Lovers of Iowa’s land and water have two attractive events worth attending next week, one taking in place in Perry and one in Des Moines.
On Thursday, July 18 from 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., the Iowa Environmental Council will host “Women, Farming, and the Future: Your Land, Your Decisions,” a one-day conference at the Hotel Pattee in Perry.
The event is designed to help female landowners and managers who face challenges as they manage farm ground in an environment still largely dominated by males. Attendees will receive practical advice about communicating with tenants, drafting leases that include conservation easements, securing additional income from wind and solar energy and understanding the health and economic benefits of clean water.
This conference is free, and lunch is included with registration. The event will feature industry-wide speakers, panel discussions and small-group breakout sessions focusing on female landownership and land management.
The conference agenda for “Women, Farming, and the Future: Your Land, Your Decisions”:
11:00 am Registration Meet and Greet
11:30 am Welcome Presentation and Lunch: Experiences Managing Iowa Farms
12:15 pm How to Decide What Conservation Practices Make Sense for You
12:45 pm Straight Talk with Tenants: How to Have Hard Conversations
1:30 pm Strategic Communications and Tools to Talk with Tenants
2:00 pm Break
2:15 pm Additional Income Sources from Renewable Energy
2:45 pm How to Draft a Wind Turbine Siting Easement
3:15 pm Economic and Health Facts in Favor of Water Protection
3:30 pm Incorporating Conservation into Your Land Lease Agreement
4:00 pm Wrap-up
On Saturday, July 20, the Des Moines Izaak Walton League will host the Iowa Water Quality Summit at the Des Moines Ikes’ Chapter House, 4343 George Flagg Blvd. from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Iowa Water Quality Summit is an attempt to bring interested parties together to construct an Ikes-based volunteer water quality program.
8:30 Table Setups
9:00 Registration
9:30 Welcome, Richard Galloway, Des Moines Izaak Walton League Chapter President
9:35 IWLA Clean Water Challenge, Samantha Briggs
10:00 IOWATER Program history, Mary Skopec
10:45 Iowa DNR support, Steve Konrady
11:30 What is the problem? Dr. Chris Jones, U of Iowa
12:15 Uses and limitations of data in watershed plans, outreach, and progress tracking, Dan Haug, Prairie Rivers of Iowa
12:35 Cafeteria-style lunch
1:00 Panel discussion: What are the solutions? Panelists:
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- Dan Haug, Prairie Rivers of Iowa
- Mary Skopec, Lakeside Lab
- Chris Jones, IIHR Engineer
- Steve Konrady, Iowa DNR, Non-point Source Project Manager
- Susan Judkins, President: Iowa Watershed Authorities of Iowa
- Ted Corrigan, Des Moines Water Works
- Zachary Moss, Iowa Save Our Streams Coordinator
- Rich Leopold, Polk County Conservation
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2:00 Work Groups: Watersheds, WMAs and others as needed
3:00 Social Time: Ikes’ Clubhouse Bar open to the public
Registration for the day-long conference is $30. Register in advance online.
The Des Moines Ikes’ July 20 Water Quality Summit follows the National Izaak Walton League of America meeting July 16-19 at the West Des Moines Sheraton Hotel. The theme of the 2019 meeting is “Soil and Water: Where it All Begins.”
The public may attend a speech Thursday, July 18 at 12:45 p.m. by Pulitzer Prize winner and Storm Lake Times Editor Art Cullen. Cost is $5.
The public is also invited to a solo performance Friday, July 19 at 10:30 a.m. in which actor Tom Milligan plays Ding Darling. In Milligan’s dramatization, Darling, the Perry native, Pulitzer Prize winning Des Moines Register cartoonist and IWLA conservationist, visits with the audience as an old friend.
