Iowa House of Representatives » DNR

Dept. of Natural Resources 2010 Condition of the Environment

deanfiihr — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 20:50:26 +0000

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources recently released its 2010 Condition of the Environment, which details problems and opportunities in outdoor Iowa.

Click here to read the document

For more information, go to iowadnr.gov/status.html

News Reports: Black bear returns to natural habitat

admin — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 20:30:00 +0000

You never know what you may come across in the great outdoors of Iowa – and some people had sightings of a black bear in northeast Iowa during the first few weeks of June. A 2007 report from the Iowa DNR detailed how Black Bears were once indigenous to Iowa (H/T to Brenda Friedrich @ enroute365):

“When the settlers reached Iowa, they found [bears] widespread throughout the state … Bears were killed because they would damage crops, harass and kill livestock, and because they were valuable both as food and for their hides.

It seems a bear from Wisconsin has made it’s way on a 250+ mile journey through Iowa. The story from the AP is here:

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) – A black bear apparently looking for love has made his way back to a natural habitat after several weeks of roaming Iowa and Illinois.

Iowa Department of Natural Resources wildlife biologist Terry Haindfield says the bear’s 250-mile journey probably started as a search for a mate.

The bear was first spotted on June 6 near Lansing, Iowa, a Mississippi River town near the Wisconsin border, and was last spotted in Iowa on June 14 near Goose Lake, more than 100 miles south.

Haindfield says the bear traveled about 20 miles a day, and frequent reports from residents helped him keep track of the bear’s movements.

The bear is now in the woods near Baraboo, Wisc., about 100 miles east of the Iowa border.

Information from: The Gazette, http://www.gazetteonline.com/

Falcons Make Comeback @ State Capitol

admin — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 15:19:14 +0000

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources has been working on reintroducing the Peregrine Falcon to it’s natural habitat throughout the state. Charlotte Eby of Lee Enterprises has the story below (with photo of House Chief Clerk Mark Brandsgard):

Bob Nandell photos/Iowa State Capitol

Twenty years after wildlife officials began efforts to bring endangered peregrine falcons back, the spectacular birds are making a slow but steady return to the Iowa skies.

This year, 13 nesting pairs have been reported in the state along with a new generation of young.
Bird lovers from around Iowa have turned out in recent weeks to see fledgling peregrines leave the nests and test their wings for the first time.
[...snip...]
Its hard to be casual around these birds or take them for granted because theyll get your attention, said Pat Schlarbaum, a wildlife diversity technician with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. Schlarbaum said the DNR has seen incremental improvement since 10 years ago, when the state had just two nesting pairs. The department has far exceeded its goal of having five nesting pairs in the state, and its taking public comment until July 16 on a plan to remove peregrine falcons from Iowas endangered species list.
One of the most visible Iowa pairs of peregrine falcons calls a ledge on the State Capitol home.

Falcons have been at the Capitol since 2003, but 2007 was the first year of successful nesting. Four falcons hatched at the Capitol this year. The falcons have trimmed the population of resident pigeons, which once congregated in flocks around the Capitol. The best way to describe it is, the poor pigeon just turns into a big poof of feathers,Schlarbaum said.

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