tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-62108088299248428792024-03-13T00:51:18.094-05:00Breathing Spaces - Iowa's Places of Natural BeautyThe Iowa Parks Foundation Blog - The Foundation exists to - CONNECT - Iowa’s people and these places of natural beauty - TRANSFORM - these 'Breathing Spaces' for the new century users and - CELEBRATE - Iowa's proud tradition of natural resource conservation and the centennial of Iowa's State Park System.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger135125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6210808829924842879.post-33457439659841867312011-06-21T14:51:00.000-05:002011-06-21T14:51:25.341-05:009th Annual Project AWARE - July 9-16, 2011<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL5cbmZKpU4EPIKgmsXBBX25CLDfn0DYU2sJ5f1BBjzGkO4EqkzkXcanRil-ovxK_iITkP18eSy4h6v6W0eT8hdzefugk7vk1M95Y8ggTSTh0PXWIyPGDdy1aYou6wwLbfJNr7wUiThRU/s1600/project+aware+2011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL5cbmZKpU4EPIKgmsXBBX25CLDfn0DYU2sJ5f1BBjzGkO4EqkzkXcanRil-ovxK_iITkP18eSy4h6v6W0eT8hdzefugk7vk1M95Y8ggTSTh0PXWIyPGDdy1aYou6wwLbfJNr7wUiThRU/s200/project+aware+2011.jpg" width="142" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "lucida grande", tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 14px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">This Friday (June 24th) is the deadline for <a href="http://www.iowaprojectaware.com/">2011 Iowa Project AWARE</a> online registration! Spots may be limited, so sign up now if you want to go on the river cleanup excursion July 9-16th!</span></span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: "lucida grande", tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 14px; text-align: left;"></span></span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><b><a href="http://www.iowaprojectaware.com/">9th Annual Project AWARE</a></b> <br />
July 9-16, 2011 <br />
Little Turkey, Turkey & Volga Rivers </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Project AWARE, which stands for A Watershed Awareness River Expedition, involves hundreds of volunteers who spend their vacations working as aquatic garbage collectors - cleaning up, learning about, and exploring Iowa's rivers.</span><br />
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<tr colspan="2" valign="top"> <td><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;"><b>Turkey River: Paddling and picking up with Project AWARE</b></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><i>Journey vs. Destination</i></span></span></td></tr>
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<tr valign="top"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> </span><td align="left"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> </span><table align="right" border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="0"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> </span><tbody><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> </span>
<tr valign="top"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> </span><td valign="top"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> </span><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="5" style="width: 320px;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> </span><tbody><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> </span>
<tr valign="top"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> </span><td align="left" width="320"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img alt="This map shows the daily paddles for Project AWARE, held July 9 to 16 on the Little Turkey, Turkey and Volga rivers in northeast Iowa. (Courtesy map)" src="http://www.bluffcountryreader.com/SiteImages/Article/36927a.jpg" style="border: 1px solid rgb(119, 119, 119);" title="" width="320" /></span></td></tr>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> </span>
<tr valign="top"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> </span><td align="left" width="320"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> </span><center><span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><b>This map shows the daily paddles for Project AWARE, held July 9 to 16 on the Little Turkey, Turkey and Volga rivers in northeast Iowa. (Courtesy map)</b></span></center></td></tr>
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</tbody></table><a href="mailto:lbrainard@bluffcountrynews.com"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: x-small; text-decoration: none;"><b>By Lisa Brainard</b></span></a><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">In my never-ending quest to find a super-duper trip this year (or five or six - or 26 for that matter) I'm always looking at things on the Internet, as well as picking up area tourism brochures. (Reminder: Look for our own "Destination Bluff Country" guide coming out soon - it's all color and glossy this year!)<br />
<br />
<!-- 1upcrlf2 -->Last weekend I picked up a brochure for Fayette County, Iowa. I spent my years growing up in Fayette and Clayton counties. Well, what before my wondering eyes should appear in that brochure, but a perfect trip opportunity of the type I would enjoy! And perhaps best of all, it's in my "homelands" as I call it; the area where I grew up.<br />
<br />
<!-- 1upcrlf2 -->The <a href="http://www.iowadnr.gov/index.html">Iowa Department of Natural Resources</a> (IaDNR) is offering the 9th annual Project AWARE, a volunteer river cleanup, in the Turkey River watershed July 9 to 16. That includes the Little Turkey, Turkey and Volga Rivers.<br />
<br />
<!-- 1upcrlf2 -->If you're looking for a reasonably priced trip with periods of hard work (but a lot of fun), being on (and in) the water, camping, camaraderie, learning opportunities, sun and (did I mention?) lots of fun, this is it.<br />
<br />
<!-- 1upcrlf2 -->Project AWARE stands for "A Watershed Awareness River Expedition." As the website states, it "involves hundreds of volunteers who spend their vacations working as aquatic garbage collectors - cleaning up, learning about and exploring Iowa's rivers."<br />
<br />
<!-- 1upcrlf2 -->I've learned a bit about conservation work on the Root River watershed here through Fillmore County SWCD, the federal NRCS, Hiawatha Trout Unlimited group's trout stream work, the caving community, state legislative tours and more. It's pretty interesting. Add a paddling cleanup to similar education opportunities offered each day and it should be quite an event for the Turkey River watershed! <br />
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<!-- 1upcrlf2 --><strong>Ties to the Turkey</strong><br />
<!-- 1upcrlf2 -->I'm really tempted to do this. Let's look at my personal history with the Turkey. (Ha, ha... that sounds like I'll be telling tales on an ex, perhaps?!?? Nope, we'll be sticking to the river this time.)<br />
<br />
<!-- 1upcrlf2 -->The Turkey River winds through two of the towns in the Valley Community School District, both Clermont and Elgin. It also runs within a mile, tops, of the high school located between the two towns and from which I graduated. The Volga River runs through the third town of the Valley School district, Wadena (although I understand the portion to be cleaned up is farther downstream).<br />
<br />
<!-- 1upcrlf2 -->The two chances I had to canoe the Turkey were after my junior and senior years of high school. One trip ended up at the imposing, handsome Motor Mill downstream from Elkader. The other was an upstream segment around the village of Eldorado.<br />
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<!-- 1upcrlf2 -->Even longer ago I recall riding horses with my neighbor and friend, Joyce, down to the Turkey in our rural area for a loop trip of 8 miles or so. That was a big time for us on our own.<br />
<br />
<!-- 1upcrlf2 -->The Motor Mill will be a fabulous site to see as it's being repaired and restored. One overnight is scheduled at the Clayton County Conservation Board's primitive campground adjacent to it. (Did I mention also riding horses across the Turkey in that location on a Whistlin' Bit Saddle Club annual fall ride? I remember it was deep enough that water got into my boots.)<br />
<br />
<!-- 1upcrlf2 -->Another Clayton County Conservation campsite will be at the Osborne Park between Elkader and Strawberry Point. I worked there the summer of 1976 as a Youth Conservation Corps (YCC) crew member. That was the summer before my senior year of high school. (Before you do the math, let me state for the record, yes, I'm an old - but active - fogey!)<br />
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<!-- 1upcrlf2 -->Other campsites for Project AWARE include two Fayette County Conservation Board parks. The one at Gouldsburg, south of St. Lucas, is nice.<br />
<br />
<!-- 1upcrlf2 -->Another, which will host two nights of camping during Project AWARE, is the Gilbertson Conservation Education Area near Elgin. It's a lovely area where, back in my school days, our bus would run daily past the property of two Norwegian bachelor farmers (really!), who later donated the land to Fayette County for the park. It includes a nature center and hiking, mountain biking and horseback trails.<br />
<br />
<!-- 1upcrlf2 -->It's all a cozy, contented area of northeast Iowa. I guarantee the folks are friendly and the scenery nice.<br />
<br />
<!-- 1upcrlf2 -->More trip details<br />
<br />
<!-- 1upcrlf2 -->Now that you've humored me by letting me take this stroll (err... paddle?) down memory lane, here are more details on the trip.<br />
<br />
<!-- 1upcrlf2 -->The "registration" fee is the price of meals, which would be $20 a day when all meals are provided or by selecting individual meals priced at breakfast, $5, lunch, $7 and supper, $8. The use of a shuttle to move people and camping gear is highly encouraged at $20 a day on the days it's needed. And that's it, although you may need to come up with a canoe.<br />
<br />
<!-- 1upcrlf2 -->All in all, it sounds like a pretty fun way to spend a vacation - or at least a day or two - to me. For future details - and a lot of informational pages to print out - go to: <!-- 1upcrlf2 --></span><a href="http://www.iowaprojectaware.com/"><span style="font-size: small;">www.iowaprojectaware.com/</span></a><br />
<br />
<!-- 1upcrlf2 --><!-- 1upcrlf2 --><span style="font-size: large;">2011 Project AWARE Schedule </span><br />
<!-- 1upcrlf2 --><span style="font-size: small;">July 9-16 - 88.1 miles - Little Turkey, Turkey & Volga Rivers<br />
<br />
<!-- 1upcrlf2 -->Saturday, July 9 Meet and greet at Gouldsburg Park. <br />
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<!-- 1upcrlf2 -->Sunday, July 10 - 12.8 miles. LITTLE TURKEY RIVER from Gouldsburg Park to Eldorado. Camp at Gouldsburg Park. <br />
<br />
<!-- 1upcrlf2 -->Monday, July 11 - 14.9 miles. TURKEY RIVER from Eldorado to Turkey River Canoe Access. Camp at Gilbertson Conservation Education Area. <br />
<br />
<!-- 1upcrlf2 -->Tuesday, July 12 - 12.3 miles. TURKEY RIVER from Turkey River Canoe Access to Gilbertson Conservation Education Area. Camp at Gilbertson Conservation Education Area <br />
<br />
<!-- 1upcrlf2 -->Wednesday, July 13 - 12.7 miles. TURKEY RIVER from Gilbertson Conservation Education Area to Frieden Park. Camp at Elkader City Park. <br />
<br />
<!-- 1upcrlf2 -->Thursday, July 14 - 13.7 miles. TURKEY RIVER from Frieden Park to Motor Mill. Camp at Motor Mill. <br />
<br />
<!-- 1upcrlf2 -->Friday, July 15 - 12.3 miles. TURKEY RIVER from Motor Mill to Garber. Camp at Osborne Park. <br />
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<!-- 1upcrlf2 -->Saturday, July 16 - 9.4 miles. VOLGA RIVER from Osborne Park to Littleport.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/FOG8nXBR4Rs?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br />
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</tbody> </table>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6210808829924842879.post-59619092469413306022011-06-14T14:08:00.000-05:002011-06-14T14:08:35.742-05:00Remembering Outdoor Experiences on Father’s Day<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Do you recall how you were introduced to nature and outdoor experiences as a child? For many of my generation, the first exploration of nature came as we walked through the wilds with father.</span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "TimesNewRoman\,Bold"; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">As the Father’s Day weekend approaches, I ask you to pause and recall your early experiences exploring the natural world. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Please take a moment and visit the</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><a href="http://www.iaparks.org/">IPF web site</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">to make a</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><a href="https://npo.networkforgood.org/Donate/Donate.aspx?npoSubscriptionId=1001161&%20code=ipf_trackingcode">tax-deductible contribution</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"> through our secure 'Donate Now' service in memory of a loved one who introduced you to the natural world</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">______________________________________________________</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhdjDZp-TfhI4M2j7S-_tBKV1zAnGDQxeniUvxZmsKNjdg01vIUc4APfAn_yGlIm4Cj4DgF2ru_IXoYz-50VGEGX80n1m_NNokpZlC9wRjVrK23Zj8HVyRMKLoYYTHbIB6nsZ3NFzBUyc/s1600/morel_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="131" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhdjDZp-TfhI4M2j7S-_tBKV1zAnGDQxeniUvxZmsKNjdg01vIUc4APfAn_yGlIm4Cj4DgF2ru_IXoYz-50VGEGX80n1m_NNokpZlC9wRjVrK23Zj8HVyRMKLoYYTHbIB6nsZ3NFzBUyc/s200/morel_2.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "TimesNewRoman\,Bold"; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">My early experiences were in far southeast Iowa – lead into the woods by my dad and my uncles. As I recall, </span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "TimesNewRoman\,Bold"; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">on a Saturday morning </span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "TimesNewRoman\,Bold"; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">in the spring</span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "TimesNewRoman\,Bold"; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">, </span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "TimesNewRoman\,Bold"; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">after the snow melted and the woodland floor springs to life</span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "TimesNewRoman\,Bold"; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">, my father would awaken me and announce “Get dressed, we’re heading out for some <a href="http://www.extension.iastate.edu/publications/IAN306.pdf">morels</a>”. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "TimesNewRoman\,Bold"; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">I anticipated these outings as they were among the very few times that Dad and I would be alone together. We packed a light snack, a thermos of milk and hopped in the old ’48 Pontiac. Dad behind the wheel and me in the front seat for a change, we headed either north to <a href="http://www.iowadnr.gov/parks/state_park_list/geode.html">Geode State Park</a> or west to <a href="http://www.iowadnr.gov/parks/state_park_list/lacey_keo.html">Lacey Keosauqua State Park</a>. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">We would begin our hikes off the trails, through the ravines and across the creeks where sunlight would </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">dance on the </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">waters.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> <span class="apple-style-span">Dad always said if I should find dead elm trees and that I’d find mushrooms there - or - that I should look on the east and west slopes of a ditch or stream bank. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">If we were lucky and our </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">walk </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">was </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">at the right time </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">in the </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">spring, </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">we would </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">come home with more than just a </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">pleasant memory</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">. With a little know-how and a lot of luck, my dad o</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">ften bagged </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">the tastiest treat in the woods <a href="http://www.morels.com/blog/?cat=24">— morel mushrooms</a>.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc65g6uE3cy5uX5fMv15c4FX6_1GoWMXQPZOGR86_bDMFo6Jp85zC6RjjwQ49BDOgeEwLnJurP7TiUJXBRNCJVnOy5gLdaL3csQiCnuBuWLZ_EshcixrBJZOWZi5P-cmFHDVgLk5KehB8/s1600/morels.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc65g6uE3cy5uX5fMv15c4FX6_1GoWMXQPZOGR86_bDMFo6Jp85zC6RjjwQ49BDOgeEwLnJurP7TiUJXBRNCJVnOy5gLdaL3csQiCnuBuWLZ_EshcixrBJZOWZi5P-cmFHDVgLk5KehB8/s200/morels.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">From my (four year old) point of view, I was a lousy mushroom spotter as walking in the woods was its own reward. The scent of </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">early spring native flowers </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">and apple blossoms fill</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">ed </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">the air</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> and w</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">ildlife </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">was plentiful. </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">It is perfectly peaceful</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> with the songbirds serenading us throughout our tramp. </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As you can guess I rarely found a morel without the guidance of my father. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Tell Your Story! </span></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Take a moment and share an early experience with nature on the IPF Facebook page. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Thank you! <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><br />
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</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/649GRyECfZc?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><br />
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</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #61636a; font-size: 11px; line-height: 15px;"></span></div><h3 style="font-size: 1.5em; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 15px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><strong><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Fettuccine Alfredo with Morels</span></strong></h3><h3 style="font-size: 1.5em; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 15px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Ingredients</span></h3><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter<br />
1 cup heavy cream<br />
2 tablespoons Cognac<br />
1 1/4 pounds fresh morels, rinsed, drained, and patted dry, or 1/4 pound dried, soaked, drained, and patted dry<br />
1fettuccine<br />
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan plus, if desired, additional as an accompaniment</span></span><br />
<h3 style="font-size: 1.5em; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 15px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Preparation</span></h3><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">In a skillet melt 2 tablespoons of the butter over moderately low heat, add the cream, the Cognac, and salt and pepper to taste, and bring the mixture to a boil. Add the morels, simmer them, covered, for 10 minutes, and keep the mixture warm. In a kettle of boiling salted water cook the <em>porcini</em> fettuccine and the scallion fettuccine for 3 minutes, or until it is <em>al dente</em>. While the pasta is cooking, in a large deep skillet melt the remaining 6 tablespoons butter over low heat. Drain the pasta, add it to the large skillet, and toss it with the butter, lifting the strands. Add the morel mixture, 1/2 cup of the Parmesan, and pepper to taste and toss the mixture well. (Alternatively, the 2 kinds of fettuccine may be cooked and sauced separately.) Serve the pasta </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande', Verdana, Arial, sans-serif;">on heated plates with the additional Parmesan.</span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6210808829924842879.post-20338929865054679372011-05-23T10:14:00.000-05:002011-05-23T10:14:20.763-05:00Water Quality Monitoring Begins at State Park Beaches<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL3QHRuqnB3I1DjJ7HLFTKjKvp93dR6L3JucfBzWecmeQgg63PugU1Vq8jqg_pD4Osxu4IZHrF7FawvtrfBk5hiaztLFR_ZN9aobxsaqXOi354QO8QhjLIGp7bDy7tckfMz32TC9HloaM/s1600/ahquabibeach.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL3QHRuqnB3I1DjJ7HLFTKjKvp93dR6L3JucfBzWecmeQgg63PugU1Vq8jqg_pD4Osxu4IZHrF7FawvtrfBk5hiaztLFR_ZN9aobxsaqXOi354QO8QhjLIGp7bDy7tckfMz32TC9HloaM/s1600/ahquabibeach.jpg" /></a></div>Summer is just around the corner, which for many means enjoying warm, sunny days at Iowa's state park beaches. The <a href="http://www.iowadnr.gov/">DNR</a> will once again monitor and report on the water quality of these beaches to safeguard public health and enhance understanding of water quality.<br />
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Monitoring at all 38 state park beaches begins today (May 23) and will continue into September. Beach water samples are compared to water quality standards to determine the risk of waterborne illnesses for swimmers. All state park beaches will be monitored at least once per week.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIysaUhKDxnc1Sm65jBg9cFZcpl-b-r93J2L1NQ_ZhcCOGAHSkELy_UEp8JTqJmFW-kdS2PqRAWZ2hZuQfie1P7L3fQh8nBjQXTEQJUKGtqxWoyb8Fi5xUZ61jrI1YLm9YsnXHYadBVow/s1600/beach-575.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIysaUhKDxnc1Sm65jBg9cFZcpl-b-r93J2L1NQ_ZhcCOGAHSkELy_UEp8JTqJmFW-kdS2PqRAWZ2hZuQfie1P7L3fQh8nBjQXTEQJUKGtqxWoyb8Fi5xUZ61jrI1YLm9YsnXHYadBVow/s200/beach-575.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br />
Iowans and visitors can find weekly results on the <a href="http://www.iowadnr.gov/">DNR website</a> at <a href="http://www.iowadnr.gov/">www.iowadnr.gov</a> by clicking on <a href="http://www.igsb.uiowa.edu/wqm/activities/beach/beach.htm">Beach Monitoring</a>. Choosing <a href="http://www.igsb.uiowa.edu/wqm/beaches/BeachMapState.htm">State Park Beaches</a> under the Beach Monitoring Results heading will bring up a page that graphically displays the current advisory status at beaches throughout the state. <br />
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Clicking on the icon over each beach will open a window containing more detailed water quality information. Beachgoers can also get up-to-date advisory information by calling the Iowa Beach Hotline at 319- 353- 2613.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6210808829924842879.post-41293881248322222772011-05-20T09:58:00.000-05:002011-05-20T09:58:35.988-05:00Will You Be Camping on Memorial Day Weekend?<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">Memorial Day Camping Checklist</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The first major camping holiday is right around the corner and many campgrounds have already been booked months in advance. Memorial Day weekend always seems to kick off the summer and camping season. The weather is warming up, and the spring rains have produced every shade of emerald across the landscape. </span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7BXFtJWdTgpmTgg6ga4S22-lkJtbq1ugPTibCip0mO99oHVWyhJdhawpGqVz8h-P39kthUTLZ7jFyY8rf24aO-4QXJRty1SWnf2oCf48sHo0sFefa8L4kfMuD2TWl3R5IP6T6G4gUxb4/s1600/MemorialDay.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7BXFtJWdTgpmTgg6ga4S22-lkJtbq1ugPTibCip0mO99oHVWyhJdhawpGqVz8h-P39kthUTLZ7jFyY8rf24aO-4QXJRty1SWnf2oCf48sHo0sFefa8L4kfMuD2TWl3R5IP6T6G4gUxb4/s1600/MemorialDay.jpg" /></a><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><strong>1. <a href="http://www.iowadnr.gov/parks/state_park_list/index.html">Selecting Your Campground:</a></strong><br />
Memorial Day Camping is very popular across the state which usually leads crowded campgrounds. Depending on the type of experience that you are looking for, now would be a great time to learn more about the various campgrounds in your area or the area where you will be traveling to. Campground amenities vary quite a bit from site to site, and generally the campgrounds with more amenities tend to be more popular. Beach Campgrounds, including sites on lakes and rivers are always popular Memorial Day Camping spots.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">If you are looking to avoid some of the Memorial Day crowds, take a look at some of the less popular campground with the same area. From my experience Forestry sites are not as popular as <a href="http://www.iowadnr.gov/parks/state_park_list/index.html">State Park Campgrounds</a>, <a href="http://www.mycountyparks.com/">County Park Campgrounds</a> or Private Campgrounds, while offering similar amenities and the same <a href="http://www.traveliowa.com/">area attractions</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><strong>2. <a href="http://iowastateparks.reserveamerica.com/">Make a Reservation</a></strong>Sometime selecting the campground isn’t the tough part. Often it’s getting and reserving your favorite campsite. You know the one thats close to the bathrooms, but far enough that you don’t smell them. These campsites tend to get reserved quickly and well in advance. If you haven’t reserved a site by now there is a good chance its already spoken for, but double check the campground reservations to be 100% sure. As Memorial Day weekend approaches many campers release their reservations so new sites are frequently becoming available. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">First come first serve sites are great for weekends like Memorial Day weekends. Because there’s no reservation in place, you can often claim popular sites by arriving at empty site early in the morning, or perhaps the night before. Both great first come first serve techniques. If you do find a spot, be sure to throw down some gear, or leave a person behind while another visits the campground host or park entrance to pay for the site.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><strong>3. Check Your Gear</strong><br />
There’s a good chance that this is the first time you’ll be camping this year. Before you get out to the campsite to discover half of the tent stakes are missing, lighter is empty or batteries dead, check it all out. We usually pull out the tent and give it a good cleaning and shake off any dust that may of settled. We also like to clean the sleeping bags, cloths, and towels. Pull out your master camping list and ensure everything that you take is in working order.</span> <br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Near Capacity Campgrounds Expected for Memorial Day Weekend</span></b> </span><br />
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<a href="http://www.exploreiowaparks.com/"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Iowa State Parks</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> will be filled to near capacity for the Memorial Day weekend as many of the reservable campsites were snapped up in late February. Campers who are still looking for a site should <a href="http://www.iowadnr.gov/parks/state_park_list/index.html">call the park</a> early to see if any walk-up sites are available. </span><br />
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<a href="mailto:Kevin.Szcodronski@dnr.iowa.gov"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Kevin Szcodronski</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">, chief of the </span><a href="http://www.exploreiowaparks.com/"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">State Parks Bureau</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, said his staff is been busy preparing parks for the first major holiday of the season. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">"It seems like there is never enough time in the day to get all the work done to prepare for the first holiday, but we have a dedicated staff who put in the time, love what they do, and know many of their campers by name," Szcodronski said. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Campers will begin arriving a few days ahead of the holiday until the parks fill to capacity on Friday evening. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">"We are going to be full," Szcodronski said. "We like to remind our campers to be respectful of each other, be patient, pick-up after yourself and to help us maintain the park by leaving the site in as good of shape or better then you found it." </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">He also suggested using the full campground as an opportunity to reach out to the new neighbors and make new friends. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">"Try something new and different this year. Visit with campers on a neighboring site, enjoy the natural beauty, go on a nature hike and see the wildlife or the scenic vista along the trail. Challenge yourself to find something new," he said. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Memorial Day weekend weather can be unpredictable so campers should make plans in case of rain. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">For information on Iowa State Parks, go to </span><a href="http://parks.iowadnr.gov/"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">http://parks.iowadnr.gov</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><b>Parks Dos and Don'ts</b> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><b>Don't</b> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">… bring fireworks </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">… burn trash </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><b>Do</b> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">… bring fishing poles </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">… observe quiet hours </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">… pick up after yourself </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">… bring a first aid kit and sunscreen </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span><b><a href="http://www.iowadnr.gov/forestry/eab/files/firewoodlaw.pdf"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">New Firewood Rules</span></a></b><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Beginning Jan. 1, the </span><a href="http://www.iowaagriculture.gov/"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> has required all firewood sold or acquired in Iowa to have the county and state of harvest location on the label of packages and the delivery ticket for bulk firewood. The rules were added to prevent the spread of invasive species. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The rules only apply to firewood sold and acquired in Iowa. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The rule also requires the Iowa DNR to collect firewood from campers that does not have a label. </span><br />
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<b><a href="http://www.iowadnr.gov/parks/construction/construction.html"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Campgrounds Closed for Construction:</span></a></b><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<a href="http://www.iowadnr.gov/parks/state_park_list/lake_darling.html"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Lake Darling</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<a href="http://www.iowadnr.gov/parks/state_park_list/union_grove.html"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Union Grove</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><b>Parks Closed due to Flooding:</b> </span><br />
<a href="http://www.iowadnr.gov/parks/state_park_list/wilson_island.html"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Wilson Island</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> </span><br />
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<a href="https://npo.networkforgood.org/Donate/Donate.aspx?npoSubscriptionId=1001161& code=ipf_trackingcode">https://npo.networkforgood.org/Donate/Donate.aspx?npoSubscriptionId=1001161& code=ipf_trackingcode</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6210808829924842879.post-85591989319171614802011-05-14T10:20:00.002-05:002011-05-14T10:31:47.306-05:00OUTDOOR JOURNEY FOR GIRLS PROGRAM GEARING UP FOR ANOTHER REWARDING RUN<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=6210808829924842879&postID=8559198931917161480" name="top"></a></span></div><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody>
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<center><span class="pageheader" style="color: black; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Outdoor Journey for Girls</span><br />
An Outdoor skills camp for girls 12-15</center></td></tr>
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</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV9QgPf-fvYLqN8F5jKuv1tRJYuT985c1pSLvL3k6GRy1AllPZkvDgej5tPr_sH-T-2w3eStlusYNJ64KSxzBLCUkc1ybqYe8lI7aERO1FqvUd3w8NLfQyieC0kKzCOHNnMvKk2EH49D0/s1600/girls+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV9QgPf-fvYLqN8F5jKuv1tRJYuT985c1pSLvL3k6GRy1AllPZkvDgej5tPr_sH-T-2w3eStlusYNJ64KSxzBLCUkc1ybqYe8lI7aERO1FqvUd3w8NLfQyieC0kKzCOHNnMvKk2EH49D0/s200/girls+%25281%2529.jpg" width="174" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.iowadnr.gov/oj/index.html"><br />
Iowa’s Outdoor Journey for Girls </a>(OJ) camp introduces outdoor skills to 12 to 15 year old girls of all backgrounds and knowledge levels where they have an opportunity to try things hands-on under the watchful eye of trained instructors. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The three day, two night workshop teaches a variety of outdoor skills, including canoeing, orienteering, fishing, archery, shooting rifles/shotguns, conservation, water safety, camping, game care, fur harvesting, fish identification and fish cleaning and cooking. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The second day is devoted to certifying the girls in <a href="http://www.iowadnr.gov/law/hunter/index.html">Iowa’s hunter education program.</a><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The experiences at OJ can form a common bond between campers. <a href="mailto:Megan.Wisecup@dnr.iowa.gov">Megan Wisecup </a>with the <a href="http://www.iowadnr.gov/law/index.html">Iowa Department of Natural Resources Law Enforcement Bureau</a> who coordinates the camp said it is common for some of the girls to keep in touch for a few years after the camp. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">“The girls really seem to form a bond rather quickly with other campers in their cabin, which is nice because many are a little nervous heading in to the camp,” Wisecup said. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Campers are encouraged to contact their local <a href="http://www.pheasantsforever.org/">Pheasants Forever</a> chapter to see if they have any scholarships available to pay for registration. Other organizations provide scholarships, as well. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The 2011 camps are scheduled for June 15 to 17 at <a href="http://www.iowadnr.gov/springbrook/index.html">Springbrook Conservation Education Center</a>, near Guthrie Center, July 12 to 14 at<a href="http://www.mycountyparks.com/County/Black-Hawk/Park/Hickory-Hills-Park.aspx"> Black Hawk County’s Hickory Hills Park,</a> and Aug. 3 to 5 at Springbrook. The July and August camps fill rather quickly so early registration is encouraged. More information is available on the web at <a href="http://www.iowadnr.gov/oj/index.html">http://www.iowadnr.gov/oj/index.html</a> <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Outdoor Journey for Girls began in 1993 with the purpose of offering girls a similar experience to outdoor camps already in place for boys, and so far, more than 2,000 girls have gone through the camp.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Iowa’s Outdoor Journey for Girls has been featured in Newsweek and Pheasants Forever magazines, across the state and country on television (including Nickelodeon), and in newspapers. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">OJ instructors are Iowa DNR conservation officers and biologists, County Conservation Board naturalists, and representatives from other agencies like the <a href="http://www.ia.nrcs.usda.gov/">Natural Resources Conservation Service</a> and Iowa State University. Many of the presenters are <a href="http://www.iwinr.com/">women professionals in natural resources</a>, including several conservation officers from the DNR’s Law Enforcement Bureau’s who instruct annually at the program.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">For information on the workshop, in <b>southwest</b> Iowa, contact Shawnel Richter at 712-249-2844. In the <b>Dubuque</b> and <b>Bellevue</b> area, contact Stephanie Penniston at 563-340-4528. In <b>Waterloo</b>, contact Lori Eberhard at 319-269-6705. In <b>northwest</b> Iowa, contact Ginger Walker at 712-225-6709. In <b>southeast</b> Iowa, contact Jackie Gautsch at 319-205-8501. In <b>central</b> Iowa, contact Rhonda Fowler at 515-205-8709.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.iowadnr.gov/oj/files/faq.pdf">Frequently Asked Questions </a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.iowadnr.gov/oj/files/ojbrochure.pdf">OJ for Girls Brochure</a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><a href="http://www.iowadnr.gov/oj/files/oj_flyer.pdf"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">OJ for Girls Flyer </span></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/iowadnr/sets/72157620405099952/">Check out the Flickr Page for lots of photos</a> </span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6210808829924842879.post-9590054279985861732011-05-07T08:21:00.000-05:002011-05-07T08:21:03.467-05:00CAMPING CUTS: It's the third year in a row of cuts for Iowa State Parks<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><strong>From WHO Channel 13 - Des Moines</strong></span> <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxcCl32y2ABY808U5t34saHC8odZwsexlwdHivwc1q8pKp8VJxnJNr02efRSVvtvIaZANzqopq7GpABBm8s8g' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6210808829924842879.post-54462077443348784242011-05-06T08:36:00.000-05:002011-05-06T08:36:48.041-05:00Camping Kickoff Weekend Begins Today<div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px; color: #30363f; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">It’s time to open up the camper or air out the tent and get ready for a season of relaxation and fun in Iowa’s state parks. Today begins the season's Camping Kickoff Weekend - Friday, Saturday and Sunday. </span></div><div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px; color: #30363f; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px; color: #30363f; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">A little pre-season work goes a long way to making a camping trip more enjoyable. Check out some of the camping video's on the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Des-Moines-IA/Iowa-Parks-Foundation/160851674918">IPF Facebook page</a> for some basic 'getting started' tips for new campers. </span></div><div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px; color: #30363f; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px; color: #30363f; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Putting up the tent to check for leaks and minor repairs, making sure sleeping bags are free of holes, inventorying kitchen utensils and restocking dry goods are all important. Preparation for an RV or camper owner may be a little more involved — making sure gas lines are in working order; the water system is sanitized and leak-free; batteries are fresh or charged; blocks, jacks and hitches are operational.</span></div><div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px; color: #30363f; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px; color: #30363f; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">And doing a little research on new outdoor recipes can be fun whether you tent camp or us an RV. A number of helpful camping tips, recipes and checklists can be found at<a href="http://www.exploreiowaparks.com/" style="color: #003399; text-decoration: underline;">www.exploreiowaparks.com.</a></span></div><div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px; color: #30363f; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px; color: #30363f; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Upgrades were made earlier this year to the <a href="http://iowastateparks.reserveamerica.com/">state parks’ reservation system</a>, including a new website. Campsite — as well as cabin, shelter and lodge reservations — can now be made <a href="http://iowastateparks.reserveamerica.com/">on-line</a> or by calling (877) 427-2757 between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. Monday through Friday or from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.</span></div><div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px; color: #30363f; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px; color: #30363f; margin-top: 0px;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b>Some State Park Facilities Not Available</b><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">A water leak in the campground at <a href="http://www.iowadnr.gov/parks/state_park_list/emerson.html">Emerson Bay State Park </a>on the shores of West Okoboji Lake will likely cause the water to be shut off for the two shower buildings and to the restroom serving the popular boat ramp. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Water will still be available from the water hydrants throughout the campground, the modern restroom and to the dump station.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="mailto:frank.rickerl@dnr.iowa.gov">Frank Rickerl</a>, northwest district state parks supervisor for the <a href="http://www.iowadnr.gov/index.html">Iowa DNR</a>, said they are in the process of notifying the campers with reservations and providing them with some alternatives. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">"They can stay here and use the shower facilities at Gull Point, we can transfer their reservation to another park or refund their money," Rickerl said. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">In addition to being camper kickoff weekend across the state, Saturday is the opening of walleye season at the <a href="http://www.vacationokoboji.com/">Iowa Great Lakes</a> which draws additional campers to the region.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b>Other parks across the state will have features that will not be available.</b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">At <a href="http://www.iowadnr.com/parks/state_park_list/ledges.html">Ledges State Park</a>, the Canyon Road and Lower Ledges Road will remain closed to vehicle traffic this spring due to ongoing flood clean-up and repair. Park visitors are welcome to hike into these areas, but vehicles are not permitted at this time.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.iowadnr.gov/parks/state_park_list/wilson_island.html">Wilson Island State Recreation Area</a> is closed due to flooding from the rising Missouri River. If conditions improve and the campground can be reopened, campsites will only be available on a first come basis for the rest of the year.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Campgrounds and cabins at <a href="http://www.iowadnr.gov/parks/state_park_list/lake_darling.html?pagewanted=all">Lake Darling</a> and the campground at <a href="http://www.iowadnr.gov/parks/state_park_list/union_grove.html">Union Grove</a> state parks will be closed all year for a campground renovation.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The caves at <a href="http://www.iowadnr.gov/parks/state_park_list/maquoketa_caves.html">Maquoketa Caves State Park </a>are closed to prevent the spread of white nosed bat disease. Other features of the park and the campground remain open.<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px; color: #30363f; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div>The beach at <a href="http://www.iowadnr.gov/parks/state_park_list/george_wyth.html">George Wyth State Park </a>has been closed since damaged from the flooding in 2008. The DNR is working with Federal Emergency Management Agency [FEMA] officials to raise the dike, change the access to the concession, upgrade the transformer and lift station, and other landscaping.</span></span><br />
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</span></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6210808829924842879.post-50475537929864881292011-05-04T11:10:00.000-05:002011-05-04T11:10:07.956-05:00John Crompton will speak twice in Des Moines this week.<a href="http://www.rpts.tamu.edu/faculty/crompton.shtml"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Dr. John Crompton</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">, a professor of recreation, park and tourism sciences from </span><a href="http://www.tamu.edu/"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Texas A&M University</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">, will speak in Des Moines this week during programs sponsored by <a href="http://www.iaparks.org/">Friends of Des Moines Parks</a>, a nonprofit organization that advocates and raises money for city parks and recreation programs. Dr. Cronpton is the most published scholar in the history of the fields of tourism and parks and recreation. </span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Dr. Crompton will discuss how parks and recreation benefit communities through reduced health care costs and juvenile crime, increased property values and economic development, and stronger civic responsibility. <span class="goog_qs-tidbit goog_qs-tidbit-0">Dr. Crompton is known worldwide for his work on marketing and financing of parks and recreation,</span> especially during times of difficult financial restraints. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Dr. Crompton is an energetic speaker who inspires and educates his audience. Come hear him describe how parks and recreation can benefit the community by: <br />
• Reducing health care costs <br />
• Alleviating juvenile crime <br />
• Improving community cohesion <br />
• Promoting economic development <br />
• Raising property values, and <br />
• Encouraging civic responsibility <br />
<br />
Dr. Crompton’s message is especially relevant to the <a href="http://www.iaparks.org/">Iowa Parks Foundation</a> and its members who are exploring the transformation of State Parks and other places of natural beauty across the state. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">IPF collaborative efforts in Central Iowa include creation of a sustainable greenways system of the Des Moines and Raccoon Rivers. This greenway will preserve, protect, and enhance the environment, improve water quality, enable alternative transportation options, promote fun and healthy lifestyles, and foster community and economic vitality through regional cooperation.<br />
<br />
The IPF is an active member of the Central Iowa GreenwaysTask Force which represents 35 organizations and 63 individuals. Task Force meetings, open to the public, are held every other month. Participation by all interested parties is encouraged. Dr. Crompton’s message will support the economic and cultural rational behind this planning process. <br />
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Free tickets remain available for Dr. Crompton's 12:15 p.m. presentation on Friday at <a href="http://www.iowaeventscenter.com/">Hy-Vee Hall, 730 Third St</a>. Tickets are required for attendance. Reservations and complimentary tickets are available by contacting Rebecca Linhart at 237-1403 or via email at </span><a href="mailto:rjlinhart@dmgov.org"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">rjlinhart@dmgov.org</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">For those who can't make the presentations - check out the first part of Dr. Crompton's presentation to the American Recreation Association. </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/AIj1Mj8PJU4?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6210808829924842879.post-39171848510213182952011-04-28T11:52:00.002-05:002011-04-28T12:16:22.058-05:00High Trestle Trail - Ribbon Cutting - Ready For Action<span style="color: #603913; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Wow! Our new neighbor, the <a href="http://www.inhf.org/trails/high_trestle_trail/hightrestletrail.htm">High Trestle Trail</a>, with its amazing half-mile long bridge that is 13 stories high, is even better than people were saying it’s going to be. Dignitaries and the media got a preview of it on Wednesday, and a huge turnout from the public is expected <a href="http://www.inhf.org/trails/high_trestle_trail/hightrestletrail.htm">Saturday for the opening “Grand Celebration.”</a> </span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<strong><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">By </span><a href="mailto:chuck@offenburger.com"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">CHUCK OFFENBURGER</span></a></strong><br />
<div class="mct" sizcache="9" sizset="12"><strong><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Board member, RRVT Association</span></strong><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><strong>MADRID, Iowa, April 27, 2011 — </strong>We’ve now had our first look at the brand new 25-mile-long “High Trestle Trail” and its already-legendary ”Art Bridge” that is a half-mile long and 13 stories high.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">It’s as good as they were saying it was going to be. Maybe better.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">“This is something I’m going to look forward to, riding my bicycle on this trail and across this bridge,” said <a href="http://www.governor.iowa.gov/">Governor Terry Branstad</a>, who reminded the crowd at a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Wednesday, April 27, that he and First Lady Chris Branstad own a home eight miles north of the trail. “And I’m sure my children and grandchildren will want to ride it, too, as well as people coming from across the nation.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">“I love it!” said <a href="http://ltgovernor.iowa.gov/">Lieutenant Governor Kim Reynolds</a>. “This is another great example of big things happening in small places.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> </span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM0L8scjEReLGV1ToNh_Xc6PrtlknwP30wAp9RajGHhTMvJGAK6myqvGmHofutxlCOUkklECx2VzKwXkIzFqSKkdVVjSx3PHRtcjX_G5PcDrYh2-N7Wrm_hMu8yT9SRjP_gva0E1CEpw8/s400/Ribbon-Cutting2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Governor Terry Branstad, Lieutenant Governor Kim Reynolds, Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation President Mark Ackelson, U.S. Congressman Leonard Boswell and other dignitaries gathered Wednesday, April 27, at the west end of the “Art Bridge” on the brand new High Trestle Trail for a ribbon cutting and formal opening. A “Grand Celebration” of the opening is scheduled in all the towns on Saturday, April 30</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM0L8scjEReLGV1ToNh_Xc6PrtlknwP30wAp9RajGHhTMvJGAK6myqvGmHofutxlCOUkklECx2VzKwXkIzFqSKkdVVjSx3PHRtcjX_G5PcDrYh2-N7Wrm_hMu8yT9SRjP_gva0E1CEpw8/s1600/Ribbon-Cutting2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">“It’s been a $15 million project,” said Mark Ackelson, president of the<a href="http://www.inhf.org/"> Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation</a>, which led the development, fundraising and promotion of the new trail. “That’s quite a price. But when you think about all the wonderful experiences that our families, friends and visitors from across the nation are going to have out here, it’s really a priceless project.” He noted that 80 percent of the cost was covered by 18 different public grants.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.boswell.house.gov/">Congressman Leonard Boswell</a> said he looks forward to riding his bicycle on the trail, too, and he told about how in recent years, he has flown an airplane up the river valley many times to monitor the project. “This is a natural, just what we need,” Boswell said. “People across the United States know Iowa for RAGBRAI, which is tremendous, but I tell people to come to Iowa a week early, or stay afterward, and ride our recreational trails. I see this and it makes me look forward to our next (trail) project. Let’s just keep on going.” </span><br />
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<a href="http://raccoonrivervalleytrail.org/2011/04/wow-our-new-neighbor-the-high-trestle-trail-with-its-amazing-half-mile-long-bridge-that-is-13-stories-high-is-even-better-than-people-were-saying-its-going-to-be-dignitaries-and-the-media-got/"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Read the remainder of the article and see some great pictures of the HTT here:</span></a> <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyf8GyO7RAfqeFsGC-StAlMVvpGiXVpyl0CWzxucOkRl35UVJFW2siwisL-MON6kfCCS4zdiuoJ1B1tYHmXZg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br />
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6210808829924842879.post-14105822389063141162011-04-24T08:56:00.001-05:002011-04-24T09:05:30.110-05:00Input sought on park needs-Pottawattamie County<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Three public meetings will be held next week to gather public comment and ideas on parks, recreation and leisure facility needs throughout Pottawattamie County.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5JV3MKw1W33mq1X8Yg_uERorzzynfTiNFrucQBengHo39rmrvV7JUYZb2AcX0v2joTMI2KyByd6QemPaYlI9M1ebUmD4tyVH1eDEH5GSq9_YM_GtBjTHtJjismuklUrpFyyYT3d78_VM/s1600/collage.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="114" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5JV3MKw1W33mq1X8Yg_uERorzzynfTiNFrucQBengHo39rmrvV7JUYZb2AcX0v2joTMI2KyByd6QemPaYlI9M1ebUmD4tyVH1eDEH5GSq9_YM_GtBjTHtJjismuklUrpFyyYT3d78_VM/s320/collage.png" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><br />
</span><span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Recreation planning consultants from Winston Associates and Ballard-King & Associates will describe their work and invite input from a broad cross-section of county residents. The needs assessment is being funded by the Iowa West Foundation.<br />
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The three public meetings are scheduled in Council Bluffs, Carson and Avoca as follows:</span></span><br />
<ul><li><span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Monday, April 25, beginning at 7 p.m., at the Lied Center on the campus of Iowa School for the Deaf in Council Bluffs. </span></span></li>
<li><span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Tuesday, April 26, also at 7 p.m., at Carson Community Center in Carson. </span></span></li>
<li><span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Wednesday, April 27, beginning at 5 p.m., at A-H-S-T High School in Avoca.</span></span></li>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span></ul><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The public and media are encouraged to attend. Each meeting will last up to two hours. The meetings will feature keypad-voting devices for audience participation.<br />
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The study will be further informed by 5,000 mail-back surveys that will soon be mailed to randomly selected residents in the county, in proportion to population of each municipality.<br />
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Two weeks following the random survey, the survey will be open online to any county resident. A texting survey for Pottawattamie County youth between 13 and 21 years old is now “live” and can be accessed at (712) 560-9078.<br />
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Survey results and other information will be posted online to a dedicated website, <br />
</span><a href="http://iowawestrecstudy.org/"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">IowaWestRecStudy.org</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">, where residents can monitor the progress of the study and post comments.<br />
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Consultants are assessing existing assets and future needs in order to offer analysis-based recommendations in regard to what facilities are needed in the county and where those facilities could best serve the residents.<br />
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There is also a countywide Recreation Needs Assessment Advisory Group including 27 local representatives from the county.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6210808829924842879.post-3754592079660045552011-04-11T17:57:00.000-05:002011-04-11T17:57:23.613-05:00Devasting Threats to Iowa's Trees and Forests Emerge<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">By </span><a href="mailto:brian.button@dnr.iowa.gov"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Brian Button</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> - Editor, </span><a href="https://npo.networkforgood.org/Donate/Donate.aspx?npoSubscriptionId=1001161& code=ipf_trackingcode"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Iowa Outdoors Magazine</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">Not since Dutch elm disease are so many threats converging on Iowa's trees. Keep and eye out for these four invasive pests to avoid potential disease, widespread damage and great costs. </span><br />
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<a href="http://www.iowadnr.gov/forestry/files/threats1411.pdf"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Proper woodland and community tree care plays a critical role in creating healthy rural and urban community forests. In 2008, more than 6 million trees died.</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">THE BIG FOUR THREATS</span> </span><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: TrajanPro-Regular;"><span style="color: #38761d;">Emerald Ash Borer</span></span></span></strong><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgXvHzCF3XlML1_2yaKhymwiV9fqFv2sxz5dKliMSyIZya_xwwmbY4hnL6_IpPeXvVtL305VrKN2fARINB6JhJkQ5pJIlwBeVhk8Vgwq1nH38OTyVcOzeF5QRxxCgQOWXsa-7JijueQrc/s1600/EAB.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="122" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgXvHzCF3XlML1_2yaKhymwiV9fqFv2sxz5dKliMSyIZya_xwwmbY4hnL6_IpPeXvVtL305VrKN2fARINB6JhJkQ5pJIlwBeVhk8Vgwq1nH38OTyVcOzeF5QRxxCgQOWXsa-7JijueQrc/s200/EAB.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: TrajanPro-Regular;"><a href="http://emeraldashborer.info/">Emerald Ash Borer</a> is a small green invasive wood boring beetle that attacks and kills ash trees. </span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: TrajanPro-Regular;">The adults live on the outside of ash trees feeding on the leaves during the summer months. The larvae look similar to white grubs and feed on the living plant tissue underneath the bark of ash trees. The trees are killed by the tunneling activity of the larvae under the tree’s bark, which disrupts the vascular flow. EAB is a highly invasive forest pest that has the potential to kill nearly 100% of the native ash trees of any size, age, or stage of health where it is present. Over 50 million ash trees outside of Iowa have been killed where EAB is present. Much of Iowa’s forestland is populated with ash trees, and Iowa’s community street trees are heavily planted with ash cultivars. The US Forest Service 2008 inventory indicates that there are 52 million woodland ash trees and 3.1 million urban ash trees in Iowa. Trees attacked by EAB can die within two years. Once EAB killed trees are discovered in a community nearly all ash trees in that community will be dead in five to six years. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: TrajanPro-Regular;"><a href="http://www.extension.iastate.edu/pme/EmeraldAshBorer.html">Check out this video about the EAB from Iowa State University extension</a> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><strong><span style="color: #38761d;">Gypsy Moth</span></strong> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGWBhAlFiikgpFqBQvFTTYXlFfp7t0YkYrbZlzmcXOhVQkJYB35yBrHLLlRS2yQhhwm9xqOzeiRZ4R2eGh1kBa_oJxNByE1MfkZU5b0W-fygg04DZLLB7mT_V47CvE48FFm5FH7rjJe7o/s1600/gypsey+moth.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="147" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGWBhAlFiikgpFqBQvFTTYXlFfp7t0YkYrbZlzmcXOhVQkJYB35yBrHLLlRS2yQhhwm9xqOzeiRZ4R2eGh1kBa_oJxNByE1MfkZU5b0W-fygg04DZLLB7mT_V47CvE48FFm5FH7rjJe7o/s200/gypsey+moth.png" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: TrajanPro-Regular;"><a href="http://www.fs.fed.us/ne/morgantown/4557/gmoth/">Gypsy Moth</a> </span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: TimesNewRomanPSMT;">is a European insect species introduced in Boston, MA in 1869 as an experiment to help provide silk for the textile industry. This exotic insect continues to spread west from that introduction site and defoliate native forests. Establishment of gypsy moth in Iowa will affect the survival of mature trees. The larvae of this insect will feed on the leaves of over 300 host species during the important summer growing season, a time when a trees leaves are converting sunlight to energy. Repeated defoliation that occurs several years in a row on the same tree will deplete the stored nutrients, leading to the decline of that tree. In 2010, a record number of 2,260 male gypsy moths were captured in 31 Iowa counties. </span></span></div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: TrajanPro-Regular;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><strong><span style="color: #38761d;">Bur Oak Blight</span></strong> <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: TimesNewRomanPSMT;"><a href="http://www.ipm.iastate.edu/ipm/hortnews/2011/2-9/buroakblight.html">Bur oak</a> is common across Iowa. In 2008, bur oak ranked second among all tree species as measured in volume of saw timber on forest land. Bur oak provides substantial value for wood products and is an important source of wildlife habitat and mast (acorns) to many game and nongame species. <a href="http://www.extension.iastate.edu/news/2009/sep/060402.htm">Bur oak blight</a> is a newly named disease that can cause severe defoliation, leading to mortality of branches or entire trees. Bur oak blight is caused by an un-described species of the fungus Tubakia. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Based on reports of BOB to the <a href="http://www.public.iastate.edu/~tcharrin/homepage.html">Iowa State Plant Insect and Disease Clinic in 2010</a>, 27 counties in Iowa reported the presence of the disease. Within these counties there are over 8.7 million bur oaks out of Iowa’s over 32 million bur oak trees growing. However, the disease has been observed by DNR foresters across the state.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: TimesNewRomanPSMT;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><strong><span style="color: #38761d;">Thousand Cankers Disease of Black Walnuts</span></strong> <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9MXqnMutS3O4liWhUYVvO22q8yj5gkTK555vq1aCYEsaCpCTA0rfYyffGZ2Ne3i5fKX-c-1vCx8gml1Bjg03ZHiQub5Wv7SIP-vovzEbsMdH4tN7CEGYhU1N1_qsaW1UrP0fqxjd2hxQ/s1600/1000+cankers+beetle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="110" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9MXqnMutS3O4liWhUYVvO22q8yj5gkTK555vq1aCYEsaCpCTA0rfYyffGZ2Ne3i5fKX-c-1vCx8gml1Bjg03ZHiQub5Wv7SIP-vovzEbsMdH4tN7CEGYhU1N1_qsaW1UrP0fqxjd2hxQ/s200/1000+cankers+beetle.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: TimesNewRomanPSMT;">Since the 1990’s, black walnut has been dying in <a href="http://www.ppdl.purdue.edu/PPDL/pubs/walnutthousandcankersdisease.pdf">Western U.S.</a> The deaths are caused by a walnut twig beetle that carries a fungus which is spread as the beetle tunnels through tree tissues. The insect disease complex had been named <a href="http://thousandcankerdisease.com/">Thousand Cankers Disease</a> (TCD). The introduction of TCD into Iowa would have<a href="http://www.iowadnr.gov/forestry/files/tcankerecon.pdf"> disastrous effects economically</a> to the wood industry in the state and the rest of the nation. Iowa has the third largest volume (979 million board feet) of saw log size black walnut in the world. Some experts believe that TCD has the potential to decimate black walnut in the same way Dutch elm disease, emerald ash borer and chestnut blight have destroyed their respective hosts. <o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><strong><span style="color: #38761d;">Help Lessen an Outbreak</span></strong> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: TimesNewRomanPSMT;"><o:p><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">1) For woodlands, keep an appropriate number of trees per acre and maintain species diversity as the best insurance against native and exotic invasive tree threats. </span></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: TimesNewRomanPSMT;"><o:p><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">2) Watch for signs and symptoms of the big four pests. If you see issues, </span><a href="http://www.iowadnr.gov/forestry/district.html"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">contact a district forester</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">. Have digital photos of suspect trees ready to help determine if an on-the-ground inspection is warrented. </span></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: TimesNewRomanPSMT;"><o:p><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">3) Take care of your woods. Follow written management plans developed by a professional forester. Maintain proper spacing, stocking and tree diversity. Overstocked, overgrazed and under managed woods are more susceptible to all pests. </span></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: TimesNewRomanPSMT;"><o:p>4) Cities should inventory their tree resources and work to create a diverse community forest containing no more than 10 percent of any one species. </o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: TimesNewRomanPSMT;"><o:p>5) Do not transport firewood, untreated wood products or wood waste. Movement aids spread of destructive pests. For campfires, use wood purchased at the park. </o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: TimesNewRomanPSMT;"><o:p>6</o:p></span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: TimesNewRomanPSMT;"><o:p>) Get involved. Advocate protection and care of rural and city tree resources. learn more about tree diseases at <a href="http://www.idnr.gov/forestry/index">www.idnr.gov/forestry/index</a> or contact the IDNR's forest health coordinator, <a href="mailto:Tivon.Feeley@dnr.iowa.gov">Tivon Feeley</a> at 515-281-4915. </o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><br />
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6210808829924842879.post-25439420595673356842011-04-06T15:48:00.000-05:002011-04-06T15:48:37.158-05:00A Busy Weekend - a few events of Interest<strong><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">Friends of Iowa State Parks Summit on April 9 </span></strong><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The <a href="http://www.iaparks.org/">Iowa Parks Foundation</a> and <a href="http://www.exploreiowaparks.com/">IDNR's State Parks Bureau</a> invite you to attend the first Friends of Iowa State Parks Summit </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_6SeCZnm32qjOVIVZgA2c-cO8wM_Es8c8Q7eLfnD2Bt7Q2qcMpnVdfDwyYFEqFIO8GYdoE2wJuY-jclmlaPB3tu9tVbKC_p566dvvcucbye7MssTbkr4YTM47M86gHUOk4FM8e-rTpZI/s1600/Iowa+Parks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="188" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_6SeCZnm32qjOVIVZgA2c-cO8wM_Es8c8Q7eLfnD2Bt7Q2qcMpnVdfDwyYFEqFIO8GYdoE2wJuY-jclmlaPB3tu9tVbKC_p566dvvcucbye7MssTbkr4YTM47M86gHUOk4FM8e-rTpZI/s200/Iowa+Parks.jpg" width="200" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">April 9, 2011</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.desmoinesikes.com/">Izaak Walton League</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">4343 George Flagg Parkway</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Des Moines, Iowa 50321 </span><br />
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The purpose of this meeting is to provide a forum for Friends of Iowa State Parks groups to come together and share their plans, projects, challenges and celebrate successes. This exchange will help to inspire all the Parks Friends Groups to find new methods to achieve our common goals. By working in a more collaborative manner we will be able to accomplish more for our great parks. </span></div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Display tables will be provided for groups to ‘show-off’ plans, projects and progress they have realized in your park.</span><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">Prairie Chicken Festival at Kellerton on April 9 </span></strong><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">There will be a<a href="http://www.iowabirds.org/other/festivals/Prairie_Chicken_Day.asp"> Prairie Chicken Festival at Kellerton</a> prairie chicken viewing site from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. on Saturday, April 9. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The <a href="http://www.iowadnr.gov/wildlife/diversity/pchicken.html">Iowa Department of Natural Resources</a> has been actively managing the southern Iowa grassland landscape for this charismatic species for many years. The improvements are benefitting other speci</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3K9uaK_53H3Jfo1zN8ZH4ViObKytuJdODKNIZKjEGGrxw-QDo6tBAvdTf19tNLp7G5UuYHP0CG4f2cyvGsFrT8RUZ2MaY_DU3_b2SCWZznrMpKLz2UpPrmvrckB4vXGnmtnRsSHFIIfE/s1600/pchicken2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="142" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3K9uaK_53H3Jfo1zN8ZH4ViObKytuJdODKNIZKjEGGrxw-QDo6tBAvdTf19tNLp7G5UuYHP0CG4f2cyvGsFrT8RUZ2MaY_DU3_b2SCWZznrMpKLz2UpPrmvrckB4vXGnmtnRsSHFIIfE/s200/pchicken2.jpg" width="200" /></span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">es like northern harriers, short eared owls, pheasants, upland sandpipers, eastern and western meadowlarks and others. Breeding bird surveys indicate that grassland habitat is sorely lacking for many grassland nesting birds. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">There will be a prairie chicken feature on <a href="http://www.iptv.org/series.cfm/15752/iowa_outdoors">Outdoor Iowa on IPTV</a> on Thursday, April 7 at 6:30 p.m. </span><br />
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</span><strong><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">Peregrine Falcon Event at McGregor on April 9 </span></strong><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Peregrine falcon enthusiasts are invited to see and hear a nesting pair at Bunge Elevator in <a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?q=mcgregor+iowa&oe=&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=McGregor,+Clayton,+Iowa&gl=us&t=h&z=14">McGregor</a>, on Saturday, April 9 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. This pair is one of the 16 nesting pairs that have established territories around the state. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">It is particularly enjoyable to hear the falcon's courtship calls this time of year as this species recovers from the brink of extinction, said Pat Schlarbaum, wildlife diversity technician with the <a href="http://www.iowadnr.gov/wildlife/files/pfalcon.html">Iowa Department of Natural Resources</a>. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Experts will be on hand with information and spotting scopes during the event. Parking is available west of the elevator and a trail provides access to a public overlook of the Mississippi River where falcons can be viewed. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">A web camera will be trained on these falcons when birds initiate nesting in the near future. </span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6210808829924842879.post-18358629030837041472011-04-03T16:04:00.000-05:002011-04-03T16:04:50.708-05:00Iowa Outdoors Episode # 3<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6HwGTRCBbY7gpZ2RICaVz3Ld3jcaHFdXUvn_XkeGfEwt7V18yKAf_KcTq5uTmMSW5Cl31f0hy9HgmttVGlXGGG5Mmz1E7eTtKlLrZO7bx3PO7hH8FWwjPSaxL8T05sQrJWYgs4y4ICEo/s1600/pchicken2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="142" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6HwGTRCBbY7gpZ2RICaVz3Ld3jcaHFdXUvn_XkeGfEwt7V18yKAf_KcTq5uTmMSW5Cl31f0hy9HgmttVGlXGGG5Mmz1E7eTtKlLrZO7bx3PO7hH8FWwjPSaxL8T05sQrJWYgs4y4ICEo/s200/pchicken2.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">On Thursday, April 7 at 6:30 p.m., IPTV viewers across the state can enjoy the third episode of <a href="http://www.iptv.org/iowaoutdoors/default.cfm">Iowa Outdoors</a>, a television series focusing on outdoor recreation, environmental issues, conservation initiatives, and Iowa’s outdoor natural resources.</span> <div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The spring episode takes viewers 100 feet underground into <a href="http://www.caves.org/project/coldwater/">Coldwater Cave</a> in northeast Iowa to explore Iowa’s longest and most spectacular cave. Viewers will also have the opportunity to witness the population rebound of <a href="http://www.iowadnr.gov/wildlife/diversity/pchicken.html">prairie chickens</a> in southern Iowa during this episode. Iowa Outdoors also visits <a href="http://www.iowadnr.gov/parks/state_park_list/wapsipinicon.html">Wapsipinicon State Park</a> and profiles the paintings of Iowa native <a href="http://www.maynardreecegallery.com/AboutMaynard.htm">Maynard Reece</a>, a living legend in the field of wildlife art.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Following the April 7 premiere, viewers can see the third episode again April 9 at 8 a.m. April 14 at 8:30 p.m., and April 17 at 12:30 p.m. For a complete program schedule and to view complete episodes, visit www.iptv.org/iowaoutdoors.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwhmjPBG_Vkj0cQeS8dw7jIu6nCvRJOhOzNyui4xt5Cvmdz_et4t0U1HjmaY02kd6LQhnpREsfofbv_BWhAtw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6210808829924842879.post-24917688051725160002011-03-16T09:56:00.000-05:002011-03-16T09:56:05.420-05:00Spend National Park Week Helping To Rebuild Tallgrass Prairie At Herbert Hoover National Historic SiteSubmitted by Kurt Repanshek <div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkdmpG3RGqNOzT6nM2bJEomUzQa71mZKHYK9UltT54l9S3tKbEe6RZtmoFmXHjEIYEb3JpnrTvnJURrS5onO7NN1g4g3Tv2jgT7Q0qu9ZmQa8FtdynMSDayQk4HNcKa0d7rsBX5lo8kTI/s1600/kurt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkdmpG3RGqNOzT6nM2bJEomUzQa71mZKHYK9UltT54l9S3tKbEe6RZtmoFmXHjEIYEb3JpnrTvnJURrS5onO7NN1g4g3Tv2jgT7Q0qu9ZmQa8FtdynMSDayQk4HNcKa0d7rsBX5lo8kTI/s1600/kurt.jpg" /></a></div><br />
If you're looking for a good, active way to celebrate <a href="http://www.nps.gov/npweek/">National Park Week</a>, head to Eastern Iowa and help the folks at <a href="http://www.nps.gov/heho/index.htm">Herbert Hoover National Historic Site</a> to rebuild an <a href="http://www.nps.gov/heho/historyculture/prairie.htm">81-acre tallgrass prairie</a>. <br />
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Volunteers are needed on Saturday, April 23, to cut and haul shrubs and invasive weeds from the grassland. Anyone interested in helping may contact Adam Prato at (319) 643-7855 before the project date. <br />
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Volunteers will meet at the site's <a href="http://www.nps.gov/heho/index.htm">Visitor Center</a> at 8:30 a.m. for an orientation and to get signed up. Work in the prairie will be from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. It's suggested that you dress for the weather and wear comfortable work clothes. Water, sunscreen, sunglasses, and hats are recommended. Long pants and closed-toe footwear are required.<br />
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<a href="http://www.nps.gov/npweek/">National Park Week</a> (April 16-24, 2011) is the annual presidentially proclaimed week for celebration and recognition of your national parks, many of which are living examples of the best this nation has to offer—our magnificent natural landscapes and our varied yet interrelated heritage. Parks can provide recreational experiences, opportunities to learn and grow, and places of quiet refuge. <br />
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<a href="http://www.nps.gov/heho/index.htm">Herbert Hoover National Historic Site</a> and the <a href="http://www.hoover.archives.gov/">Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum</a> are in West Branch, Iowa at exit 254 off I-80. Both are open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Central Time. Parking is limited so please allow extra time to find a parking space. For more information go to www.nps.gov/heho or call (319) 643-2541. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-xsqgGZmTuilG0QBPyfgBU1Ch8koAAHAVmFQEZjvp0T0jenTMfaVHj5RRrW_abAeowZby63DlZf75-yRV1jkafHW3MIPUTz2UAGfUgVQMWfRMrys3cMXW_Sgoku5SqLK3oKWlUW7y6j0/s1600/audio+tour.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="199" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-xsqgGZmTuilG0QBPyfgBU1Ch8koAAHAVmFQEZjvp0T0jenTMfaVHj5RRrW_abAeowZby63DlZf75-yRV1jkafHW3MIPUTz2UAGfUgVQMWfRMrys3cMXW_Sgoku5SqLK3oKWlUW7y6j0/s200/audio+tour.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Audio Tour: Tallgrass Prairie (2:10)<br />
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Tallgrass prairie was part of the Iowa landscape that had almost vanished by the time Herbert Hoover’s grandparents moved here in 1854. <br />
Download Audio File: <a href="http://www.nps.gov/media/mwr/avElement/heho-128-TALL-GRASS-PRAIRIE.mp3">heho-128-TALL-GRASS-PRAIRIE.mp3 (537 KB) </a><br />
[Right-Click and Select "Save As"]Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6210808829924842879.post-72332630762813986212011-03-08T09:43:00.000-06:002011-03-08T09:43:53.633-06:00Iowa Parks - First 'Friends of State Parks' Summit<div style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"></div><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><strong><em><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">“If we are going to keep pace with our civilization, we must give the public an outlet in the great outdoors.” Louis Pammel 1862 – 1931</span></em></strong></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBt7EJbpwE5A9Ab5jFhlfF_w-sg7cYWjV6X1XbVj1JLckZXW2O4Q1gFyNcBNnnbEDl1WaAgj_53SS9sbbR9dgijQvMNfdzdEo1AITwSGcZ6mKbd-pjlqyHxDaTtLOSSpHnYfk5p0OZc70/s1600/announcing.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="200" q6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBt7EJbpwE5A9Ab5jFhlfF_w-sg7cYWjV6X1XbVj1JLckZXW2O4Q1gFyNcBNnnbEDl1WaAgj_53SS9sbbR9dgijQvMNfdzdEo1AITwSGcZ6mKbd-pjlqyHxDaTtLOSSpHnYfk5p0OZc70/s200/announcing.png" width="150" /></span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The<a href="http://www.iaparks.org/"> Iowa Parks Foundation</a> and <a href="http://www.iowadnr.gov/parks/index.html">IDNR's State Parks Bureau</a> invite you to attend the first Friends of Iowa State Parks Summit </span></div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">April 9, 2011</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.desmoinesikes.com/">Izaak Walton League</a></span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">4343 George Flagg Parkway</span></div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Des Moines, Iowa 50321 </span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span> </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The purpose of this meeting is to provide a forum for Friends of Iowa State Parks groups to come together and share their plans, projects, challenges and celebrate successes. This exchange will help to inspire all the Parks Friends Groups to find new methods to achieve our common goals. By working in a more collaborative manner we will be able to accomplish more for our great parks. </span></div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Display tables will be provided for groups to ‘show-off’ plans, projects and progress they have realized in your park. </span></div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><strong><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Tentative Agenda </span></strong></div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">1. Welcome and Introductions— </span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">2. <a href="http://www.iowadnr.gov/parks/index.html">State of Iowa State Parks</a> - <a href="mailto:Kevin.Szcodronski@dnr.iowa.gov">Kevin Szcodronski </a></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbbHRGVzqLMwsrASB0UFTTGL6tHfdNZ8UXHVxjDLBN4tt8evytaNs_ekFyxjYX7dcRU2i5ymqK_QsE2iirnxLVBDOGByjco6cprllUL331ti_2aoTt2ZlHs_jv-HKyh5YL105L7d2ymCY/s1600/DNR+logo.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbbHRGVzqLMwsrASB0UFTTGL6tHfdNZ8UXHVxjDLBN4tt8evytaNs_ekFyxjYX7dcRU2i5ymqK_QsE2iirnxLVBDOGByjco6cprllUL331ti_2aoTt2ZlHs_jv-HKyh5YL105L7d2ymCY/s1600/DNR+logo.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="129" q6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbbHRGVzqLMwsrASB0UFTTGL6tHfdNZ8UXHVxjDLBN4tt8evytaNs_ekFyxjYX7dcRU2i5ymqK_QsE2iirnxLVBDOGByjco6cprllUL331ti_2aoTt2ZlHs_jv-HKyh5YL105L7d2ymCY/s200/DNR+logo.png" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">3. Highlights from each Friends Group (go around the room and give each group an opportunity to explain their major projects) </span></div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">4. How do you keep your group alive? </span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><br />
</span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">5. What about legal issues? </span></div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">LUNCH (Provided) 1 hour to allow for informal individual discussions</span></div><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">6. <a href="http://www.iaparks.org/">Iowa Parks Foundation</a> – <a href="mailto:iaparks@mchsi.com">Kent Sovern</a> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">introduce, vision, status, proposed role with Friends Groups</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">7. Value of—and—ways to communicate with local legislators for the betterment of state parks</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">8. Group discussion on benefits and interest in setting up communication channels among Friends Group – e-mail, website, future meetings, etc. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">9. The day will finish with an evaluation to know what people would like to have included in another possible meeting. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">10. Closing comments and thanks to all who attend</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5JV3MKw1W33mq1X8Yg_uERorzzynfTiNFrucQBengHo39rmrvV7JUYZb2AcX0v2joTMI2KyByd6QemPaYlI9M1ebUmD4tyVH1eDEH5GSq9_YM_GtBjTHtJjismuklUrpFyyYT3d78_VM/s1600/collage.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="142" q6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5JV3MKw1W33mq1X8Yg_uERorzzynfTiNFrucQBengHo39rmrvV7JUYZb2AcX0v2joTMI2KyByd6QemPaYlI9M1ebUmD4tyVH1eDEH5GSq9_YM_GtBjTHtJjismuklUrpFyyYT3d78_VM/s400/collage.png" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">If you are interested in attending the Summit or want more information send an e-mail to Kent at <a href="mailto:iaparks@mchsi.com">iaparks@mchsi.com</a> </span><br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" height="350" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ie=UTF8&q=Des+Moines+Izaak+Walton&fb=1&gl=us&hq=Izaak+Walton&hnear=Des+Moines,+IA&cid=0,0,5399614009105288706&ll=41.557401,-93.678094&spn=0.006295,0.006295&iwloc=A&output=embed" width="425"></iframe><br />
<small><a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ie=UTF8&q=Des+Moines+Izaak+Walton&fb=1&gl=us&hq=Izaak+Walton&hnear=Des+Moines,+IA&cid=0,0,5399614009105288706&ll=41.557401,-93.678094&spn=0.006295,0.006295&iwloc=A&source=embed" style="color: blue; text-align: left;">View Larger Map</a></small>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6210808829924842879.post-59665158959549178502011-03-05T15:20:00.001-06:002011-03-05T16:02:36.120-06:00Iowa Camping Kick-off and Reservations<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><strong>Camping Kickoff Weekend May 6, 7 and 8 </strong></span><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmjT1ee_M7d3sQdDlztsAHcQvWN6Q5Ge1xDxw-MyMDxoCfC82CjJe0k0IHkZCg9QiTPifxAbTdf4j-nUZiV5hAVWHLQP5Tb6VtsNM0B94HRa2oUJglMLz1Hsvyy5U8GwUufyDe8y-DweE/s1600/hispanic_family_camping.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="139" l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmjT1ee_M7d3sQdDlztsAHcQvWN6Q5Ge1xDxw-MyMDxoCfC82CjJe0k0IHkZCg9QiTPifxAbTdf4j-nUZiV5hAVWHLQP5Tb6VtsNM0B94HRa2oUJglMLz1Hsvyy5U8GwUufyDe8y-DweE/s200/hispanic_family_camping.jpg" width="200" /></span></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The calendar says early March, but spring is just around the corner. Camping kickoff weekend is a little over two months away. </span></div><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Camping kickoff weekend is May 6, 7 and 8, in Iowa state parks, and has often been the first weekend trip for many campers. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">"Camping kickoff weekend is our way of saying let's dust off the tent and camper and get back outside after a long winter and enjoy some camaraderie in a state park," said </span><a href="mailto:Kevin.Szcodronski@dnr.iowa.gov"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Kevin Szcodronski</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">, chief of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources </span><a href="http://www.iowadnr.gov/parks/index.html"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">State Parks Bureau</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">. </span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAPNIVGJKMWzv47jdubOAQyLoEL2oulJ5Ds1wkTpThL90NY34nxL6aAds7VuM634BqWLfgzWwqcoB_BEEMFjyCzJsQRlJ94UAFHs_reCBQEaEETi5ixMtiaSH0SIAP3MCxae5VknhVUzQ/s1600/family_campfire.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="183" l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAPNIVGJKMWzv47jdubOAQyLoEL2oulJ5Ds1wkTpThL90NY34nxL6aAds7VuM634BqWLfgzWwqcoB_BEEMFjyCzJsQRlJ94UAFHs_reCBQEaEETi5ixMtiaSH0SIAP3MCxae5VknhVUzQ/s200/family_campfire.jpg" width="200" /></span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Campers can reserve a site for camping kickoff weekend using the <a href="http://iowastateparks.reserveamerica.com/">new reservation system online</a>. Campers will need to register with the system before reserving a site. Campers who have registered with </span><a href="http://www.reserveamerica.com/"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Reserve America</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> before can sign in under their existing account. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Camping kickoff weekend happens to also be a prime time for fishing, as many fish are active, close to shore and preparing to spawn. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">"Early May is really a good time to spend in the parks because the bugs are typically not out yet, fishing is good and the surrounding park is going through its spring awakening," Szcodronski said. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">"Iowans care deeply about their parks and we want campers to know that we are working hard to offer them the best experience and facilities that we can, with the resources we have available," he said. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">"All season long, we will be encouraging our campers and other park users to help us to keep our expenses down by turning off lights and air conditioners when they are not needed and to pick up after themselves and only burn firewood in the fire rings," he said. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Camping Kickoff Weekend was started in 2003, as a way to encourage Iowa residents to spend time in their state parks. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Check out this introductory video on family camping, then visit the Iowa Parks Foundation facebook page to see all the videos in the series. </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dytpOH0qskEw7duNhjPrbxGXX_ruyjPWwhDEIXvP1vT4J8fYJoE-S6ESjtHZ983-_kLedXCwyfRjrwq7y3d-A' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6210808829924842879.post-40185020103239422772011-02-20T15:35:00.001-06:002011-02-20T15:37:29.894-06:00March/April Iowa Outdoors Magazine - Great Features<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I just received the March/April edition of Iowa Outdoors magazine. It is full of great articles - but two are of particular interest. </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDeafC9ztsnfMkI1MTepFDKL7PqfgkF34j95A4ySlmdtsqReeZXPxLF6_YJCXs_NMXQa3QAsvuYRnBfhUmQzx43RgeLHchTLoopk8MXmg9ndDqpSYViZKrT2FWlkktPKRykz8MtIAAb1g/s1600/three+fires.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="207" j6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDeafC9ztsnfMkI1MTepFDKL7PqfgkF34j95A4ySlmdtsqReeZXPxLF6_YJCXs_NMXQa3QAsvuYRnBfhUmQzx43RgeLHchTLoopk8MXmg9ndDqpSYViZKrT2FWlkktPKRykz8MtIAAb1g/s320/three+fires.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><strong><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The Quietest Park by Jennifer Wilson is a terrific piece on </span><a href="http://www.iowadnr.gov/parks/state_park_list/lake_three_fires.html"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Three Fires State Park</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">.</span></strong><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Tender shoots rise from the vast croplands of southwest Iowa. Last year's corn stubble has gone gray over a long winter in Taylor County, 100 miles southeast of Council Bluffs. Windmills and weather vanes stand rusting, but working, next to broke-down barns. They're lonesome relics of life as it once was in Iowa. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">For weekenders shaking off winter's sleepy mantle and looking for an old-fashioned outdoors good time, Taylor County's </span><a href="http://www.iowadnr.gov/parks/state_park_list/lake_three_fires.html"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Lake of Three Fires State Park</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> is where to go-a 694-acre park named for the council fires of three Native American tribes that once shared this land. </span><br />
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<a href="http://www.iowadnr.gov/parks/state_park_list/lake_three_fires.html"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Lake of Three Fires</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> is one of the most underused in the state parks system. It feels like you have it all to yourself. But if improvements continue to work out as well as they have been, then that's about to change. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Workers are shoring up its 10.5 miles of trails and a lake renovation in 2004 is just beginning to bear serious bobber-friendly benefits. With nothing more than a rod and a lightly outfitted tackle box, you can easily catch your first fish of the season... </span><br />
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<a href="https://npo.networkforgood.org/Donate/Donate.aspx?npoSubscriptionId=1001161& code=ipf_trackingcode"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Get the rest of the story in the 2011 Mar/Apr Issue:</span></a><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="252" j6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizLFYxdCjZQIz32_359eD78rnlrJCOCDqVIxd0MZJGPUItzV_l0dMC6YsHO1kJzDcLhMHlEmuF7qjBMON1mT8sioOSI6EpHu8XQR8X6NQHr6KYawsPz9UamOyXsPy4C87_3GyflIKA1m4/s320/artist.jpg" width="320" /></span></div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">A second article by Shane Hallengren features the artwork of Ames artist Nancy Thompson who is on a quest to paint all of Iowa's great state parks. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><a href="http://nancythompson.org/">Check out some of Nancy's work here</a> - </span><br />
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<a href="https://npo.networkforgood.org/Donate/Donate.aspx?npoSubscriptionId=1001161& code=ipf_trackingcode"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Get the rest of the story in the 2011 Mar/Apr Issue:</span></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6210808829924842879.post-59771563709884290202011-02-17T16:58:00.000-06:002011-02-17T16:58:26.945-06:00New State Park Reservation System Begins February 17<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYa8yWf18t63MvWFzXVINSgyAHXv6-KJeQMWZdfE3p4_16NXONb6CE-xQKZEiTeeMEYk2lUZIQUg9k8fMAGdbmA7x-EDSldm6rhsZGDBKKktidP19kkNCCwqNU7PVZ6KNWeB8qIW8a26M/s1600/atate+parks+bureau.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="188" j6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYa8yWf18t63MvWFzXVINSgyAHXv6-KJeQMWZdfE3p4_16NXONb6CE-xQKZEiTeeMEYk2lUZIQUg9k8fMAGdbmA7x-EDSldm6rhsZGDBKKktidP19kkNCCwqNU7PVZ6KNWeB8qIW8a26M/s320/atate+parks+bureau.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The new system for </span><a href="http://www.iowastateparks.reserveamerica.com/"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Iowa state park campsite, cabin and lodge reservations</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> debuted today at 7 a.m. central time at . The system will require users to create a new account, unless the user had an account on the national website, </span><a href="http://www.reserveamerica.com/"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Reserve America</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The previous system was shut down on Feb. 3 in order to make the switch. All reservations made for 2011 under the old system have been transferred to the new system. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">"Our customers will notice a few differences. We worked pretty aggressively to get this new system ready to take Memorial Day weekend reservations so there will be some added features coming later," said Sherry Arntzen, with the DNR's state parks bureau. "If a customer needs to change a reservation this year, or if they need to cancel a reservation on the day they were scheduled to arrive, they will need to go through the call center. For this year, making changes through the call center will be assessed the lower $5 online change fee rather than the higher phone center fee." </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The call center has the same number, 1-877-427-2757, and will operate from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. central time, from Monday through Friday, and from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. The call center will be closed on New Year's Day, Easter, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. Once the online system is running, it will be available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to make reservations. </span><br />
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</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The three month window for the Memorial Day weekend for a Friday arrival is February 27. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">"I would recommend that users who want to make a reservation for Memorial Day weekend get familiar with the new system and set up their account before the time comes to book a campsite," Arntzen said. "One change with the new system is that if one person makes reservations for multiple people, they will need to have addresses for the individuals on the site." </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Customers who have bookmarked the previous reservation system website will be redirected to the new site. </span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6210808829924842879.post-22251819096197587462011-02-17T11:51:00.001-06:002011-02-17T11:56:44.586-06:00Iowa Outdoors Episode Two on Iowa Public Television<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVdHtE-sHLgkIQgN-M1Nk5lX7WagsNqS3GVC_2mrZvWQqNB_-QeTrPwap1x9RhRC9B6NzeiXNE_pGaxcZLCNwZobwh72PRp92DHii7L-jXxc1PomrdehuV9YKVq8FKF6-fRNAzKmLtIeQ/s1600/Iowa+Outdoors+January.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" j6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVdHtE-sHLgkIQgN-M1Nk5lX7WagsNqS3GVC_2mrZvWQqNB_-QeTrPwap1x9RhRC9B6NzeiXNE_pGaxcZLCNwZobwh72PRp92DHii7L-jXxc1PomrdehuV9YKVq8FKF6-fRNAzKmLtIeQ/s320/Iowa+Outdoors+January.jpg" width="248" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The new winter episode airs Thursday, February 17 at 6:30 p.m. on statewide Iowa Public Television and will </span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">take viewers alongside a cold water paddle with some of Iowa's hard-core kayakers. You will go airborne for Iowa DNR aerial deer surveys...dog sledding on the Great Western Trail... and a profile of Emmy-award winning nature cinematographer Neil Rettig. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Iowa Outdoors, a six-part series focusing on outdoor recreation, environmental issues, conservation initiatives, and Iowa's outdoor natural resources. Iowa Outdoors is a partnership between Iowa Public Television and the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. The six half-hour programs will be broadcast in high-definition on Iowa Public Television. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The Iowa DNR annually publishes six issues of Iowa Outdoors magazine. Please become a <a href="https://npo.networkforgood.org/Donate/Donate.aspx?npoSubscriptionId=1001161& code=ipf_trackingcode">Partner and invest</a> in the <a href="http://www.iaparks.org/">Iowa Parks Foundation</a> and receive a complementary subscription to Iowa Outdoors Magazine. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">If you can't tune in tonight, you can visit the </span><a href="http://www.iptv.org/"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">IPTV web site</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> to find streaming video of Iowa Outdoors. Broadcast schedule for Iowa Outdoors episode two </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">■Thu, February 17, 2011 6:30 PM (IPTV) </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">■Thu, February 24, 2011 8:30 PM (IPTV) </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">■Sat, February 26, 2011 5:30 AM (IPTV Learns) </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">■Sun, February 27, 2011 12:30 PM (IPTV) </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">■Mon, February 28, 2011 6:30 PM (IPTV) </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwPX-JOM6V5ePZY5cpHLKgQRw6VsV_OIhiKSlz2TqBTonUVQP8_G81WEFpBQLhct5ihOokmOsHOv8A0Qo45Cw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6210808829924842879.post-71194233895255093112011-02-06T16:56:00.001-06:002011-02-06T16:58:06.763-06:00Rally @ the Iowa Capitol for Iowa's Breathing Spaces<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><strong>Here is a great opportunity to visit the Iowa State Capitol and let your legislators know you care about funding for Iowa's 'Breathing Spaces'. </strong></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;"><strong><a href="http://www.iowaswaterandlandlegacy.org/CMDocs/IWLL/IWLL%202.9%20Rally%20Day%20flyer.pdf">"Yes 63" Day At Iowa State Capitol </a></strong></span><br />
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8IvhPYpwdR_A9fx7A0e4D0lYDZ1zkpl8gUg5vdoxcK7JWd15Htm-0GYqESDi1xncy_rbyvX1tEHuF5KXlbhgeDAfCn1HfYNke6sdg18xwUHR98Fxabjt3lxDhvA8vNT_CoeuoHVKknn8/s1600/63percent.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8IvhPYpwdR_A9fx7A0e4D0lYDZ1zkpl8gUg5vdoxcK7JWd15Htm-0GYqESDi1xncy_rbyvX1tEHuF5KXlbhgeDAfCn1HfYNke6sdg18xwUHR98Fxabjt3lxDhvA8vNT_CoeuoHVKknn8/s200/63percent.png" width="191" /></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Supporters of Iowa's Water & Land Legacy Amendment will be gathering at the Iowa State Capitol on February 9th, 2011 from 9 am - 11 am </span><a href="http://www.iowaswaterandlandlegacy.org/CMDocs/IWLL/IWLL%202.9%20Rally%20Day%20flyer.pdf"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">(DETAILS)</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> to show their support for the legislator beginning to fund Iowa's Water & Land Legacy amendment - through the Natural Resources Outdoor Recreation Trust Fund.</span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span></div><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">You can help exhibit this energy to the Iowa General Assembly. We will provide a brief presentation, including messaging about our visit, comments from supportive legislators, and RALLY DAY stickers and materials. It's time for our elected officials to listen to Iowans and Fund The Trust Fund. Help us Flood the Capitol Rotunda in blue-volunteers are asked to wear any solid blue shirt and to be a part of statewide presence-children are encouraged to participate. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">On November 2nd, 2010, 63% of Iowa voters showed their support for the Natural Resources Outdoor Recreation Trust Fund and now it's time for our elected officials to listen to Iowans and begin funding the Trust Fund. The simplest way for the legislature to do this is to dedicate $150 million to the Trust Fund and pledge to sustain that funding level in future years. </span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">This rally is about:</span><br />
<ul><li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Improving Water Quality For Future Generations </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Investing In Our Agricultural Economy By Reducing Soil Erosion </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Protecting Fish & Wildlife Habitat And Public Access To Hunting Areas </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Creating Jobs And Economic Opportunity In Both Rural & Urban Iowa </span></li>
</ul><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Iowan's can show their support for funding important water quality, soil conservation, fish/wildlife habitat programs, and outdoor recreation by wearing a BLUE SHIRT and meeting us on the Iowa State Capitol Complex at 9:00 A.M. on February 9th </span><a href="http://www.iowaswaterandlandlegacy.org/CMDocs/IWLL/IWLL%202.9%20Rally%20Day%20flyer.pdf"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">(DETAILS</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">). We will then be walking up to the Capitol Building and showing our strong support for Iowa's Water & Land Legacy. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">If you want to learn about how the amendment fared in YOUR county. You can download county results <a href="http://www.iowaswaterandlandlegacy.org/CMDocs/IWLL/Results%20-%20County.pdf"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">HERE</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">. Spreadsheet of actual numbers are</span><a href="https://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0Ak2Y3Bp2udnSdDlQMkdwcEtJQ19PUW1xZTFiMlYzRXc&hl=en&authkey=CPySzZ4E#gid=0"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> HERE</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Interested in participating? </span><a href="mailto:iowaswaterandlandlegacy@gmail.com"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">email</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> Iowas Water and Land Legacy, </span><a href="mailto:rlehman@iowarivers.org"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">contact Roz Lehman</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">, Field Director, or call 515-707-0266. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Check out this graphic - it shows how much of the state's General Funds Budget goes to fund the Agriculture and Natural Resources programs. </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQH7AmXUNmg4kIpnu_Mj9CtkZKrU5g4jGgoC3OUN_8Jc6s1KdVRf6DXSc5DyUZrYbAsjZwDCzWc6KYNqstnt4xwbHfunUPCJRVvRsNei9m1e0IwL0j2m1_OOTklf07aj447ESORy0wUAw/s1600/Budget+2012.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="287" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQH7AmXUNmg4kIpnu_Mj9CtkZKrU5g4jGgoC3OUN_8Jc6s1KdVRf6DXSc5DyUZrYbAsjZwDCzWc6KYNqstnt4xwbHfunUPCJRVvRsNei9m1e0IwL0j2m1_OOTklf07aj447ESORy0wUAw/s400/Budget+2012.png" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Shocking! </span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6210808829924842879.post-3729297687378716932011-01-28T09:28:00.000-06:002011-01-28T09:28:31.686-06:00So Much to Do This Weekend<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;"><strong>31st Annual University of Okoboji Winter Games</strong></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMSy6qgeRtfG5PdNP6iF1D_Wd0IcKvRdI6GtjMJ8oO4PADh-v-WEJmj8LJufZcrblJM0IgLKDBRbjOW4vdWodkbtJH4pRMntOlXaoHMvbL1XRG9na-2gIpRg0JL4FdMtAm1Mk7gxZJR8Q/s1600/winter+games.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="106" s5="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMSy6qgeRtfG5PdNP6iF1D_Wd0IcKvRdI6GtjMJ8oO4PADh-v-WEJmj8LJufZcrblJM0IgLKDBRbjOW4vdWodkbtJH4pRMntOlXaoHMvbL1XRG9na-2gIpRg0JL4FdMtAm1Mk7gxZJR8Q/s200/winter+games.gif" width="200" /></span></a></div><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">January 28th – 30th, 2011 </span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span> </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">"It all started with a couple local guys and the organization of small broomball tournament. 30 years later, with the support of hundreds of community members, the small broomball tournament in 1981 has turned into an annual winter festival drawing thousands of people from throughout the Mid-West. The University of Okoboji Winter Games is now a weekend full of indoor and outdoor events for all ages. A special thank goes out to The Iowa Great Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce, local businesses, and the hard-working volunteers that have worked so hard to make this event a success!"</span> </div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="http://www.uofowintergames.com/calendar.html"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Click here for the calendar of events </span></a></div><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;"><strong>$25,000 Winterfest Ice Fishing Derby</strong></span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQB4x4H50Hocjkq2s6Uuiq8t1OMy4uUouD5ngz5GoYhs5QaMLNVI4u8qWpKpZ7CbQ-ndSG_wqZpbqorILDD0WJnmWbrDAlZA-NRmWWaxh9y6_bDd6wJQKyFndkxQU4UqdvNXwNFrSPfqs/s1600/winterfest.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="63" s5="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQB4x4H50Hocjkq2s6Uuiq8t1OMy4uUouD5ngz5GoYhs5QaMLNVI4u8qWpKpZ7CbQ-ndSG_wqZpbqorILDD0WJnmWbrDAlZA-NRmWWaxh9y6_bDd6wJQKyFndkxQU4UqdvNXwNFrSPfqs/s320/winterfest.jpg" width="320" /></span></a><strong><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Come check out the ICE BASH!!!!</span></strong></div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Friday, January 28 from 6-8 p.m.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">◦At Hy-Vee on Broadway</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">◦With hosts Crash Davis from The Brew & KFAB </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">◦Fish fry hosted by HyVee</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">◦Beer Tasting by Doll Distributing</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">◦Ice fishing seminars</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">◦Door prizes and silent auction</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">◦Safety rules for the ice derby</span><br />
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</span><br />
<strong><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Ice Fishing Derby </span></strong><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Jan. 29, 2011 7:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Lake Manawa, Council Bluffs, Iowa</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Over $50,000 in Cash & Prizes! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Reel in Winter Fun with this one-day tournament at Lake Manawa State Park!</span><br />
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<a href="http://winterfestderby.com/"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Get all the details here </span></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;"><strong>2011 Iowa Bicycle Summit</strong></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Want to make an impact on bicycle culture in Iowa? The Iowa Bicycle Summit is dedicated to producing low-cost, accessible education on building stronger bicycle communities. The Summit provides city engineers, planners and bicycle advocates with information on the best practices in bicycling for transportation and recreation. In addition to featuring presentations on bicycle education that fosters vibrant and healthy communities, the Summit will again join forces with RAGBRAI’s Ride Right safety meeting at the Hy-Vee Hall in Des Moines. The Summit will conclude with the announcement of the 2011 RAGBRAI Route.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6Z9tteZmWxAEPGfxUxn1E4XYaZxRf4lrc-vGr3o7_hLrt2NO2aERBK5TOBn5oK-LFonDvU-eTAD4fi_1LeAIEsQ4GrFsPi_qK1l2fbUita-eIkjBEcuHbGt_vkdo5blIaaN64xKz9Hpg/s1600/routeparty.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="89" s5="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6Z9tteZmWxAEPGfxUxn1E4XYaZxRf4lrc-vGr3o7_hLrt2NO2aERBK5TOBn5oK-LFonDvU-eTAD4fi_1LeAIEsQ4GrFsPi_qK1l2fbUita-eIkjBEcuHbGt_vkdo5blIaaN64xKz9Hpg/s320/routeparty.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><br />
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<a href="https://www.iowabicyclecoalition.org/"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Get all the details here </span></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6210808829924842879.post-59080329446647003432011-01-22T14:51:00.002-06:002011-01-22T15:02:07.639-06:00Iowa Outdoors in the Winter - Featured Programs<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGyWYMZY8i65FXEn5cJhAJPWdidL5n_ll2YJOomHSHzUQqwbyehyP4TuJVseKYtR4sP4CkBLRPDCceHvFxTiiKf6EGVEG1WhzS0SX0pqbXWmhix519TthughFiIxri0xPnS-2NwWX_Yrg/s1600/Iowa+Outdoors+January.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" s5="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGyWYMZY8i65FXEn5cJhAJPWdidL5n_ll2YJOomHSHzUQqwbyehyP4TuJVseKYtR4sP4CkBLRPDCceHvFxTiiKf6EGVEG1WhzS0SX0pqbXWmhix519TthughFiIxri0xPnS-2NwWX_Yrg/s200/Iowa+Outdoors+January.jpg" width="155" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Friends - </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><span class="UIStory_Message"><span style="color: #93c47d;">I just received the January/February edition of <strong>Iowa Outdoors</strong> magazine - Great 'Lost In Iowa' article highlighting winter activities and the four recently remodeled cabins in </span><a href="http://www.iowadnr.gov/parks/state_park_list/pine_lake.html"><span style="color: #93c47d;">Pine Lake State Park</span></a><span style="color: #93c47d;">. </span><a href="https://npo.networkforgood.org/Donate/Donate.aspx?npoSubscriptionId=1001161& code=ipf_trackingcode"><span style="color: #93c47d;">Invest</span></a><span style="color: #93c47d;"> in the</span><a href="http://www.iaparks.org/"><span style="color: #93c47d;"> Iowa Parks Foundation</span></a><span style="color: #93c47d;"> and get your subscription to <strong>Iowa Outdoors</strong> magazine. </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Check out the following for some very interesting media links to programming of interest to Iowa's outdoor enthusiasts and nature lovers. </span></div><br />
<a href="http://iptv.org/"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;"><strong>On Iowa Public Television</strong></span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;"><strong> </strong></span><br />
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwuRDj-7cCJElc9OFQWnDIv_GLHSkqxX2ryA4eI0CsagxzTW_y2ippYHdANSyR6Ds7sxv_sFI6IH8Y8uajgvUL7Zhl5-_SKvG5qRB2ebO-4UUvYIHy1Vlder-DcBQ6vScbipNjaiQ0RDo/s1600/ice+climbing2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" s5="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwuRDj-7cCJElc9OFQWnDIv_GLHSkqxX2ryA4eI0CsagxzTW_y2ippYHdANSyR6Ds7sxv_sFI6IH8Y8uajgvUL7Zhl5-_SKvG5qRB2ebO-4UUvYIHy1Vlder-DcBQ6vScbipNjaiQ0RDo/s200/ice+climbing2.jpg" width="134" /></a></div><a href="http://www.iptv.org/series.cfm/15752/iowa_outdoors"><strong><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Iowa Outdoors</span></strong></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">, a six-part series focusing on outdoor recreation, environmental issues, conservation initiatives, and Iowa’s outdoor natural resources. Exlpore frozen farm silos in northeast Iowa, ice fishing in Spirit Lake, and fall migration in De Soto Bend National Wildlife Refuge. [28 minutes] </span></div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">■Mon, January 24, 9:30 PM on IPTV </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">■Tue, January 25, 3:00 PM on IPTV Learns </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">■Sat, February 12, 8:30 AM on IPTV </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">■Sat, February 26, 5:00 AM on IPTV Learns </span><br />
<a href="http://www.iptv.org/video/detail.cfm/13074/iao_20101216_101"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Watch This Episode Online</span></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.iptv.org/series.cfm/20305/national_parks_americas_best"><strong><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The National Parks: America's Best Idea</span></strong></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> is a six-episode series produced by Ken Burns and Dayton Duncan and written by Dayton Duncan. Filmed over the course of more than six years at some of nature's most spectacular locales – from Acadia to Yosemite, Yellowstone to the Grand Canyon, the Everglades of Florida to the Gates of the Arctic in Alaska - The National Parks: America's Best Idea is nonetheless a story of people: people from every conceivable background – rich and poor; famous and unknown; soldiers and scientists; natives and newcomers; idealists, artists and entrepreneurs; people who were willing to devote themselves to saving some precious portion of the land they loved, and in doing so reminded their fellow citizens of the full meaning of democracy. The </span><a href="http://www.iaparks.org/"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Iowa Parks Foundation </span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">is a proud local sponsor of The National Parks: America's Best Idea. </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_EW2BkVAQoZFyDepTzIBMAq4ebxf5aSPDo3XWWkA6yJhUdRi-rTfG2axe_6tc07TsAOZ8byGxMlO93kfMOrASXPMT5e89i2bsbfIieEfvWiaZ-hE0KMCf6B71ZDhuXEhkyQ0-ZRvRfZs/s1600/parks+burns.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="113" s5="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_EW2BkVAQoZFyDepTzIBMAq4ebxf5aSPDo3XWWkA6yJhUdRi-rTfG2axe_6tc07TsAOZ8byGxMlO93kfMOrASXPMT5e89i2bsbfIieEfvWiaZ-hE0KMCf6B71ZDhuXEhkyQ0-ZRvRfZs/s200/parks+burns.jpg" width="200" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Airdates & times are:</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.iptv.org/series.cfm/20305/national_parks_americas_best/ep:101"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The Scripture of Nature</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> (1851-1890) In 1872, Congress acts to protect land that will become America's first national park, Yellowstone 1/23/2011 @ 4pm</span><br />
<a href="http://www.iptv.org/series.cfm/20305/national_parks_americas_best/ep:102"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The Last Refuge</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> (1890-1915)At the end of the 19th century a conservation movement takes shape to protect America's wilderness. 1/30/2011 @ 3:30pm</span><br />
<a href="http://www.iptv.org/series.cfm/20305/national_parks_americas_best/ep:103"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The Empire of Grandeur</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> (1915-1919) Established in 1916, the National Park Service protects the Grand Canyon from commercial interests. 2/6/2011 @ 4pm</span><br />
<a href="http://www.iptv.org/series.cfm/20305/national_parks_americas_best/ep:104"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Going Home</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> (1920-1933) The automobile allows more people to visit the parks. The Smoky Mountains and Tetons become parks.2/13/2011 @ 4pm</span><br />
<a href="http://www.iptv.org/series.cfm/20305/national_parks_americas_best/ep:105"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Great Nature</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> (1933-1945) During an economic crisis and a world war the parks provided a source of jobs and much-needed peace 2/20/2011 @ 4pm</span><br />
<a href="http://www.iptv.org/series.cfm/20305/national_parks_americas_best/ep:106"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The Morning of Creation</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> (1946-1980) American families create unforgettable memories, passing on a love of parks to the next generation. 2/27/2011 @ 4pm</span><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">On </span></strong><a href="http://iowapublicradio.org/"><strong><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">Iowa Public Radio</span></strong></a><strong><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;"> - </span></strong> <br />
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<a href="http://129.186.60.91:8010/talkOfIowa/toi110112.mp3?start%3D00%3A00%3A00.000%26end%3D00%3A49%3A00.000"><strong><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Wildlife Day with Jim Pease - 01/12/11 </span></strong></a><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">When the landscape is obscured by snow, some things become easier to see. Wildlife biologist Jim Pease will give us some reasons to look at our surroundings a little more closely next time we're out in the snow. We'll find out what we can see and learn from animal tracks in winter. (49:00) </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdmqk7B9GDTBMccTZO7hiX0DGET8NMnEXNTaOBCToajDSlRvULP3m4W7SxcqDExdDs8FV3syFWVYjP3GgyniJ79riJNU0KhweMMByotr-JwAc4KfRhyE5EDc4XJKtib-2h8HdJHt-hj5w/s1600/cross+country+tike+winter.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" s5="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdmqk7B9GDTBMccTZO7hiX0DGET8NMnEXNTaOBCToajDSlRvULP3m4W7SxcqDExdDs8FV3syFWVYjP3GgyniJ79riJNU0KhweMMByotr-JwAc4KfRhyE5EDc4XJKtib-2h8HdJHt-hj5w/s200/cross+country+tike+winter.gif" width="150" /></a></div><a href="http://129.186.60.91:8010/talkOfIowa/toi110110.mp3?start%3D00%3A00%3A00.000%26end%3D00%3A49%3A00.000"><strong><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Iowa Winter Sports - 01/10/11 </span></strong></a><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The best way of beating cabin fever is to get out of the cabin. There's lots of different ways to take advantage of our winter weather: cross-country skiing, snow-shoeing, bird watching, sledding and ice-fishing are some examples. We'll hear from some of the experts, including John Maehl of the Iowa D.N.R., Gail Barels of the Wickiup Hill Outdoor Learning Center in Linn County and Tim Smith of the Des Moines Parks and Recreation Dept. (49:00) </span><br />
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<a href="http://129.186.60.91:8010/theExchange/te110104.mp3?start%3D00%3A00%3A00.000%26end%3D00%3A46%3A00.000"><strong><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Climate Change Impacts on Iowa - 01/04/11 </span></strong></a><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">A new report compiled by researchers at Iowa's Public Universities details the effects of climate change on the state. The report is in response to a directive set forth by the Iowa Legislature to review climate change impacts and policies in Iowa. Ben Kieffer talks with Jerry Schnoor, Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Iowa, Gene Takle, Director of the Climate Science Program at Iowa State University and Biology Professor Laura Jackson from the University of Northern Iowa. Later in the hour, a conversation with Leah Christian of the Pew Research Center who discusses the latest attitudes and opinions among the public towards climate change. (46:00) </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/V2dELG8-x8U?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6210808829924842879.post-78759837464448295742011-01-18T09:21:00.000-06:002011-01-18T09:21:44.865-06:00Beat Cabin Fever by a Visit to a State Park<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2T5fb4NmsbViGDTbUCD4eSbqWUwPJ2yqlB_i9tiffW5yAMZtaqqxEdcil8Z7mmIai49-84NauSXPaZ1dOQk2cceLRWutY-01WgOiD1S6WhnvtUnDx6Z5EozZpVSFjTn1KGjspLz_U7sQ/s1600/cabin+in+winter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2T5fb4NmsbViGDTbUCD4eSbqWUwPJ2yqlB_i9tiffW5yAMZtaqqxEdcil8Z7mmIai49-84NauSXPaZ1dOQk2cceLRWutY-01WgOiD1S6WhnvtUnDx6Z5EozZpVSFjTn1KGjspLz_U7sQ/s320/cabin+in+winter.jpg" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdmqk7B9GDTBMccTZO7hiX0DGET8NMnEXNTaOBCToajDSlRvULP3m4W7SxcqDExdDs8FV3syFWVYjP3GgyniJ79riJNU0KhweMMByotr-JwAc4KfRhyE5EDc4XJKtib-2h8HdJHt-hj5w/s1600/cross+country+tike+winter.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdmqk7B9GDTBMccTZO7hiX0DGET8NMnEXNTaOBCToajDSlRvULP3m4W7SxcqDExdDs8FV3syFWVYjP3GgyniJ79riJNU0KhweMMByotr-JwAc4KfRhyE5EDc4XJKtib-2h8HdJHt-hj5w/s200/cross+country+tike+winter.gif" width="150" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The best way of beating cabin fever is to get out of the cabin. There's lots of different ways to take advantage of our winter weather: cross-country skiing, snow-shoeing, bird watching, sledding and ice-fishing are some examples. Hear from some of the experts, including </span><a href="mailto:John.Maehl@dnr.iowa.gov"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">John Maehl</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> of the </span><a href="http://www.iowadnr.gov/"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Iowa D.N.R</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">., </span><a href="mailto:gail.barels@linncounty.org"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Gail Barels</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> of the </span><a href="http://www.mycountyparks.com/County/Linn/Park/Wickiup-Hill-Outdoor-Learning-Center.aspx"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Wickiup Hill Outdoor Learning Center</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> in Linn County and </span><a href="mailto:tasmith@dmgov.org"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Tim Smith</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> of the </span><a href="http://www.dmgov.org/Departments/Parks/Pages/default.aspx"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Des Moines Parks and Recreation Dept</span></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">It’s that time of year when many Iowans are feeling the effects of “cabin fever.” </span><a href="mailto:John.Maehl@dnr.iowa.gov"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">John Maehl</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> with the </span><a href="http://www.iowadnr.gov/"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Iowa Department of Natural Resources </span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">says the cure could involve a visit to a state park for some outdoor winter fun. He says cross-country skiing is an inexpressive way to get exercise and enjoy the parks.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">“Many of our trails that are more level and longer in distance, we groom those with a snow machine pulling a trailer that leaves some packed-down tracks specifically for cross-country skiers,” Maehl said. He suggests calling your local state park to check if they offer groomed trails for cross-country skiing.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Maehl is based in Monticello and says two of the more popular parks in northeast Iowa for the activity are </span><a href="http://www.iowadnr.gov/parks/state_park_list/mines_spain.html"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Mines of Spain State Park</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> near Dubuque and </span><a href="http://www.iowadnr.gov/parks/state_park_list/volga_river.html"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Volga River State Park</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> near Fayette. Hiking is another popular activity during the winter months at state parks. Maehl suggests taking a walk on a state park trail after dark.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">“We don’t have the night sky pollution like you do in the city,” Maehl said. “You’ll see the outdoors in a way you’ve never seen it before. The stars are so bright, there’s so many of them and they reflect off the snow. It’s just a whole different way to experience the outdoors.” Iowans can also visit state parks in the winter for ice-fishing, sledding or bird watching. Maehl says there’s not a wide variety of birds in Iowa at this time of year, but they’re much easier to see.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">He notes bald eagles are especially active this time of year and can be spotted plucking fish out of rivers running through state parks. Maehl says a few brave Iowans enjoy tent camping in the winter, but most prefer to seek out parks with cabins for rent. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Maehl was a guest on the </span><a href="http://iowapublicradio.org/"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Iowa Public Radio</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> program </span><a href="http://iowapublicradio.org/programSpecific.php?typeId=116"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Talk of Iowa.</span></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6210808829924842879.post-89080975053372893542011-01-16T19:52:00.000-06:002011-01-16T19:52:24.057-06:00"Sketching Iowa's Heritage: How to draw children back into nature"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHqFkw8KvpNr5Ylf0YM2PWaXtHTIrMmVCsLPLZU8CrdOYnUnu4L7wd0rzYArlfp0cqs44jai9foyym1xAHfQHN_ftepOmxRmcHVJKgNItqlxjYltGzl9vpQT1savze1QXLSjMI4KKsz9E/s1600/honey-creek-resort.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHqFkw8KvpNr5Ylf0YM2PWaXtHTIrMmVCsLPLZU8CrdOYnUnu4L7wd0rzYArlfp0cqs44jai9foyym1xAHfQHN_ftepOmxRmcHVJKgNItqlxjYltGzl9vpQT1savze1QXLSjMI4KKsz9E/s200/honey-creek-resort.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><strong><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Winter Solstice 2011</span></strong> <br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">January 21-23 (Friday-Sunday) - Honey Creek Resort, Moravia </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">"Sketching Iowa's heritage: How to draw children back into nature" is the theme of the 2011 Winter Solstice annual environmental education workshop, with keynotes by Kris Howes-Vonstein and Jennifer Hancock of the Vinton Shellsburg Schools' Green Team. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Other presentations include the Eulenspiegel Puppet Theatre of West Liberty and an Iowa Wetlands pre-workshop. The conference is sponsored by the </span><a href="http://www.extension.iastate.edu/iowaee/ICEC.html"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Iowa Conservation Education Coalition</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> and partners, including </span><a href="http://www.inhf.org/"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">INHF</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">. </span><a href="https://docs.google.com/fileview?id=0BzswN-o_nbo6MjM3MmEwMTEtMjdjMS00MWU1LTlhOWYtM2QwNDUxMTExNDNj&hl=en&pli=1"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Find out more or register. </span></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6210808829924842879.post-67973712013662312882011-01-11T19:56:00.000-06:002011-01-11T19:56:40.045-06:00More 2011 Bald Eagle Watch Events<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><strong>More 2011 Bald Eagle Watch Events </strong></span></div><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">(*Saturday) indicates events with a Friday school day </span><br />
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9YuqEFYewnIj81OFOrDHYh4iM82-Aw4WVpF87s6U9S5fJrnf_qCsLTlIMK0zeopMr8OT1mnJpQt9g9GUBLgrHUEqZHbimt-lvra2wKs4e2Vjz5V0WfPI73_CBp9k8sddVHfSTq1eHeuQ/s1600/eagle+viewing+keokuk_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="201" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9YuqEFYewnIj81OFOrDHYh4iM82-Aw4WVpF87s6U9S5fJrnf_qCsLTlIMK0zeopMr8OT1mnJpQt9g9GUBLgrHUEqZHbimt-lvra2wKs4e2Vjz5V0WfPI73_CBp9k8sddVHfSTq1eHeuQ/s320/eagle+viewing+keokuk_1.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;"><strong><a href="http://www.mvr.usace.army.mil/missriver/">Mississippi River Visitor Center </a></strong></span></div><ul><li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">January 15 - February 13, Weekends Only </span></li>
<li style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Combination eagle watches and clock tower tours </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Saturday and Sunday times are: 9:30 a.m., 1 p.m., 3 p.m. </span></li>
</ul><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Reservations required. Group size is limited. Call 309-794-5338 </span></div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><a href="http://audubondubuque.org/baldeagle.html"><span style="font-size: large;"><strong>Dubuque Bald Eagle Watch</strong></span> </a><span style="font-size: large;"><strong></strong></span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">*Saturday, January 15 </span><br />
<ul><li style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Outdoor viewing south of Lock and Dam 11 at A.Y. McDonald Park from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. </span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span></li>
<li style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Live Eagle and Bird of Prey Programs by the <a href="http://www.raptor.cvm.umn.edu/">University of Minnesota Raptor Center</a> at 9:30 a.m., 12:15 p.m., and 3 p.m. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Indoor Exhibits from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the <a href="http://www.grandrivercenter.com/">Grand River Center - Port of Dubuque </a></span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span></li>
<li style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Trolley rides from Grand River Center to outdoor viewing area </span></li>
</ul><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">For more information call: 563-556-4372 or 563-582-0881 </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;"><strong><a href="http://iaparks.blogspot.com/2011/01/27th-annual-bald-eagle-appreciation.html">Keokuk Bald Eagle Days</a> </strong></span><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">*Saturday and Sunday, January 15-16 </span></div><ul><li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Indoor programs and Environmental Fair at the River City Mall, Keokuk, </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Live Eagle Programs Saturday 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Sunday 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Outdoor viewing along the riverfront </span></li>
</ul><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">For more information call: 1-800-383-1219 </span><br />
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;"><strong><a href="http://www.greatriver.com/">Quincy Bald Eagle Watch </a></strong></span></div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Saturday, January 23 </span><br />
<ul><li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Outdoor viewing from 9 a.m. to 4p.m. at lock and Dam 21 </span></li>
</ul><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">For more information call: 217-228-0890 </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><a href="http://leclairechamber.com/index.html"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">LeClaire Bald Eagle Watch</span></strong> </a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Saturday and Sunday, January 29 - 30 </span><br />
<ul><li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Outdoor viewing at Lock and Dam 14, Sat. 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.; Sun. 1 to 4 p.m. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Indoor programs: Sat. at 10 a.m., 11 a.m., 12 p.m.; Sun. at 1 p.m., 2 p.m., 3 p.m. </span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Indoor programs: <a href="http://www.iowawelcomecenter.com/">Mississippi Valley Welcome Center </a></span></li>
</ul><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">For more information call: 563-322-3911 x120 </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;"><strong><a href="http://www.downtowndesmoines.com/im_looking_for_something_to_do/event.php?id=5846&y=2010&m=02&d=19">Lunch with Eagles</a> </strong></span><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Friday, February 18 </span></div><ul><li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Scott St. Dam in Des Moines </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Outdoor viewing in downtown Des Moines </span></li>
</ul><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">For more information call 515-323-8907 </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.prairieduchien.org/visitors/eagles.htm"><span style="font-size: large;"><strong>Prairie DuChien Eagle Watch</strong></span> </a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Saturday, February 26 </span><br />
<ul><li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Outdoor viewing from 9AM to 3 PM </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Bald Eagle programs and exhibits, birding experts on hand </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Children activities </span></li>
</ul><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">For more information call 563-873-3491 or 800-732-1673 </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;"><strong><a href="http://iptv.org/lii/feature.cfm?featNum=829&showNum=1641">Saylorville Bald Eagle Watch </a></strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Sunday, February 27 </span><br />
<ul><li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Outdoor Viewing at selected sites around reservoir, start at <a href="http://www2.mvr.usace.army.mil/Saylorville/VCInfo.cfm">Visitor's Center</a> 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. </span></li>
</ul><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">For more information call 515-276-4656 </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.iowabirds.org/places/red-rock.asp"><span style="font-size: large;"><strong>Red Rock Bald Eagle Watch</strong></span> </a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Friday and Saturday, March 4 - 5 </span><br />
<ul><li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Outdoor viewing at <a href="http://www.recreation.gov/camping/Howell_Station_Ia/r/campgroundDetails.do?contractCode=NRSO&parkId=73213&topTabIndex=CampingSpot">Howell Station</a> 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Indoor programs at <a href="http://www.central.edu/">Pella Central College</a> 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. </span></li>
</ul><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">For more information call 641-828-7522 </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.linngroveiowa.org/index.html"><span style="font-size: large;"><strong>Linn Grove Eagle Watch</strong></span> </a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Saturday, March 5 </span><br />
<ul><li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Registration: 8:30 to 10 a.m. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Refreshments served in the morning </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Can pre-register at: Wonders of Nature, 107 Weaver, Linn Grove, Iowa, 51033 </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Speakers from 10 a.m. to Noon </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Lunch served at 12:15 p.m., free will offering </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Outdoor viewing at selected sites, start at Nature Center, Linn Grove Main St. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Indoor programs at sites to be listed later </span></li>
</ul><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">For more information call: 712-296-4920 </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">For More Eagle Watch Information: 515-432-2823 or www.missriver.org </span><br />
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