Sad news about what some of us already suspected: the monarch butterfly population appears to be down this year at the insects’ overwintering site in Mexico. The Fall Migration News notes that only 10 trees were filled with the delicate orange and black butterflies this November at El Rosario Sanctuary, compared to 60 trees just […]
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Category: Environment
Iowa River Friends meeting set for Nov. ...
IOWA CITY – A new group called Iowa River Friends was started this year to improve, protect and enjoy the Iowa River, its creeks and streams. The group provided details on an upcoming meeting to gather information about river restoration throughout the state for the Iowa Legislature’s Study Committee on Rivers and Waterways. Here is […]
Experience the connection between health...
A relaxing day at Wapsipincon State Park this past weekend helped me appreciate the waterways that run through Iowa. Unfortunately, our state doesn’t have the best reputation for pristine rivers, streams and lakes, but efforts are underway to make changes, utilizing the sometimes overlooked connection between healthy soils and clean water. One of those projects […]
Eastern Iowa under firewood quarantine; ...
Emerald Ash Borer, an invasive pest that has already killed millions of ash trees in the United States, is gaining a foothold in Iowa. Today, state officials issued a quarantine on firewood to try to help stem the tide. Read a Q&A on Emerald Ash Borer, find where meetings are scheduled to address the issue […]
They won’t suck your blood, but will eat
I saw two bats circling overhead this week, which I thought was unusual, given Iowa’s recent cold streak, but it also made me grateful that we’re still seeing bats in this area. In some parts of the country, white-nose syndrome has devastated bats populations. I view bats as a good friend of the environment, especially […]
Switch clocks back one hour first weeken...
Scary, I know. Some people or entities are a bit confused by the time change, which happens next weekend, not in October, as it did several years ago. Standard Time begins the first Sunday in November.
Meetings scheduled in Cedar Rapids to di...
CEDAR RAPIDS – The Emerald Ash Borer, which has devastated ash trees in several other states, has found its way to Iowa and now, two meetings have been scheduled to provide information for industry workers and the public. Most recently identified in a residential tree in Mechanicsville in northern Cedar County, the invasive pest has […]
Public invited to participate in Trees F...
CEDAR RAPIDS – Our friends at Trees Forever are busy with planting projects and much more this fall. Besides the popular TreeKeepers program, coming up Oct. 12 and Oct. 19 in the Corridor, Trees Forever’s expert staff is working on Branching Out plantings, including one in Marion. Also, the group’s annual symposium will be held […]
TreeKeepers program offers timely opport...
Now more than ever – especially in Iowa, where Emerald Ash Borer is on the move – it’s important to know how to be a good steward of trees. Trees Forever is offering the perfect opportunity, with TreeKeepers programs this month in both the Cedar Rapids area and Iowa City. Sign up is happening now, with […]
Emerald Ash Borer found in Cedar County;...
MECHANICSVILLE – We knew it was only a matter of time before the devastating emerald ash borer would make its way across Iowa. This time, the invasive beetle has been positively identified in a residential tree in Mechanicsville in northern Cedar County, the fourth location in Iowa. Allamakee County was declared infested in May 2010, […]