Pollinator Conservation
Iowa has roughly 2,500 native pollinators! That is a great reason to get connected to nature and become more sustainable.
Check out what we are doing to help these amazing creatures:
Pollinator Friendly Ames
The city of Ames has a 10 pollinator friendly community plan. See what we are up to and find great resources!
Native Seed bank
Habitat loss is one of the leading causes of pollinator decline. That’s why we created a native seed bank to make it more accessible.
FAQ
Curious about pollinators and native plants? Check out some of the most frequently asked questions.
Environmental Education and Community Events
Monarch Magic is an annual pollinator educational event in Ames aimed at families. We also participate in tabling events and regularly give talks about water quality, pollinators, and conservation to community groups around the state.
Conservation Connection Blog
A big part of our work is telling engaging stories to help explain the science and policy behind the environmental issues we work on. Here are three of our latest posts from the Conservation Connect Blog. We’ve also compiled some of our most accessible content related to soil and water (which can get complicated) as an FAQ.
End the No Swim Era
If you went to a beach at an Iowa state park last summer, you had a 1 in 4 chance of seeing a “Swimming Not Recommended” sign. 2025 was also a bad year for E. coli in the waters we monitor locally. What do we do about it?
How bad was nitrate in 2025?
When the ball dropped on New Year’s Eve, nitrate in the Raccoon River was once again above the drinking water standard, closing out a bad year for water quality in Iowa. I compared this year’s nitrate levels to long-term averages at 47 sites to get a sense for where and when nitrate was highest and what was unusual about 2025.
A Year Later, Where Does the Monarch Butterfly Stand with its Listing Under the Endangered Species Act?
The monarch butterfly has been fighting to be listed under the Endangered Species Act for over a decade. This is an overview of its journey and where it stands now.
Get In Touch
3116 S. Duff Suite 201
Ames IA 50010
(515) 232-0048
Email our Pollinator Conservation Specialist,