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DNR News Releases

Archive by tag: backyardReturn

Backyard bird feeders encouraged to keep those feeders clean

• 4/27/2021 11:41:00 AM
• View Count 4696

Each year, especially during late winter, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) receives reports of sick or dead birds at feeder locations, particularly in the southern part of the state. Unsanitary conditions at bird feeders can lead to the spread of several diseases amongst birds that frequent these feeders.

5 tips for picking the right tree for your yard

• 5/19/2020 9:57:00 AM
• View Count 9430

If you’re thinking of branching out and adding new trees to your yard, here are five things to keep in mind:

6 tips for soaking up more stormwater in your yard

• 4/20/2020 1:44:00 PM
• View Count 9604

Not that long ago, Iowa consisted of nearly 80 percent prairie with plants and soil that could easily soak up stormwater with little to no runoff after heavy rains. Today, with drastic changes in land use, things have changed. With so many impervious surfaces (surfaces that shed water, such as roofs and concrete), runoff is forced quickly down storm drains and straight into local water bodies. Here are some ways to soak up more water in your yard to help prevent erosion and flooding in your lawn and home, as well a...

Creating a better home for birds in Iowa

• 11/21/2019 1:53:00 PM
• View Count 7058

North America has lost approximately 2.9 billion birds since 1970

5 ways homeowners can minimize damage from deer this fall and winter

• 11/18/2019 3:10:00 PM
• View Count 6652

Not a fan of deer making a quick snack of your backyard plants in the fall and winter? Here are five tips to help homeowners make their trees and shrubs less desirable to deer from November to April.

Create your own backyard habitat oasis for Iowa’s songbirds

• 2/28/2019 2:51:00 PM
• View Count 13960

We all know it’s been a long, hard winter - but we can make any season a bit more manageable for Iowa’s songbirds with a few simple projects in the yard or on your acreage.

Winter Bird Feeding Basics

• 11/27/2017 8:50:00 AM
• View Count 14045

Peanuts are another favored food and can be mixed with sunflower seed or fed separately. With high levels of both fat and protein, peanuts are especially a favorite of woodpeckers, nuthatches, titmice, and Carolina wrens. And don’t forget the suet, definitely a cold-weather bird attractant that is eaten by most winter birds. It can be fed from a variety of feeders, ranging from a suet cage to a wooden suet feeder, which is designed so that birds feed on it while hanging upside down beneath it.

Backyard forest invasive species field day

• 7/18/2017 2:57:00 PM
• View Count 4035

Registration is now open for an educational forest field day taking place at Hickory Hill Park in Iowa City, Sept. 30, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The Backyard Forest Invasive Species Field Day will cover issues related to invasive species including identification and management, as well as the establishment of healthy native habitat.  

So you think you can mulch

• 9/28/2016 3:34:00 PM
• View Count 11761

Mulching can be the best thing you can do to promote the health of trees, shrubs and plants. It can also be the worst, if done improperly. 

11 tips and tricks to handle “nuisance” wildlife responsibly

• 9/23/2016 3:12:00 PM
• View Count 21545

Not every furry face has to be your favorite, but you can support a healthy ecosystem by choosing to handle your wildlife woes responsibly. Rather than exterminating these common “nuisance” critters, use the following tips to avoid problems while preserving wildlife in your area.

7 Tips for Starting a Backyard Pollinator Garden

• 8/11/2016 2:05:00 PM
• View Count 39719

Not all wildlife is supersized. Small animals, including insects and hummingbirds, are responsible for the processes that bring us everything from cotton for clothes to the strawberries in the supermarket. According to the American Honeybee Federation, honeybees alone are responsible for up to 90 percent of the pollination of certain crops, and contribute more than a $14 billion value to the U.S. agricultural industry. With the recent declines in honeybee and monarch butterfly populations, you can make an importa...

7 Ways to Attract Songbirds to Your Yard

• 9/2/2015 12:00:00 PM
• View Count 21274

Whether you’re trying to attract photo subjects or some cute little neighbors for company, creating a songbird habitat in your yard is a great way to get nature to come to you. No matter if you’ve got a yard the size of a postage stamp or a full acreage, there are plenty of ways to draw in the feathered friends you’re looking for. Check out the tips and tricks below for making your yard as homey as possible.