Guest Post - I-WILL Vote Yes for Natural Resources Protection

I am writing to alert you that November 2nd, Iowans will have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to significantly increase natural resource funding in our state.

On the back of the ballot is Question 1, known as Iowa's Water and Land Legacy (IWILL), to create a constitutionally-protected Natural Resources and Outdoor Recreation Trust Fund. A small percentage of any future sales tax increase will be dedicated to this fund.


In Missouri, Minnesota and deveral other states, such measures have led to significant increases in natural resource funding and a boom in nature and eco-tourism.


I am voting YES for IWILL, because:

• Iowa ranks 49 out of 50 states in public lands, and 47 out of 50 states in natural resource spending.
• Although our rich soils are the lifeblood of our state, over half our topsoil has already washed away. Iowa is losing a staggering average of five tons of topsoil, per acre, per year.
• Major flood events are increasing, at great human and economic cost.
• We have 500 impaired waterways. Excess nutrients flowing down the Mississippi have created an enormous dead-zone in the Gulf of Mexico.
• Song-bird and other wild-life populations continue in decline as their habitat is degraded.
• Farmers and landowners need assistance in funding additional voluntary conservation measures.
• The state Department of Natural Resources does not have enough resources to adequately maintain our state parks.
• Enhanced REAP funding is needed to fund trails, environmental education, and other outdoor recreation options.
• We need to maintain our agricultural productivity long-term, and create jobs linked to outdoor recreation. The Natural Resources and Outdoor Recreation Trust Fund will provide a permanent and accountable funding mechanism for protection of water quality, conservation of agricultural soils and improvement of natural areas in Iowa, including fish and wildlife habitat.

The next two weeks are crucial! A majority vote is needed to have this measure pass. Please, spread the word to your friends and family and urge them to vote YES for IWILL!

Feel free to forward a linke to this blog to any groups you may belong to.

For more information, see:  http://www.yesiowa.org/

Why do I care?

As board-member of the non-profit Whiterock Conservancy land trust (www.whiterockconservancy.org), and director of a non-profit that promotes small-town vitality (www.creatinggreatplaces.org), I believe that investments in preserving natural resource are vital to our economic future as a state.

Thank you for your time and interest. Feel free to contact me if you would like to discuss this. Also, please let me know if you would prefer to be taken off my email list.

Sincerely,

Rachel Garst

home 712-651-2015 rgarst@netins.net

office 712-999-7031 rachelg@creatinggreatplaces.org