High Trestle Trail - Ribbon Cutting - Ready For Action

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 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 Saturday for the opening “Grand Celebration.”
By CHUCK OFFENBURGER

Board member, RRVT Association

MADRID, Iowa, April 27, 2011 — 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.

It’s as good as they were saying it was going to be. Maybe better.

“This is something I’m going to look forward to, riding my bicycle on this trail and across this bridge,” said Governor Terry Branstad, 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.”

“I love it!” said Lieutenant Governor Kim Reynolds. “This is another great example of big things happening in small places.”

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

“It’s been a $15 million project,” said Mark Ackelson, president of the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation, 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.

Congressman Leonard Boswell 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.”

Read the remainder of the article and see some great pictures of the HTT here:

IDNR Leadership Announced

From The Muscatine Journal -
Posted: Tuesday, December 14, 2010 2:00 am

Muscatine attorney picked to run DNR
Mike Ferguson


MUSCATINE, Iowa - Gov.-elect Terry Branstad on Monday named Muscatine attorney Roger Lande to head the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.

Lande, 74, a longtime hunting and fishing enthusiast, is a partner in the Stanley, Lande and Hunter law firm, which has offices in Muscatine and Davenport.

He said his e-mail in box "was filling up fast" Monday afternoon as word of his appointment spread. Lande said he'll bring "my love of the outdoors and of Iowa" to his new job.

But before he can begin work, Lande must be approved by two-thirds of the Iowa Senate.

He said he doesn't plan to spend a lot of time preparing for confirmation. "I plan to simply go forward with what I have and who I am," he said. "I don't think I'll be studying up any."


In some ways, Lande's law career and his interests have prepared him for the job. "A long law career is helpful. You try to get people to make reasonable resolutions in places they may disagree. And I guess your outside interests drive your interest" in leading the DNR, he said. "With Iowa's wonderful outdoors and its parks and recreation and trail system - and the rest of its natural environment - it's a wonderful place to be.

"We will try to market it and make it an even better one," he added. "I don't think we market what Iowa has to offer in outdoor recreation and hunting and fishing. And we need to continue doing all the good work we've been doing on the environment."

The Iowa DNR is responsible for caring for Iowa's state parks, forests and other natural resources. The agency also oversees various conservation and environmental protection functions.


The agency has almost 900 full-time, permanent employees, Lande said, as well as seasonal employees the DNR hires when the weather's nice.


Lande, a Republican, said he never applied for the job. He told Branstad's transition team he'd be willing to help the next governor "remake Iowa government."


"I anticipated being on a task force or a study committee on a narrow issue," he said. "This came out of the blue."


In a prepared release, Branstad said he "can think of no one better to be a steward of Iowa's precious natural resources than Roger Lande. Roger and his family have long been champions of conservation of Iowa's rivers, woodlands, greenways, prairies and trails, and I am confident that Roger will excel in his new role."


Not everyone supported the nomination. Verne Tigges of Carroll, board president of Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement, said Lande's law firm has ties to agribusiness groups such as Monsanto and the Iowa Farm Bureau.


"Lande must prove that his career work as an industry insider won't prevent him from fulfilling the DNR's primary mission to protect the environment," Tigges said in a statement.


Lande said to his knowledge his firm had never represented Monsanto. "I'd like for him to tell me what that was," Lande said.


Lande also said that "responsible businessmen and farmers want to protect the environment, because it's in their self-interest to do so. When there are problems, some people want solutions and some people want to fight. We are talking about clean water, which we all want."


Lande said he's known Branstad for more than 30 years, but doesn't know him well.


He said he'll learn more about his new job "from a lot of good people" who already work for the DNR. "I know I'll know more about the job six months from now than I know now," Lande said. "It will be a huge task, but I'm sure I will get a lot of advice from my friends in Muscatine."

From IDNR: PAT BODDY WILL REMAIN AS DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF DNR


DES MOINES – Pat Boddy will stay on as deputy director of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR), according to new DNR Director Roger Lande.

Boddy has served as deputy director since January of 2009 and has been the interim director of the agency since September when former director Richard Leopold stepped down to accept a position with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

“Pat brings a great deal of knowledge and experience to the DNR. She is a proven, capable leader who will provide continuity in protecting Iowa’s natural resources,” said Lande.

A licensed professional engineer, Boddy Boddy brings more than 25 years experience in the fields of water resources, parks and land management and communication management. She served as the director of the Polk County Conservation Board prior to joining the DNR and was the president of Boddy Media Group from 1996-2004.

“I am grateful for the opportunity to continue working with the DNR and helping the new administration reach its goals in protecting and enhancing Iowa’s natural resources,” said Boddy.

The DNR has more than 1,100 employees and an annual operating budget of more than $100 million dollars.

Elevate Great State Parks to Become Even Greater

In today's Des Moines Register editorial section, several distinguished Iowans suggest 'Big Ideas for Iowa' Among the array of suggestions are two that are particularly interesting to the Iowa Parks Foundation. Governor Terry Branstad , co-chair of the IPF Board suggests a need to continue the efforts to modernize and reform state government. You will find the Governor's post in the New Iowa Group blog spot.

Neil Harl, writes of the need to elevate state parks - directly in the 'sweet spot' of the Iowa Parks Foundation mission.

Elevate Great State Parks to Become Even Greater
NEIL E. HARL is a distinguished professor in agriculture and an emeritus professor of economics at Iowa State University.

When I first read Rahm Emanuel's quote a few months ago, I thought back to 1970, when universities (and the country) were in crisis over the Vietnam War, civil rights and environmental concerns. I stated then that crises are a scarce resource, to be handled with great care.We managed to get approval of a new, highly popular one-credit seminar series dealing with critically important then-current issues. In normal times, curriculum committees would have beaten the proposal to death. That September, the program was approved by the one person who mattered, President W. Robert Parks; the various curriculum committees never saw the proposal.

Let's learn from that experience now, as an economic meltdown grips the world in fear and foreboding. One important area that cries out for attention is our great state parks, which could become even greater with modest additional resources.

We need to quickly develop a master plan to address capital-improvement needs; shortcomings in staffing; control of runoff (which damages our state's lakes and streams), including acquiring buffer strips where necessary; and building facilities to better serve the recreational needs of Iowans and visitors.

Such a major project would make Iowa a better place to live and work, enhance our tourism potential and last well beyond the current crisis. Obviously, the project should work in partnership with federal stimulus initiatives, but Iowa should add local funding and momentum. Iowans in 2020 and beyond will think kindly of the foresight and generosity of spirit that propelled the project.