Pictured: Construction of the weir at David Greteman’s wetland. Photo credit: IDALS
Iowa Learning Farms and the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS) will host a wetland field day on Wednesday, Nov. 13, near Bayard. The free event will be held from 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. on the Greteman farm at 1431 Highway 25. The program is open to farmers and landowners and includes a complimentary meal. The field day will highlight successful water quality wetland enhancements, which reduce nitrogen runoff from croplands while supporting wildlife habitats and recreation. As part of the Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy, the Iowa Water Quality Initiative provides cost-share funding for wetland installations, with 138 completed projects and 88 more underway statewide. Attendees will hear from local landowner David Greteman on his newly completed wetland. Kay Stefanik, assistant director at the Iowa Nutrient Research Center, will discuss wetlands’ roles in water quality and ecology, while Brandon Dittman from the Iowa Department of Agriculture will explain how to get involved in the Water Quality Initiative. Interested participants are asked to RSVP by Wednesday, Nov. 6, using the contact points included with this story on our website.
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Liz Ripley
515-294-5429