(Radio Iowa) – Much of western Iowa was in drought last year and even with a couple of heavy snowstorms already this winter, the drought is expected to continue at least into spring. Dennis Todey, director of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Midwest Climate Hub in Ames, says it’s unlikely things will change soon. Todey says, “While a big snowstorm can provide melt-off and provide surface water, which is a positive, our soils are mainly frozen now so we need to get thawing soils before we can get any kind of precipitation into those soils.”

Todey says scientists are most concerned about the western third to western half of Iowa because the soils are the driest there.  “I would expect it to improve some in the spring,” Todey says. “Will it go away? I have a hard time thinking it’ll go completely away.” The U.S. Drought Monitor report released this week shows western Iowa in a moderate to extreme drought. Since 2018 and 2019 were very wet years for Iowa, the Iowa D-N-R’s Tim Hall says that probably helped get western Iowa through last year’s “harsh, dry conditions.” “I think we didn’t see as significant an impact because of the wetness coming out of the two years leading into this one,” Hall says.

Their comments were part of a drought webinar held by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources and Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship.

(By Katie Peikes, Iowa Public Radio)

(Radio Iowa) – Two northeast Iowa men have pleaded guilty to the illegal taking of wild ginseng on state-managed land in September of last year.  A D-N-R Conservation Officer charged 58-year-old Gregg Latham of Oelwein and 49-year Dustin Millard of Strawberry Point with 112 counts of unlawfully harvesting ginseng on state timberland and other charges. Officers found ginseng roots on the state land and also found more evidence in a search of their homes.

Each pleaded guilty to 24 ginseng violations — along with theft, trespass, and littering. They face some 57-hundred dollars ($5,743.75) in criminal penalties and have to reimburse the state 257-dollars, 81 cents each for their portion of the stolen wild ginseng.

w/Kate Olson.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (6.2MB)

Subscribe: RSS

DES MOINES, Iowa — Officials with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources say a Conservation Officer from northwest Iowa is the first law enforcement officer to die from COVID-19 in the state. KCCI reports Steve Reighard died Friday at about 10 a.m. Reighard began having symptoms of coronavirus before Christmas and was in the hospital for several weeks.

He started his career as a park ranger in 2005 before being promoted in 2012 to a conservation officer. Reighard was described as being well known in the area, and an outstanding officer.

Conservation officers are sworn peace officers just like state troopers and police officers.

w/Kate Olson.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (6.7MB)

Subscribe: RSS

(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa Tourism Office has created a checklist for traveling along Iowa’s 12 scenic byways and the so-called “digital passport” provides some discounts along the way. “As you travel the byways, you can check in at various locations along the way,” says Jessica O’Riley, communications manager for the Iowa Tourism Office. “There’s about 100 different locations along the 12 participating byways. Each check-in gets you entered to win a monthly prize package. Some of the participating locations also offer deals and discounts. Each time you redeem a deal or discounts, that also counts as an entry into the monthly prize package.”

The promotion will last through December 31, 2021, so each month somebody with one of these Scenic Byways Passports will win a prize package worth about two-hundred dollars, including an overnight, stay along one of the byways. The 12 scenic bylaws take travelers to national landmarks, historic sites and local attractions. The best way to see Iowa is to get off the interstates and explore the backroads and uncover those hidden gems in the small towns,” O’Riley says. “The Scenic Byways are a great way to do that.”

O’Riley says the byways also showcase the state’s topography. “A lot of people tend to stay in one corner of the state…If you’re in western Iowa and you can appreciate the Loess Hill, maybe you’ve never seen the Driftless area in northeast Iowa,” O’Riley says. “It’s a great opportunity to get out and really explore our own backyard.” This summer, the state launched a similar digital for the 100th anniversary of the state park system and O’Riley says it was so popular all the prizes were redeemed within the first two weeks. O’Riley’s theory? People like a check-list. “If you show them: ‘Here’s a list of things to do,’ people love checking things off and completing a task,” O’Riley says.

Download the Iowa Scenic Byways Passport here. January’s prize package is from the Iowa Valley Scenic Byway. It includes a one-night stay at the Hotel Millwright in Amana and gift certificates at Amana shops.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A federal judge has rejected Tyson Foods’ efforts to have a lawsuit over the death of an employee in Iowa moved to federal court. The family of Isidro Fernandez sued Tyson over his death April 26 from complications from COVID-19 after working at the company’s plant in Waterloo. The lawsuit was filed in state court but Tyson had sought to have it moved to federal court.

The company argued it was not liable because it was following federal guidance to stay open during the pandemic. A federal judge rejected that argument this week, sending the case back to state court.

You’re invited to join Cass County Conservation (CCC) Staff at Atlantic’s Schildberg Recreation Area- Lake number 4 on Saturday, January 9th, for “Soiree with the Swans.” CCC Staff will be giving ten-minute presentations regarding the Trumpeter Swans every half-hour beginning at 11:00 a.m., with the last one being presented at 2:00 p.m. There will also be time to view the swans through spotting scopes and witness random swan feeding sessions.

Hot chocolate, cookies, and other snacks will be provided free of charge with donations being accepted (for swan care). The Schildberg Recreation Area is located on the northwest edge of Atlantic, Lake 4 is on the north side of Highway 83. Atlantic is celebrating 21 winters of the Trumpeter Swans wintering here.

IF THE WEATHER IS “BAD” OR THE SWANS ARE NOT AT THE PARK…the program will be CANCELLED. This event is being sponsored by the Cass County Conservation Board, Atlantic Parks and Recreation, and the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa has moderate vulnerability to the health impacts of climate change, according to a study from a non-profit, non-partisan health policy, research and advocacy group. Matt McKillop, senior researcher at Trust for America’s Health, says the report found many states are woefully unprepared to protect their residents. “Iowa is in the middle of the pack,” McKillop says, “both from the standpoint of its level of vulnerability and the extent to which it is prepared for the public health impacts of climate change.”

McKillop says climate change is not something looming in the distant future — it’s already here and is a current threat to the health of people in all 50 states. While Iowa is less vulnerable than many other places, he says there are still concerns here. “The impact that residents feel from flooding stood out to us as something the state has to continuously work to prioritize and prepare for,” McKillop says, “and the state has taken a number of steps related to identifying threats that will be felt most acutely in the populations and communities at highest risk.”

The report says Iowa has not laid out specifics on how any intervention methods could be put in place to keep people safe. That’s an area of improvement McKillop says state leaders should focus on. In addition to the derecho that hit Iowa with winds up to 140 miles an hour in August, he notes wide sections of the state were also suffering from drought – both of which likely stem from climate change. “Certainly the extreme heat is a major threat from climate change. That is something that Iowa needs to focus on,” McKillop says. “Other types of impacts include record-breaking storms and wildfires as well as mental illness that can come from these impacts.”

The full report, “Climate Change & Health: Assessing State Preparedness,” is online at https://www.tfah.org/

(Atlantic) – The Cass County Conservation Board (CCCB) is holding a 120 Hours Outdoor Challenge all year long in 2021. The program starts January 1st, 2021 and concludes Jan. 1st, 2022. Explore the natural features Cass county has to offer and more! Outside activities do not have to be done in Cass county, but participants need to be Cass county residents to sign up.

The CCCB encourages you to explore Nature by hiking, birding, walking, but also through meditation or sitting in spots outside. Everything you do outside counts! Why 120 hours? There are studies that show benefits to spending around 2-3 hours outside per week. These benefits include lowering stress levels, decreasing blood pressure, and boosting mental health.

To register, call  769-2372, email to sign up lkanning@casscoia.us, or visit Cass County Conservation on Facebook to register via google form. Please register each person in your household individually, entering the same email for multiple individuals if needed. After you register, you will be emailed a time tracking sheet for each person you’ve registered.

Individuals who reach milestones of 30, 60, 90, and/or 120 hours will be entered into drawings for prizes over the course of the year. In order to be entered for prizes, a photo of your tracker is due on the check-in dates of May 1, September 1, and Jan 1, 2022. Photos of progress at these dates should be emailed to lkanning@casscoia.us. All three check-ins must be completed for grand prize!

Follow Cass County Conservation on social media (Facebook and Instagram @CassCCBIA) for ideas about how to get your house outside every week. You may also use #120hrsCassCoIA as a hashtag for your adventures.