History

Prairie Rivers of Iowa was founded in 2001 and initially affiliated with the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service, providing services in Boone, Hardin, Hamilton, Marshall, Story, and Webster Counties. Now an independent nonprofit organization, our programs have expanded to cover more of the state.  While our mix of programs have changed in response to changing community needs and funding opportunities, everything we do relates to our mission and core values.

 

Prairie and Pollinator Field Day
Henry Osterman Interpretive Panel Unveiling Montour, Iowa
Ames Eco Fair in 2019
Water Quality Snapshot Monitoring Volunteers in 2019
Story County Conservation Amy Yoakum Small Landowner Presentation

Successes Over the Past 20+ Years

Landowner Visit in 2016
  • Helping landowners, producers, and local government to improve soil health and reduce nutrients and harmful bacteria in our rivers and streams. We wrote the very first grant to begin watershed planning for the Raccoon River Watershed in the early 2000s.  From 2013-2019, we supported the Ioway Creek Watershed Management Authority with planning and implementing a watershed project.
Lincoln Highway Heritage Byway Public Input Meeting
  • Partnering with local citizens alongside city, county, and other government officials to preserve and interpret the historic Lincoln Highway Heritage Byway, and to promote and achieve economic growth in our local communities. Our work on the Lincoln Highway began about 15 years ago.  Today, we have over 50 project partners supporting our historic byway.
Grow Your Small Market Farm Presentation
  • Educating landowners, producers, local government officials, businesses, and organizations to install new or improve existing native plantings to create habitat for pollinators and wildlife. We have also supported school gardens, outdoor learning environments, built Iowa oak log cabins in county parks, and supported the statewide Grow Your Small Market Farm business planning program.