“It was intense”, “ It was so hot”, ” You need endurance”, “Now it makes sense”, “ I learned more than I thought”. These are all quotes from AmeriCorps NCCC (National Civilian Community Corps) crew members after being immersed in wildland fire training and immediately turning to real prescribed burns in southeast Iowa. The crew is assigned to work with Louisa County Conservation and shared with Port Louisa National Wildlife Refuge, the Iowa DNR, and The Nature Conservancy. While the NCCC does many service projects, the priority for their six week stint is to participate in prescribed fire. The partnership with AmeriCorps and the local agencies has been going on for many years. Initially, Louisa County asked for the assistance of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service fire staff to train the crew to help meet their fire needs. Once the refuge saw the potential with these crews, the partnership expanded. Splitting the ten person crew among the agencies allows good work to be accomplished while still making it manageable for small agency staffs. This year’s crew was enthusiastic, enjoyed the hands on training and learned firsthand why prescribed fire is so important on the landscape. They have been impressed to work with professionals who really know their stuff. Mary Baxter, 22, from Colorado said she really enjoyed riding in the UTV with USFWS Fire Management Specialist, Erik Acker, who explained his burn strategy as they surveyed the fire line. Acker, who has worked at Port Louisa NWR for nine years, likes to spend one on one time with crew members to explain his work in more detail. Crew member Aaron Albert, 22, from Connecticut was amazed how calm the professional fire staff were around ‘crazy’ fire and appreciated the technical aspects like taking weather readings every hour. Mariah Ward, 21, from Washington felt like she got to move up the ladder during the season starting as a road lookout, then a spotter, then using the drip torch on the fire perimeter and then moving into the unit to spread fire with the torch. It can be a big effort to train these ten people, but well worth the education for them and the extra help for the agencies. Splitting the crew of ten between the agencies can accomplish a lot of burns in the local conservation area in one day. The immersion into wildland fire gives them a greatly enhanced understanding and appreciation for natural resource management that they will take with them for the rest of their lives. When asked what they thought of Iowa, one member said “there’s a lot of land!”, apparently quite different from the city life of his home area. Now, they can brag that they were once a firefighter. And we can brag how many acres were burned!

Left: The NCCC crew receives training from USFWS. Prior to putting fire on the ground. Right: Alliance partners burn with the NCCC crew at Big Sand Mound Nature Preserve

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Trial by Fire

Left: Approximate geographic area of the Lower Iowa & Cedar Valleys

The Lower Iowa & Cedar Valleys Conservation Alliance is a collaboration of the Natural Resources Conservation Service, US Fish and Wildlife Service, Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, Johnson County Conservation Board, Louisa County Conservation Board, Muscatine County Conservation Board, Muscatine County Soil & Water Conservation District, Trees Forever, and The Nature Conservancy in Iowa.

The mission of the Alliance is to improve the ability of people to care for the lands and waters in the Lower Iowa & Cedar Valleys. The Lower Iowa and Cedar Valleys feature extensive and diverse natural areas including a wealth of unique woodlands, wetlands, and prairies. Conservation organizations in Iowa generally agree that this area comprises the most biologically diverse landscape in the state.

The Alliance wants to share this information with anyone else who may be interested. Please contact Josh Spies at (563) 370-9165 or jspies@tnc.org to receive this newsletter and other updates through e-mail.

The Alliance

The Nature ConservancyEastern Iowa Field Offi ce1620 231st StreetLetts, IA 52754

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PAIDOP Printing

Spring Wildflower Hike Johnson County, Iowa, Thursday, May 5, 6:00 p.m. Meet at Clear Creek Trail to enjoy a beautiful spring evening by heading outdoors in search of wildflowers. Participants should meet at the parking area on the west end of the trail located off of Half Moon Avenue west of Tiffin. Garlic Mustard Pull Cedar County, Iowa, Saturday, May 7. Help us control invasive Garlic Mustard at Rochester Cemetery. The event begins at 10 am. To get to Rochester Cemetery, take I-80 to exit 267 (Tipton) and go north about 1 mile. Take a left on Cemetery Road, and proceed about 1/2 mile to the cemetery. Garbage bags are provided. If you have any questions, call Pete Kollasch at 319-400-5667. Mother's Day on the Marsh Louisa County, Iowa, Sunday, May 8 from 9:00-11:00 am. Celebrate Mother’s Day while you enjoy a leisurely paddle around Port Louisa National Wildlife Refuge. You do not need to bring your Mother, although it is encouraged! This paddling trip will be held on the Odessa Water Trail and is open to the public. Registration is required no later than May 6 at noon. Mother’s Day Hike Johnson County, Iowa, Sunday, May 8, 6:30 p.m. Meet at the Conservation Education Center to celebrate mothers and Mother Nature on this naturalist led evening hike. The hike will be kid friendly and will include stops to make discoveries about the system around us. Registration is not required. The event is weather dependent. Contact Kristen Morrow at kmorrow@co.johnson.ia.us for questions. Come Fly Iowa City, Iowa, Saturday, May 21, 10 am. Bring your kiddos out to enjoy a spring day at Waterworks Prairie Park! Featured activities will be themed around pollinators, and will include learning activities, potting native plants, kite flying, and more! A free lunch will be served at noon. The event is organized by Take A Kid Outdoors – Iowa. Langwood Adventure Day Louisa County, Iowa, Saturday, June 4. Gear up for a fun day of outdoor recreation and adventure! Langwood Education Center will be busy with tons of interesting activities from high ropes, kayaking, canoeing, shooting sports, fishing, Native American activities, hikes and so much more! Events begin at 8 am. Free for all ages. If you have any questions, please call (319)-523-8381 or email lccb@lccb.org. Iowa Master Naturalist Johnson County, Iowa, Monday, June 6, 6:00-9:00 p.m. Iowa Master Naturalists is a 12 session course for those interested in the environment but with no formal training. Field trips and volunteer work are also incorporated into the class. Sessions will include informational handouts, presentations, and guest speakers. The application deadline is May 23; applications are available by emailing kmorrow@co.johnson.ia.us. A materials fee of $250 is due at the first class.

Great Iowa River Race Johnson County, Iowa, Saturday, June 11. Divisions include canoe, kayak, and paddleboard options. Both professional racers and recreational paddlers are invited to attend! The race begins at 10 am and check-in starts at 8 am at Fin & Feather. To register, visit: https://greatiowariverrace.eventbrite.com. Questions can be directed to Kristen Morrow, kmorrow@co.johnson.ia.us.

Swinging Bridge Festival Float Columbus Junction, Iowa, Saturday, June 11. Join Louisa County Conservation at the Swinging Bridge Festival for a short float down the Iowa River Water Trail. Choose between the 10:30 am or 11:30 am float down this 1-river mile segment of the Iowa River from the HWY 70 Bridge Access to River Forks Boat Access. Check out IowaRiverWaterTrail.com for more information on the water trail. Register online or call 319-523-8381. Canoe/Kayak Try-It Muscatine County, Iowa, Saturday, June 18, 6:00-8:00 pm. Depart from Saulsbury Bridge Recreation Area-Chicken Creek Boat Ramp. Free for all ages. All equipment provided with life jackets available for kids 30 pounds and over. All participants must wear life jackets. Seize the Carp! Iowa City, Iowa, Saturday, July 16. Come to Lower City Park to register for events beginning at 8 am. This annual event hosted by Take A Kid Outdoors - Iowa, is focused on exploring the outdoors, enjoying nature, as well as being active and healthy. Please visit www.takeakidoutdoors.com for more info. Amphibians & Reptiles Muscatine County, Iowa, Saturday, July 16, 7:00 pm. Meet at Saulsbury Lodge. Free for all ages. Come and meet live members of these two groups of animals, and find out why they are so special.

Other Upcoming Events Spread Your Wings!

The Buzz About Pollinators! Pollinators are a critical natural resource in

agriculture and healthy ecosystems, but there has been significant pollinator decline over the past few decades. Because of this, many different groups, organizations, and individuals care about pollinator protection and sustainability. This year, we focus on action! We are inviting homeowners, landowners, beekeepers, educators, the general public, and local/state/federal government employees to take part in this event. The goal for the conference is to provide a platform for knowledge-sharing, open dialogue, networking opportunities, and related goods and services.

Threats facing pollinators include habitat loss, degradation and fragmentation. As native vegetation is lost to roadways, manicured lawns, crops and non-native gardens, pollinators lose the food and nesting sites that are necessary for their survival. Migratory pollinators face special challenges. If the distance between suitable habitat patches along their migration route is too great, smaller, weaker individuals may die during their journey. Our conference hopes to offer landscape solutions for a variety of applications (urban, rural, backyard) in order to address habitat loss for pollinators and other native species.