Thank You, David Stein!

Thank You, David Stein!

by | Jan 28, 2022

Prairie Rivers of Iowa's David Stein talks about native plants, pollinator and wildlife restoration during a Prairie Rivers of Iowa field day in 2019.

Last month marked the departure of our pollinator and native plant expert David Stein as he heads back to work in his home state, our neighbors to the north, Minnesota. We are missing his passion and work ethic, but our Watersheds and Wildlife program continues as always and efforts are well underway to find his replacement.

David contributed to a large part of Prairie Rivers of Iowa’s continued efforts to impact public awareness and implementation of conservation practices to create native plant, pollinator and wildlife habitat to help improve soil and water quality while protecting the endangered rusty patched bumble bee and other species of greatest conservation need in Iowa. He was instrumental in creating a native seed bank and the development of many acres of habitat.

I recently visited with David as he reflected upon his work here at Prairie Rivers and his hopes for the future state of native habitat and pollinators in Iowa.

What do you feel was your biggest accomplishment while working at PRI?
There are a lot! I think both completing the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation grant and setting the stage for PRI’s next series of habitat/conservation projects was probably the biggest accomplishment during my time here. On top of that, raising awareness of pollinator issues and educating interested landowners on how to install habitat was also a major highlight of my work. Re-discovering the rusty patched bumble bee, and mapping out new sightings was definitely a high point for me too.

How do you feel the health of native habitat and pollinators is currently in Iowa? What progress has been made? Where do we need to go from here?
 We have a long way to go, but I think we’re in a better place than we were a few years ago.  Our outreach and education efforts, especially our work with counties, cities and landowners have definitely gotten the ball rolling, but a more hands-on-deck is always better. A coordinated conservation and restoration effort between non-profits, municipalities, farmers, landowners, homeowners, businesses, and interested individuals is really the best and only way forward to reverse pollinator and habitat decline.

What’s next for you?
Next, I’ll be working up at the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources in St. Paul. I’ll be able to be involved in habitat projects all throughout the state and be able to meet with a bunch of different stakeholders that are doing some amazing restoration work.

How has working at PRI enriched your professional life?
Working here has definitely enriched my professional life. I’ve been able to improve my own knowledge and passion regarding pollinator and wildlife conservation and directly apply it in real-time. I’ve also been able to connect and network with so many amazing stakeholders and partners from a variety of backgrounds. I know that I’ll be able to use these skills and lessons throughout my professional life moving forward.

Endangered Rusty Patched Bumble Bee Species Found in Story County

Endangered Rusty Patched Bumble Bee Species Found in Story County

by | Jul 30, 2021

7/30/2021 (Ames, Iowa) — An endangered rusty patched bumble bee was recently found in Ames, Iowa by Prairie Rivers of Iowa Watersheds and Wildlife Coordinator David Stein. This is significant as it is the first photographed find in Ames since the last verified sighting occurred back in 2018.

“I am beyond excited we were able to find such a rare species, especially after a few years of not having any verified records,” said Stein. “The Ames and Boone population of rusty patched bumble bees is smaller and more isolated than those in Eastern Iowa. They’re on the edge of its natural range making rescue and conservation efforts for them in Central Iowa vital,” Stein relates.

Rusty patched bumble bee found in Ames, Iowa

On January 10, 2017, the U.S Fish and Wildlife Service placed Bombus affinis, commonly known as the rusty patched bumble bee, as the first bee species in the continental United States on the endangered species list. The species has declined by about 87% during the last 20 years and now only inhabits 0.1% of their original range. According to Stein, the main drivers for the decline are habitat loss, pesticide use and pathogens.

As a major part of our programming efforts, Prairie Rivers of Iowa is working with landowners, local government and other organizations to restore bumble bee, other pollinator and wildlife habitat. “Now that we know that the rusty patched bumble bee is still here and where its range might extend, we are stepping up our outreach and educational efforts to insure more habitat is in place,” Stein explains.

Prairie Rivers has pollinator garden planning services available to landowners throughout the year and seasonally operates a free native seed bank. Another related effort to encourage Ames citizens to plant native vegetation and restore habitat is the city’s cost share rebate available through their Smart Watersheds program. “This is exciting news. We enjoy working with Prairie Rivers and their pollinator program to increase native vegetation and habitat throughout Ames, including in our parks and storm water projects,” says City of Ames Municipal Engineer Tracy Peterson.

According to Stein, “Planting their favorite flowers along with several species that can bloom between March and October is necessary to care for the rusty patched bumble bee. They have an affinity for Joe-Pye weed, bee balm and both yellow and anise hyssop and seem to prefer areas near rivers and streams.”