Guest Blogger

IEC is pleased to welcome guest bloggers on a number of different topics throughout the year. If you are interested in submitting a blog piece to IEC, contact us at iecmail@iaenvironment.org.

Blog posts by this Author:

• The Importance of Inviting All to Outdoor Spaces

  Read this week's guest blog from Kristen Morrow, a Johnson County Conservation Naturalist. This blog features a first-hand account of what inclusivity and accessibility can look like in environmental education. Kristen discusses the programs in Johnson County that seek out marginalized groups to foster environmental awareness, stewardship, and recreation. Read on to learn more.

• Drought to Deluge: The 2024 Floods of Northwest Iowa, and Adaptations to Come

  "Drought to Deluge" was written by Nick Blocha as a first-hand reflection of catastrophic flooding in northwest Iowa this summer. Blocha integrates emotional, personal accounts of his time in hands-on relief efforts, direct contact with some of those affected, as well as facts and relevant metrics looking at the causes of floods. Read on to learn more.

• What does environmental justice look like in the Heartland region?

  This guest blog is from Jeff Severin, Senior Program Manager at the Heartland Environmental Justice Center (HEJC) in Wichita, Kansas. Jeff details the meaning of environmental justice and how it impacts lives throughout the Midwest. The HEJC serves as a resource and advocate for marginalized communities to better understand local issues, and boost capacity to make meaningful and sustainable changes towards justice.

• An inside look at West Des Moines' MS4 permit and Stormwater Assistance Program

  Stormwater is the water that runs off impervious surfaces like paved roads, rooftops, and lawns. In this guest blog, Isaac Svoboda, Engineering Technician with the City of West Des Moines, discusses the West Des Moines Stormwater Assistance Program (SWAP). This program offers a practical way for the community to get involved in stormwater management while receiving financial incentives to do so.

• Iowa Water Recreation Survey: Do you recreate in Iowa's waters?

  In this guest blog, Lyndy Holt shares results from her Master's work with the University of Iowa's Healthy Lakes Initiative. Iowa Water Watch readers were invited to participate in the Iowa Water Recreation Survey in the April 2023 newsletter. The survey yielded 1,638 respondents throughout the state and established the channels that Iowans use to learn about water health and safety.

• 25 years of water quality monitoring in Northeast Iowa

  In this guest blog from Northeast Iowa RC&D, Ross Evelsizer discusses the importance of recent water quality monitoring. Northeast Iowa RC&D has been coordinating water quality monitoring in northeast Iowa watersheds since 1999. This annual effort started in the Upper Iowa River watershed but has expanded to include the Upper Wapsipinicon and Turkey River watersheds.

• Looking for fecal contamination through microbial source tracking in Scott County

  In this guest blog, Watershed Coordinator Liv Humphrey discusses the role of the Partners of Scott County Watershed (PSCW) in water monitoring using microbial source tracking. Now working on their analysis, PSCW demonstrates the importance of investigating fecal pollution in Iowa's watersheds.

• Power lines and the people: Transmission lines can bring benefits

  Earlier this month, Veronica Ung-Kono of the National Wildlife Federation presented to IEC and other members on the importance of equity in planning transmission projects to ensure a just energy transition. In a guest blog piece, Ung-Kono reflects on the pitfalls and successes of electric grid construction throughout our country's history to tease out lessons for equity for future development.

• Water issues in Iowa - why do improvement efforts stagnate?

  In this guest blog, Dr. Jacqueline Comito shares the results of a study on water perceptions in Iowa. The data reveals an ongoing issue: while most Iowans are aware of water quality problems, there is little clarity or expectation about who should fix it.

• IRR Service Squad: Perspectives on Iowa's rivers

  IEC Member Organization Iowa Rivers Revival re-launched their Service Squad initiative in 2023. In this guest blog post, three Americorps volunteers share their summer experiences as part of the initiative.

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