The National Parks: America's Best Idea - Presentation

Indianola native Dayton Duncan will discuss and screen part of his new project "The National Parks: America's Best Idea," which he produced with Ken Burns. The documentary premieres nationally on Sept. 27.

WHEN and WHERE: 3 and 7 p.m. Friday at Simpson College's Lekberg Hall in Indianola...
7 p.m. Saturday at Iowa Western Community College's Looft Hall in Council Bluffs

ADMISSION: Free

BONUS: An earlier Duncan/Burns project, "Lewis & Clark: The Journey of the Corps of Discovery," airs at 3 p.m. Sunday on Iowa Public Television.

INFO: pbs.org/nationalparks

Dayton Duncan, an Indianola, Iowa native, will visit Indianola on Friday and Council Bluffs on Saturday to talk about the filming process - all six years, 800 rolls of film and 50 interviews of it. He'll talk about how the show, like earlier projects with Burns ("The Civil War," "Baseball" and "Jazz"), explores the big sweep of history and draws parallels with today.

Duncan's research also casts new light on some of the parks' unsung heroes, including the late U.S. Rep. John Lacey, an eight-term Republican from Oskaloosa. He authored bills around the turn of the last century that protected park animals from poaching and gave presidents the authority to set aside new areas for historic and scientific reasons.

Theodore Roosevelt used Lacey's Antiquities Act of 1906 to protect Devils Tower and the Grand Canyon, and President Carter used it to save wildlife in Alaska. Most recently, President George W. Bush used the law to preserve Hawaii's northwestern islands.

The Antiquities Act "really is the greatest tool for conservation in history," Duncan said. "As a fellow Iowan, I'm particularly proud to give John F. Lacey the credit he's due."The filmmaker hopes the series will renew enthusiasm for the "uniquely American" idea of the national parks.

We're working vigorously to beautify where we live

April 26, 2009

We're working vigorously to beautify where we live


By ROBERT D. RAY
Former Iowa Governor

All of us tend to form our opinions of people and places based on the first visual image. This need to make a favorable first impression is essential in building local pride and in the encouragement of economic development.

The "good news" is that Iowans are putting forth a renewed effort at improving the image of where they live - and they are doing it with vigor and enthusiasm. The following are a few local examples:
- Neighborhood organizations in Des Moines are invigorated and building a great sense of pride.
- Beautification efforts are along Ingersoll Avenue.
- Landscape planters are throughout the downtown area of Des Moines.
- Beautification efforts along Fleur Drive are significant.
- Cleanup efforts by the downtown partners business area keep the area clean and free of cigarette butts.
- New signage for the city center aids residents and visitors to finding their way around Des Moines and for parking.
- Revitalization efforts are under way in the East Village area.
- Improvements have enhanced the Des Moines River Principal Riverwalk area.
- Changes and improvements to Gray's Lake have been made.
- Attractive landscaping of I-235 and changes in the appearances of bridges and overpasses are being implemented.
- Millions of dollars of improvements to the state Capitol and the landscape around the Capitol are being made.
- Expansion and interconnection of trails with neighborhoods, communities and the countryside is occurring throughout Iowa.
- More residents are participating in spring housecleaning programs by using free disposal days offered by communities.
- Hanging flower baskets and flowering areas are increasing in local communities.

The work of Character Counts! has also spread into hundreds of communities and schools throughout our state, helping Iowans become the best that they can be. This reputation of a quality people is one that Iowa has and will continue to have.

The Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation has worked to protect thousands of acres of natural lands and has encouraged recreational trail development.

The newly formed Iowa Parks Foundation is focusing on enhancing and restoring quality to our significant park areas throughout Iowa.

The county conservation boards in this state are little known or recognized, yet they are one of the most significant assets of Iowa - providing dozens of nature centers for Iowans and visitors to enjoy along with hundreds of significant park, recreation, river access sites and wildlife areas. River and community cleanups are improving the appearance of areas across the state.

Keep Iowa Beautiful is helping to encourage and support statewide, regional and community enhancement efforts throughout Iowa. The newly developed 1-888-NOLITTR (665-4887) number allows Iowans to help stop littering by reporting those they see littering from a vehicle.

As all of us improve or enhance the beauty and cleanliness of the areas around us, other things begin to happen.Pride increases in the residents, business owners and visitors. Improvements begin to show up on adjacent private properties and values increase - it becomes contagious.

The "good news" story in Iowa is amazing and it is spreading rapidly - join the effort!

Robert D. Ray was the governor of Iowa from 1969 to 1983.

Copyright ©2009 The Des Moines Register

Spring is Here - Check Out These Beautiful Parks

CONNECTING PEOPLE TO PLACES OF BEAUTY

These three State Parks are among the dozens of natural spaces in Iowa that offer great opportunities for camping, fishing, hiking and mushroom picking during the spring season.

Pine Lake State Park - Located in Hardin County in north-central Iowa

Pine Lake State Park provides a pleasing mix of woodland, river and lake in the midst of rolling farmland. The 650-acre park encompasses two lakes: 50-acre Lower Pine Lake and 69-acre Upper Pine Lake. Of special appeal to nature enthusiasts are the ancient white pine, the white-barked birch trees and rare ferns found along the Iowa River.

A renovated 124-site campground includes facilities usually available around mid-April. Four rustic stone and timber cabins, nestled along the Iowa River, are available year-round. Reservations are accepted for both camping and cabins.

Fishing opportunities at the lakes and river provide the angler a chance at bass, crappie, northern pike, and channel catfish. Boat ramps and more than seven miles of well-developed trails are available around the lakes. There is also a 2.5-miles concrete bike path that runs from the welcome center in Eldora along both lakes in the park to near County Highway S56. Wildlife watching and mushroom hunting are two favorite activities in the spring. For further information on the park, call 641-858-5832.

Lake Ahquabi State Park - Located just south of Indianola and the Des Moines metro area

Lake Ahquabi State Park provides a variety of recreational opportunities. The 770-acre park is very popular with anglers, offering opportunities for crappie, bluegill, redear, sunfish and bass. Facilities include numerous jetties for shoreline fishing, two boat ramps, and a covered ADA fishing pier, which provides an excellent opportunity for all visitors to enjoy fishing no matter what time of year. A renovated 142-site campground includes facilities usually available around mid-April. Reservations are accepted. The park offers 8 miles of trails for hiking. Wildlife watching and mushroom hunting are favorite spring activities. For more information, contact the park at 515-961-7101.

Lake of Three Fires State Park - Located in Taylor County in southwest Iowa

Lake of Three Fires State Park is popular in the spring for visitors interested in picnicking, fishing, hiking, nature photography, or harvesting mushrooms, berries and nuts. The park includes 8 miles of trails for hiking and horseback riding and includes two campgrounds, both located a shore distance from the lake. The 23-site equestrian campground and the 98-site non-equestrian campground both have facilities that are available usually around mid-April. The park also features six modern family cabins available year-round. Reservations are accepted for both camping and cabins.

The 85-acre Lake of Three Fires is nearly a mile long and a half-mile wide, with scenic inlets ideal for fishing and boating. Surrounding the lake are 691 acres of picturesque woodlands. For more information, contact the park at 712-523-2700.

Other parks in Iowa that you might want to consider for a springtime visit include: Ledges State Park (central Iowa), Red Haw State Park (south-central Iowa), Pikes Peak State Park (northeast Iowa) and Lake Wapello (southeast Iowa).

DNR to Unveil River Trash Sculpture on Earth Day

Talkin' Trash - DNR to Unveil River Trash Sculpture on Earth Day

What was once an eyesore is now becoming an object of beauty. Trash dredged from the Winnebago, Shell Rock and Cedar rivers last August by hundreds of volunteers on the DNR's annual Project AWARE river cleanup event will be celebrated on Earth Day - not as trash, but as art.

On April 22, the public is invited to view the sculpture from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the main lobby atrium of the Wallace State Office Building, 502 East 9th Street, in Des Moines. Artist David Williamson and DNR staff will be available to greet visitors, answer questions, and most importantly, gather public input to complete the project.

Rather than a finished piece, the unveiling will reveal a sculpture-in-progress, and public input is requested to complete the final transformation of the trash into finished sculpture. As a collaborative effort amongst cleanup volunteers, everyday citizens, and artist David Williamson, more public input is needed before this metamorphosis can be complete.

"Due to the collaborative nature of this project, we encourage visitors to join us on Earth Day to add their thoughts," Williamson said. "With the sculpture about 60 percent complete, this is a great opportunity to welcome public input and the exchange of ideas that are so crucial to this type of project."

As part of a multi-year project known as The River Gates of Project AWARE, the sculpture is not only an interpretive piece that honors the work of volunteers, promotes environmental stewardship, and tells the story of Project AWARE, but it has also been designed for use as a security gate for the DNR building at the Iowa State Fair.

Along with the sculpture, music created through a similar collaborative effort will also be performed, and sculptures from previous years of Project AWARE will be on display.
For more information, please visit http://www.iowaprojectaware.com/ or contact Brian Soenen at Brian.Soenen@dnr.iowa.gov or (515) 205-8587.

State Parks on Endangered List May Be Preserved for a Price

With the recession forcing governments to make tough budget choices, many state parks are finding themselves on the chopping block. Some states change their minds afterward — but the about-face means more difficult decisions have to be made.

By Travis Reed, AP

The economic downturn has forced states around the country to shutter historic sites and reduce visiting hours for parks. But in Florida, Illinois, California and a few other places, closures have been forestalled after outcries from the public and budget-juggling by officials.

Still, funding shortfalls threaten public access at 69 recreation and historic sites nationwide, including the oldest building in Idaho, a sacred Native American ancestral village in Arizona and a Washington kayak launch point into Puget Sound.

Money from the stimulus bill could help. That's what made the difference in Florida, where Gov. Charlie Crist determined planned closures of 19 sites would not be necessary if the state gets the proposed $12 billion in federal stimulus money.

The threatened cuts in Florida would have stretched from a Panhandle park with a rare coastal dune lake, wildflowers and migratory birds to a former Keys quarry with cross-sections of ancient fossilized coral. The sites were targeted because they have fewer visitors and less revenue than the rest of the 160-park system. Nine didn't charge any entry fee, and five that did raised less than $4,000 last year.

Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn just reopened seven parks that his predecessor, Rod Blagojevich, had closed. But 12 historic sites around the state remain shuttered. They include a re-creation of the farmstead where President Abraham Lincoln's parents lived after moving to Illinois; the Vandalia Statehouse, where he started as a state legislator; and the Dana-Thomas House, built by Frank Lloyd Wright more than 100 years ago.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger dropped California's plans to close 48 parks after outraging environmentalists, some residents and politicians, deciding instead to increase fees slightly.

States that aren't closing parks and historic sites are raising fees, cutting services or both. When every expense is questioned, parks and recreation — like family vacations — can be an easy target. Unfortunately, the cuts come as more families are turning to state parks to save on their own expenses."

A lot of our constituents now can't afford to go too far from home, and they do need somewhere they can get away and just relax and take advantage of the great outdoors," said Shirley K. Turner, a state senator from New Jersey.

In her state, Gov. Jon Corzine proposed closing nine state parks to help balance the budget. The areas were saved by committing $9 million in beach protection money.

"It's utilized not just by adults but a lot of children," Turner said. "We can't afford to lose that. It helps psychologically as well as physically, and there's so much stress now."

Some states, like Ohio, plan to save cash by shutting down certain destinations for just a week. It will close 14 historic sites starting March 28, a furlough sparing $191,000.

Even in states that aren't considering closures, access will be limited and staff and service cuts likely.

Grass mowing and bathroom cleaning might be less frequent in Pennsylvania parks because of staff cuts.

New York expanded winter park closures and began months ago shutting down most parks at night for the winter. Consumer costs could be doubled in some cases there, and entry fees exceeding $200 are proposed for the Empire State Games amateur sports program.

Georgia's park division is operating at a 23 percent staff vacancy rate. The state is moving to close or transfer operations of state golf courses and swimming pools.

Nevada could close as many as 10 of its 25 state parks seasonally, and lock up two sites that already have access problems.

Michigan hopes to raise $1.9 million by raising annual park stickers by $4 to $28 and day passes by $1 to $7.

Idaho can no longer afford the $300,000 it spent last year on Old Mission State Park, home of the 155-year-old Cataldo Mission. It hopes the Coeur d'Alene Tribe, which owns the site, or concerned nearby community members can pony up.

Hawaii is at a crossroads with a park system sorely in need of repair. The state will either close as many as five state parks or pour $240 million into a "Recreational Renaissance," which would upgrade parks, harbors, beaches and piers crumbling into the ocean.

Three parks in Arizona have already been closed temporarily and eight more face potential temporary closure. Grants there that funded law enforcement patrols on the Colorado River are being suspended or canceled, and even a $3,500 re-enactment of a Civil War battle at Picacho Peak State Park has been called off.

Sometimes, budget cuts in other areas have unintended consequences for parks. In Kansas, the cost-cutting closure of three prisons that housed 160 inmates is expected to drastically affect maintenance. Inmates worked more than 81,000 hours last year on everything from cleaning to paving roads and installing cabins last year.

And business owners in many areas count on the attractions for traffic.

Washington has proposed closing two parks and transferring 13 more to other governments — if they can find anyone to take them on. If not, places like nearby Lyle and Brooks Memorial Park, a 700-acre, year-round camping site that helps drive traffic into Goldendale, Wash., could suffer.

"I can't help but think it would affect us somewhat, even if it just means the guy at the grocery store isn't selling as much stuff, so he's not coming to eat," said Maren McGowan, a photographer who co-owns The Glass Onion cafe and gallery in Goldendale with her husband.

"It does mean there are people that go there that won't be in this area. If they're just trying to get where they're going and it's not here, they might not want to eat here."

Slide Show: Beautiful National Parks

Cleanup Project will Tackle Cedar River

Project A.W.A.R.E. is an Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) effort designed to lead Iowans to the natural waterways of the state and to engage them in efforts to cleanup the environment.

The AWARE objectives include:

• Increasing awareness about water quality issues that threaten the health of Iowa's water resources and promote advocacy and action towards their improvement and protection.
• Engaging Iowa's citizen volunteers in a project that challenges them to become stewards of the river and produces a tangible, quantitative result (numbers of citizens involved and quantity of trash removed, recycled, reused, or properly disposed).
• Demonstrating the commitment of Iowa's citizens by giving of themselves and their valuable time to make a difference - one stretch of river, one piece of trash at a time.

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources has announced that this year's cleanup project will help spruce up an 86-mile stretch of the Cedar River from Center Point to Muscatine.

This is the seventh annual Project AWARE. Hundreds of volunteers are expected to turn out for the cleanup project from June 20 to June 27. During the expedition, volunteers use canoes and kayaks to float down the river and pick up trash along the way.

Some volunteers also take part in land-based projects. Organizers said Project AWARE has enlisted more than 1,200 participants to clean up nearly 500 miles of Iowa's rivers.

Check out the DNR Project AWARE Web Site for more information.

Restoring Wetlands in Iowa Symposium

April Symposium Will Focus on Creating and Restoring Wetlands in Iowa

A two-day symposium exploring the importance of wetland restoration and management will be held April 2-3 in Des Moines.
One of the goals of the symposium is to explore options, both financially and socially, to restore wetland benefits for all parties concerned including agriculture and urban development. For instance, strategic use of state and federal conservation programs can assist landowners in maximizing unproductive land.
Wetlands are areas where water is at, near, or above the land surface long enough to be capable of supporting aquatic or hydrophytic vegetation and which has soils indicative of wet conditions. Iowa wetlands are diverse resources that include marshes, bogs, floodplain woodlands, wet meadows, low prairies and fens.

Iowa has one of the most altered landscapes in the world. Prior to settlement, an estimated four million to six million acres of Iowa were in wetlands. It is estimated that nearly 90 percent of Iowa's wetlands have been lost with only California and Ohio having lost more, according to The Iowa Wetlands and Riparian Areas Conservation Plan.

Wetlands have long been recognized for their value to wildlife, but it has only been in recent years that we've begun to understand the importance of wetlands in improving water quality for larger lakes and streams as well as reducing impacts from flooding. The restoration of wetlands provides not only environmental benefits in terms of improving water quality, but also economic benefits. In addition to hunting and fishing opportunities, wetlands are a haven for many non-game species.

Wildlife watching, particularly bird watching, is the fastest growing outdoor-related activity in the United States. Quality wildlife watching opportunities can be a boon to local economies that have wetland complexes designed to attract wildlife and, in turn, the people attracted to watching wildlife.

In recent years, the Iowa DNR has been actively working on restoring some of Iowa's largest wetland complexes. A video highlighting the DNR's efforts to restore existing wetlands, "Reviving Iowa's Shallow Lakes," can be found at:

http://www.iowadnr.gov/video/index.html

Registration: Wetlands: Reinvesting in Iowa's Natural Capital, April 2-3, 2009,*.pdf