(Panora, Iowa/Iowa Capital Dispatch) – A science class for middle school students at Panorama Middle School commonly involves a trek out to the prairie behind the school, a sketch of native seeds under the microscope or a homework assignment to track the progress of a backyard bluebird from its birdhouse. Teacher Mark Dorhout created an outdoor education program at the middle school in Panora to “connect (students) to the natural world,” foster environmental stewardship, and give students a real-world application to the science they learn in the classroom.  Dorhout, who has a degree in wildlife and fisheries sciences, spent the majority of his career teaching or administering at middle schools and has been teaching sixth through eighth grade science at Panorama Middle School for four years.  He started the outdoor education program by taking students out to a recently restored prairie behind the school, and using the school’s backyard in his lessons as much as possible.

“This has been a long-standing passion of mine that has become more and more apparent as we move along in this society,” Dorhout said. “And really the main thrust to that is that kids are out less and less into this environment.”  Now the class and its non-traditional classroom has a reputation among the middle schoolers — all of whom will go through the project, make a birdhouse, and get to meet Dorhout’s Labrador retriever, which never misses a field day.  Dorhout said he’s thankful the school district has been very supportive of the program and works with him to supply materials and promote the course in newsletters to parents. “They get it,” Dorhout said of his district. “They understand the value of a program like this.”

Students observe a “pocket prairie” installed by teacher Mark Dorhout who leads an outdoor education program at the middle school in Panora. (Photo courtesy of Mark Dorhout)

Dorhout said the 11-acre prairie behind the school has been there for over 20 years but really fell out of use until seven or so years ago when the local members of the Izaak Walton League worked to “grub out” some of the trees that had overtaken the area, and replant it to prairie. Each grade has a different project. Seventh graders build either a bluebird or a wren box that they take home, hang on a tree, and monitor through the rest of their time in middle school.  “They never knew that there was the whole other thing going on … and then all of a sudden they’ve started paying attention to the birds in the neighborhood,” Dorhout said.  Eighth grade students get to work in the greenhouse as part of their curriculum on genetics and climate change. Last year he added sixth graders to his docket and uses the prairie for their lessons in water quality and chemistry.  Dorhout said going out and conducting water quality tests gives the students a real life application of the chemistry they learn in the classroom.

And all of the students get about 50 field days over the course of their time in middle school. Throughout the program, Dorhout has his students gather seeds, add plants into the prairie and analyze what makes one section of the prairie better than another. All of it leads to pretty “rich conversations” around soil quality and biodiversity. “Kids that you wouldn’t think would like doing prairie work, just totally get into it,” Dorhout said.

Dorhout spoke about his class during a Watershed Talk with the Iowa Division of the Izaak Walton League of America Dec. 17.

(Atlantic, Iowa)  – You are invited to join Cass County Conservation Staff at Atlantic’s Schildberg Recreation Area- Lake number 4 this Saturday, January 4th, 2025 for “Soiree with the Swans.” Conservation staff will be giving ten-minute presentations during the event, with regard to the Trumpeter Swans, every half-hour beginning at 11-a.m., with the last presentation at 2-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 25 winters of the Trumpeter Swans wintering here. The Conservation Department says “This event is not to be missed!”

IF THE WEATHER IS “BAD” OR THE SWANS ARE NOT AT THE PARK…the program will be held at the Atlantic Public Library, from Noon until 1-p.m., Saturday, with hot chocolate, cookies, and other snacks available. The event is sponsored by the Cass County Conservation Board, Atlantic Parks and Recreation, and the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.

(Radio Iowa) – Some Iowa families have a tradition of taking down the Christmas tree tomorrow (Tuesday), on the last day of the year, in order to start the new year out fresh. Horticulturist and extension educator John Fech says don’t just toss the tree to the curb, but find a way to repurpose it. “Recycling it, reusing it, thinking of it again as a resource or an asset,” Fech says. If you’re crafty, trim the branches to make a fragrant sachet, wreath, or garland to enjoy in the weeks ahead. Laying small limbs over tender perennials provides them with some protection against fluctuating winter temperatures. He says a couple of layers of cut stems, applied in a criss-cross fashion, should offer adequate air penetration, yet keep them cool enough to reduce injury from warm and cold cycles.

Fech says mulching is another option. “Do that yourself with a hatchet or you could have it run through a chipper,” Fech says. “Many of the cities do that for their parks and then they use that for trail cover around city parks and hospitals and places like that.” Another idea is to return the tree to the great outdoors for wildlife to use as shelter. He likes to call it tree-cycling. “Also, it could just be songbird habitat,” Fech says. “Set it near the bird feeder so birds have a place to get out of the wind and have a little bit of refuge from predator birds.”

If mulching the entire tree is too much work, just using the needles can be an effective mulch on perennial plants, in your garden, and to keep weeds in check.

(Radio Iowa) – Former Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack — leaving his role as U-S Agriculture Secretary in three weeks — will have the second-longest tenure as the nation’s top ag official.  “It’s been a tremendous honor and privilege to have had nearly 12 years as the secretary of agriculture,” Vilsack said. “It is an extension of work actually that began in a small town in southeast Iowa as a small town lawyer representing farmers during the Farm Crisis. It really sort of gave me a direction to my life which has ultimately ended up with me in this office.” Vilsack grew up on the east coast and, after graduating from law school, Vilsack moved to his wife’s hometown of Mount Pleasant. He was elected as the town’s mayor, then as a state senator before he won two terms as Iowa’s governor. Vilsack was Secretary of Agriculture during the Obama Administration and President Biden asked him to return to the role four years ago.

“As a mayor, as a state senator, as a governor and as secretary I’ve had the opportunity to be involved in, to encourage and support programs that will advance opportunities for farmers, ranchers and producers,” Vilsack says, “because I remember the pain of the Farm Crisis of the ’80s.” Vilsack says one of the highlights of his second run as U-S agriculture secretary has been seeing an uptick in the number of farms in Iowa. “In 1981, during the (Farm) Crisis, we had about 115,000 farms in Iowa,” Vilsack said. “Today we have 86,911 farms according to the census, but that number’s up over a census that was several years ago, so we’re headed in the right direction and I think a lot of it has to policies that we put in place to provide assistance and help, so I feel pretty good about it.” The U-S-D-A conducts a census every five years. The last census in 2022 found the number of farm units in Iowa had increased by about one percent the number of farmers had increased seven percent from 2017.

Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack (photo from Ag Secretary’s office)

Vilsack says the commodity-based system has rewarded size and he’s proud of programs at the U-S-D-A that helped increase the number of Iowa farms operating on fewer than a thousand acres.  “I hope that I’m able to continue focusing on ways in which I can showcase the work of American agriculture, that I can showcase opportunities to expand rural economies and the farm economy to give small and mid-sized producers a chance,” Vilsack said. “I also have been working extraordinarily hard on nutrition and food security issues both domestically and globally.”

Vilsack is not planning to retire. “My hope is I get a chance to figure out ways in which I can continue to make a contribution,” Vilsack says. “I don’t think I’m ready for retirement and I don’t think I’d be very good at it.” Vilsack turned 74 on December 13th.

The only other person who has served longer than Vilsack as the nation’s secretary of agriculture is former Iowa Congressman James “Tama Jim” Wilson. He was ag secretary for 16 years and served three presidents.

DUBUQUE, Iowa (KCRG) – An expert with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources believes black bears could call Iowa home within the next five years. DNR furbearer biologist Vince Evelsizer notes black bears are native to Iowa, but were hunted to extinction in the state in the mid-1800s. The bears are moving southward from Wisconsin and Minnesota, close to northeastern Iowa.

The southward expansion is fueled by the Mississippi River, which Evelsizer says offers a stable habitat for bears. The DNR confirms at least three sightings of black bears in Dubuque County this year with a few unconfirmed reports of the animals this month.

A Black Bear

Iowa State Professor Dr. Mike Rentz, an expert in sustainability and wildlife, says some of the bears will travel long distances to a source of food that they somehow know about at a particular time of the year. He said if black bears do move here permanently, Iowans should take a few precautions, that include not leaving the garbage out., making bird feeders higher, and not leaving dog food outside. Rentz said also, if you see a bear, enjoy the sighting, but use common sense and give it space. Don’t try to get too close.

He notes a good resource on bear safety is bearwise.org.

(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa D-N-R recently awarded 138 Iowa rural fire departments federal grants for specialized equipment to fight wildfires. D-N-R forestry fire supervisor Jason Walker says Iowa fire departments are normally set up to fight structure fires in burning homes or commercial buildings. “And there’s specialized gear that goes along with that, whether it’s a heavy bunker protective equipment they wear, heavy boots, you know things like that, when you are out in the wildland where you may be walking miles at a time, it could become extremely burdensome,” Walker says.

The gear for wildfires is specialized for the challenges they provide. “A wildland fire, we do things a little bit different, where you’ve got a little bit lighter weight, more mobile, personal protective equipment,” he says. “it allows our firemen to be a lot more effective and efficient at moving around. You don’t get so tired so easily. ” Walker says the grants are a good way to help departments be prepared for anything. “Those departments that don’t have a lot of resources or money available to just go out and buy stuff, this helps supplement that, and they’re able to go out and purchase some of that more specialized wildland fire gear, whether it’s pants, shirts, coats, boots or some hand tools, etcetera.” Walker says. “This helps cover half of the cost of some of that stuff .”

Walker says Iowa wildfires are like the ones you might see on T-V in California where they consume, forests, homes and anything in their path. But they are still a concern. “The reality is across the state of Iowa we have a significant amount of opportunity for wildfire, whether it be early season spring grass fires, or, as we’ve seen with more drought conditions, especially this last fall, for a period of time, field fires that may happen with equipment malfunctions, etcetera,” he says. Walker says we saw one of the busier wildfire seasons in Iowa this year. “We had several days with higher temperatures, high winds, low humidities, which combined to be what we would call Red Flag Warning type days,” he says. “Any kind of spark or source of ignition can cause a very significant, catastrophic wildfire across anywhere in rural Iowa.”

The Iowa volunteer fire departments received a total of 416-thousand dollars in grants. In the KJAN listening area, departments receiving the grants include:

Anita, Avoca, Bayard, Clarinda, Creston, De Soto, Dexter, Early, Farragut, Glenwood, Grant, Hamburg, Logan, Oakland, Onawa, Orange City, Quimby, Shelby, Shenandoah, Sidney, Silver City, Stuart, Tabor, Underwood, and Yale.

(Des Moines, Iowa) – Are you ready for a cozy getaway in an Iowa State Park cabin? The Iowa Department of Natural Resources says you can get 20% off your stay with Promo Code Cabin2025 when you book now for the months of January or February 2025. Enjoy the pristine beauty and outdoor fun of winter in an Iowa state park.

This promo applies to the year-round cabins at:

• Backbone State Park (16 cabins, max occupancy from 4 to 9)
• Black Hawk State Park (1 cabin, max occupancy 11)
• Lake Darling State Park (6 cabins, max occupancy 6)
• Lake Wapello State Park (2 cabins, max occupancy from 6 to 10)
• Pine Lake State Park (4 cabins, max occupancy from 4 to 6)
• Union Grove State Park (2 cabins, max occupancy 4 )
• Waubonsie State Park (2 cabins, max occupancy from 6 to 12)

Promo code only can be applied for online reservations for January 1 through February 28, 2025. Note that January 1, 2025 is not an allowed arrival date; reservations may have an arrival date before or after that day. Promo code is good only for the state parks listed. Two-night minimum. Last day to make a reservations is February 20, 2025. Rules and fees apply.

(Des Moines, Iowa) – What are your plans for New Year’s Day 2025? The Iowa Department of Natural Resources says Iowa state parks and forests invite you to enjoy the outdoors and take a hike! More than 40 locations are offering either a guided hike with park staff or a suggested hike to explore on your own. Hikers can expect to be surrounded by the quiet beauty of nature in winter, and experience spectacular views, beautiful settings and the cultural treasures offered by Iowa’s state parks.

Find a First Day Hike near you, here: 2025 First Day Hikes Event List

In southwest Iowa, First Day Hikes are being held at the following locations:

Green Valley State Park
SELF GUIDED HIKE
Parking Location: Southeast parking lot on 140th St for the 5-mile hike on paged trail. OR South Shelter parking lot on 140th Street for 6-mile hike on grass path.
Park Address: 1480 130th St, Creston IA 50801
Description: Enjoy 2.5 miles of paved trail (5 miles round trip) from SE Parking Lot on 140th street to the main boat ramp. Or mowed grass path for three miles (6 miles round trip) from south shelter parking lot on 140th Street to North End of the lake. Dress for the weather.
Contact: (641) 782-5131.

Lake Anita State Park*
10:00 AM
Meeting Location: East side of beach parking lot
Park Address: 55111 750th St, Anita IA 50020
Description: Long Hike, 4 miles – starting at the beach parking lot, we will travel north on the all-weather trail and continue around the lake until we get back to the parking lot. Short Hike, 1.3 miles – starting at the beach parking lot we will travel north until the picnic area and turn back around and head back the way we came until we get back to the parking lot. Both hikes are very scenic and on a paved path through mostly restored prairie. This hike is on a paved trail with some moderate slopes.
Contact: (712) 762-3564

Lake of Three Fires State Park
SELF GUIDED HIKE
Parking Location: When entering the park, turn left. You will find parking available at the boat ramp or at the top of the hill.
Park Address: 2303 Lake Rd, Bedford IA 50833
Description: Start this 1.5-mile hike at the trail head west of the dam. There is a bridge that will cross the spillway. Once across the spillway, keep making left turns and you will find yourself back at on the east side of the dam. Maps at the trail intersections with “you are here” arrows can help you find your current location.
Contact: (712) 523-2700.

Lewis and Clark State Park
SELF GUIDED HIKE
Parking Location: Parking lot for the beach area, which is near the entrance
Park Address: 21914 Park Loop, Onawa IA 51040
Description: Hike 1 mile around the loop along Park Loop Road to get the best the park has to offer, including views of the woods and lake. This trail is flat and paved. Dress for the weather.
Contact: (712) 337-3211.

Prairie Rose State Park*
3:00 PM
Meeting Location: Park Office
Park Address: 680 Road M47, Harlan IA 51537
Description: Join us for a 2-mile hike around the east side of the lake. The Friends of Prairie Rose usually provides hot chocolate and popcorn following the hike. We should see lots of animal signs on this hike. The grass trail is fairly wide and flat, with a few moderate slopes.
Contact: (712) 773-2701.

Springbrook State Park
SELF GUIDED HIKE
Meeting Location: Parking lot above lake OR small parking area near informational kiosk below dam
Park Address: 2437 169th Rd, Guthrie Center IA 50115
Description: This 1.37-mile hike travels around the lake, with optional side trails for those who wish to adventure out. If parking at the dam, walk up the stairs to the boat ramp for the trailhead. If parking above the lake, walk down to the shelter and take the trail to the right. Trail is moderate, but not ADA accessible, and may include stairs and possible areas of ice and snow. Please dress for the weather.
Contact: (641) 747-3591.

Viking Lake State Park
SELF GUIDED HIKE
Parking Location: Go to the extra-vehicle park lot near the campground entrance.
Park Address: 2780 Viking Lake Rd, Stanton IA 51573
Description: Enjoy the 1-mile Burr Oak Trail. This is a grass-mowed path.
Contact: (712) 829-2235.

Waubonsie State Park*
Noon – shelter open for potluck/refreshments. Hike starts at 1:00 PM
Meeting Location: Wa-Shawtee Lodge
Park Address: 2585 Waubonsie Park Rd, Hamburg IA 51640
Description: The 2-mile hike will begin at Wa-Shawtee Lodge and wind off-trail through the woods of Waubonsie State Park and the Militia Hollow Wildlife Management Area. The Friends of Waubonsie will be providing food and beverages before and after the hike. Watch the Friends of Waubonsie Facebook page for cancellation information. The trail is mostly compacted dirt, with some intermittent steep sections and rolling terrain.
Contact: (712) 350-0873.

(Des Moines, Iowa) – The Iowa Department of Natural Resources will release rainbow trout in nine locations across Iowa this winter in areas that would not support them during warmer months. Winter trout stockings are a great place to take kids to catch their first fish. A family-friendly event is paired with some stockings to help anglers have success and fun while fishing. The popular program is supported by the sales of the trout fee. Anglers need a valid fishing license and pay the trout fee to fish for or possess trout. The daily limit is five trout per licensed angler with a possession limit of 10.

Children age 15 or younger can fish for trout with a properly licensed adult, but together, they can only keep one daily limit. Children can pay the trout fee, allowing them to keep their own daily limit.

Winter trout stocking events are dependent on favorable weather and ice conditions. Check the DNR Trout Fishing website at www.iowadnr.gov/trout for possible changes to the schedule.

2025 Winter Community Trout Stocking Schedule

• Jan. 3, Bacon Creek Lake, Sioux City, at 1 p.m.
• Jan. 11, Blue Pit, Mason City, at 11 a.m.
• Jan. 24, Big Lake, Council Bluffs, at 3 p.m.
• Jan. 24, Moorland Pond, Fort Dodge, at Noon
• Feb. 1, Lake Petocka, Bondurant, at Noon
• Feb. 1, Scharnberg Pond, Spencer, at Noon
• Feb. 4, Triumph Park West and East, Waukee, at Noon
• Feb. 4, Terra Lake, Johnston, at Noon
• Feb. 8, Ada Hayden Heritage Park Lake, Ames, at Noon