years ago. (Known then as the Lincoln Highway Heritage Byway). Today, we have over 50 project partners supporting our historic byway.

• Educating landowners, producers, local government officials, businesses, and organizations to install new or improve existing native plantings to create habitat for pollinators and wildlife. We have also supported school gardens, outdoor learning environments, built Iowa oak log cabins in county parks, and supported the statewide Grow Your Small Market Farm business planning program.