National Agriculture Week 2001

Contact:
Jim Pease, Animal Ecology, (515) 294-7429
Susan Thompson, Agriculture Communications, (515) 294-0705

VOLUNTEERISM COMES NATURALLY TO THESE NATURE LOVERS

Editor's Note: Higher resolution images are available. Please contact the Agriculture Communications name listed above. Story County master conservationists learn about the benefits of prairies, then become stewards in preserving them. Photo: Story County Conservation

AMES, Iowa -- The preservation of Iowa's natural resources is the aim of two Iowa State University programs that use volunteers to achieve local goals. The Master Conservationist program, which began in 1997, is modeled after similar ISU Extension programs for gardeners and woodland managers. It includes 32 hours of hands-on educational experiences in topics such as ecological principles and techniques, wildlife diversity, woodlands, prairies and grasslands, wetlands and waterways, and sustainable agriculture. After the training, participants provide 32 hours of volunteer service in a conservation activity. The program is led by extension wildlife specialist Jim Pease. "Master conservationists are people who share an interest in the sustainability of Iowa's natural resources and in becoming better stewards of those resources," says Pease. "For people to make intelligent decisions, they need accurate information. This program provides the information needed to make lifestyle changes that contribute to sustainability." The program was tested in Story County in 1997 and 1998. In 1999, the program was expanded into Cerro Gordo, Iowa, Poweshiek and Webster counties, thanks to a grant from the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture and support from ISU's animal ecology department. Another six counties were added in 2000. So far, 270 people have been trained and thousands of volunteer hours donated. Volunteers have seeded new prairie areas, cleared brush at the Neal Smith Prairie Learning Center and worked at recycling centers. The Iowa NatureMapping program got underway in 1998 to help inventory wildlife. The program is a supplement to the U.S. Geological Survey's Gap Analysis Program, which matches habitat with fauna, identifying habitats devoid of the expected wildlife. Volunteers add a much needed layer of data. "NatureMapping is an excellent way to involve an interested public," Pease says. "This is real science, and participants are contributing good, solid data." Eleven NatureMapping workshops have been held, with 148 people trained in geographic location, sampling techniques and data submission. A Web site makes it possible for volunteers to submit, view and analyze their data, plus data collected by others. Advanced training workshops, plus additional basic workshops, are planned this year. Pease says a major benefit of the two programs is getting people involved. "Once they do that, they gain an ownership in the environment," he says.

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