Iowa Parks Foundation at the Des Moines Arts Festival

When you travel to Des Moines this weekend be sure to stop by the Des Moines Arts Festival and visit the Iowa Parks Foundation tent on the festival grounds. The Foundation's tent will be in the Prairie Meadows Non-Profit program area st the western end of the festival grounds. Look for us near the Performing Arts Stage west of 15th Street and north of Locust Street.

Youngsters visiting the tent will have the opportunity to create paper mosaics that have a 'What Nature Means to Me' theme. We will take digital photos of the works and will use them as part of our display at the Iowa State Fair in August.

Older children and adults will have the opportunity to record brief video vignettes describing their experiences in State Parks and 'What the natural world means to them'.

It's in the Bag - Litter That Is

The Foundation will also be handing out reusable trash bags during the Festival. These are the same bags that the Iowa State Park staff will be handing out during the holiday weekend to help campers and visitors with the carry in carry out trash policy at state parks.

The bags are approximately 18 x 25 inches and made from recycled plastic. They look like a mesh onion bag and are meant to be reused.

"We're also hoping people will carry the bags with them when they are hiking or strolling around the park and help park staff in keeping the parks litter free," says Jim Lawson, district park supervisor for the DNR.

"Iowa's state parks are feeling the same economic pinch we all are this year," says Gerry Schnepf, executive director of Keep Iowa Beautiful and person behind the free bag idea. "Without their normal seasonal help, it is hard to keep up with general maintenance of the park. We're hoping the bags will help promote good stewardship of not just individual campsites and parks, but the whole state of Iowa."

According to Schnepf, litter costs Iowan's nearly $30 million per year to clean up. "The July 4 holiday is around the corner and maybe someday Iowan's can celebrate our independence from litter," said Schnepf.

The bags were made possible through contributions from Keep Iowa Beautiful, Waste Management, Prairie Meadows, Iowa DNR, Metro Waste Authority, Waste Commission of Scott County, Iowa Society of Solid Waste Operations and the Iowa Parks Foundation.

The reusable bags will also be distributed by DNR waters officers around the state and by the bag sponsors.