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Iowa DNR unveils new courtyard buildings, innovative landscaping at the 2024 Iowa state fair

Iowa DNR unveils new courtyard buildings, innovative landscaping at the 2024 Iowa state fair

  • 8/7/2024 7:11:00 AM
  • View Count 5133
DES MOINES - Visitors to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) building at the 2024 Iowa State Fair will notice several exciting upgrades and renovations to the open-air courtyard on the west side. Upgrades include a new covered stage, a shooting range building, and a rainscape garden, all designed to provide fairgoers with more connections to the outdoors.
Boil advisory issued for City of Bayard

Boil advisory issued for City of Bayard

  • 5/20/2024 8:36:00 PM
  • View Count 1834
BAYARD, Iowa -- A boil advisory has been issued for the City of Bayard in Guthrie County due to depressurization of the entire system.
Backyard bird feeders encouraged to keep those feeders clean

Backyard bird feeders encouraged to keep those feeders clean

  • 4/27/2021 11:41:00 AM
  • View Count 4618
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.
6 tips for soaking up more stormwater in your yard

6 tips for soaking up more stormwater in your yard

  • 4/20/2020 1:44:00 PM
  • View Count 9212
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...
Winter Bird Feeding Basics

Winter Bird Feeding Basics

  • 11/27/2017 8:50:00 AM
  • View Count 13841
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

Backyard forest invasive species field day

  • 7/18/2017 2:57:00 PM
  • View Count 3983
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

So you think you can mulch

  • 9/28/2016 3:34:00 PM
  • View Count 11573
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

11 tips and tricks to handle “nuisance” wildlife responsibly

  • 9/23/2016 3:12:00 PM
  • View Count 21229
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

7 Tips for Starting a Backyard Pollinator Garden

  • 8/11/2016 2:05:00 PM
  • View Count 39441
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...
Join the Iowa DNR at the 2016 Iowa State Fair

Join the Iowa DNR at the 2016 Iowa State Fair

  • 8/3/2016 2:00:00 PM
  • View Count 8563
A trip to the Iowa State Fair is not complete without a stop at the Iowa DNR building – you’ll want to stop to see the Iowa fish in the historic aquarium, have your questions answered, and take in a presentation in our beautiful courtyard.
7 Ways to Attract Songbirds to Your Yard

7 Ways to Attract Songbirds to Your Yard

  • 9/2/2015 12:00:00 PM
  • View Count 21059
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.