Rally @ the Iowa Capitol for Iowa's Breathing Spaces

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'.  

"Yes 63" Day At Iowa State Capitol

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 (DETAILS) to show their support for the legislator beginning to fund Iowa's Water & Land Legacy amendment - through the Natural Resources Outdoor Recreation Trust Fund. 

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.

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.
This rally is about:

• Improving Water Quality For Future Generations
• Investing In Our Agricultural Economy By Reducing Soil Erosion
• Protecting Fish & Wildlife Habitat And Public Access To Hunting Areas
• Creating Jobs And Economic Opportunity In Both Rural & Urban Iowa

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 (DETAILS). We will then be walking up to the Capitol Building and showing our strong support for Iowa's Water & Land Legacy.

If you want to learn about how the amendment fared in YOUR county. You can download county results HERE. Spreadsheet of actual numbers are HERE.  

Interested in participating? email  Iowas Water and Land Legacy,  contact Roz Lehman, Field Director, or call 515-707-0266.

Check out this graphic - it shows how much of the state's General Funds Budget goes to fund the Agriculture and Natural Resources programs. 

Shocking!

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

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

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


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


I am voting YES for IWILL, because:

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

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

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

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

Why do I care?

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

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

Sincerely,

Rachel Garst

home 712-651-2015 rgarst@netins.net

office 712-999-7031 rachelg@creatinggreatplaces.org

A Natural Blast – Party and Fund Raiser for Iowa’s Environment

A Natural Blast – Party and Fund Raiser for Iowa’s Environment

Please join me on June 17 for A Natural Blast! This fundraiser for Iowa’s Environment will be an evening full of friends, fun, food, and festivities.

There will be a silent auction and dinner starting at 5pm, followed by music by Cousin Eddie - a self described Country Blues band, they also play a little bit of everything including originals and crazy covers from The Gourd's, Danny Barnes, Old Crowe Medicine Show, Dylan, Dead and Stones. Will you join me?

The tickets are $25 and you can get yours from by e-mailing iowaswaterandlandlegacy@gmail.com or call 515-707-0266.

All proceeds benefit Iowa Environmental Council in partnership with Iowa’s Water and Land Legacy, a coalition of environmental groups that includes the Iowa Parks Foundation that are working together to establish a trust fund for the protection of Iowa’s natural resources. You can learn more about the trust fund at http://www.iowaswaterandlandlegacy.org/home.aspx

The party is being held at the Izaak Walton League at 4343 George Flag Parkway in Des Moines.

Hope you can join me! It should be lots of fun and for a good cause, too.