From: Iowa Environmental Council <[log in to unmask]> Date: Tue, 5 Jun 2001 Subject: IEC News Bulletin Iowa Environmental Council "Together for the Earth we share" 711 East Locust Street Des Moines, Iowa 50309 Phone: 515/244-1194 Fax: 515/244-7856 ******************************************** News Bulletin June 5, 2001 ******************************************** Join the Iowa Environmental Council at <http://www.earthweshare.org>. ******************************************** COUNCIL NOTES Council board to meet in Iowa City June 9, Iowa City The Council board of directors will hold its June meeting at the Oakdale Hall on the Oakdale Research Campus of the University of Iowa 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. Among other things, the meeting agenda includes a wrap-up of this year's legislative session. For driving instructions and other information, contact Tommi Makila at <[log in to unmask]> or 515/244-1194. Raffensperger and Fenton to address annual conference September 7, Des Moines Mark your calendar for the Council's annual conference on Friday, September 7 at the Hotel Fort Des Moines. The theme of the conference will be human health and the environment. Carolyn Raffensperger of the Science and Environmental Health Network will deliver the keynote on the need to reduce toxic pollution before there is absolute proof of its damage to human health. Luncheon speaker Mark Fenton, editor-at-large of Walking Magazine and a well-known fitness expert, will talk about the connections between community design, lifestyles, and human health. Look for further information about the conference in your mailbox and at <http://www.earthweshare.org> later this summer. JOB AND VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES Sierra Club needs Chapter Director Iowa Sierra Club is looking for a Chapter Director. A bachelor's degree and experience in the environmental field or grassroots organizing is required. For more details, contact Charles Winterwood at 563/588-2783, or Jane Clark at 515/223-5047 or <[log in to unmask]>. Submitted by Jane Clark, Iowa Sierra Club Ikes want cleanup help A janitor is needed to spend five to ten hours per week on a cleanup crew. Call John Huss at 515/244-3773 or stop by the Des Moines Izaak Walton League at 4343 Valley Drive. Submitted by Mark Shore, Izaak Walton League of America, Des Moines Chapter Volunteers needed Managing Earth's Resources, Inc. needs help at a demonstration at Saylorville Lake in August. The group also needs assistance with continuing projects to educate communities on how to manage and plan for large volumes of materials like sediment from waterways, yard waste, slag, debris, bio-solids, and ash. For more information, contact Anne Montague at 978/927-2082, email <[log in to unmask]>, or visit their website at <http://www.managingearth.org>. Submitted by Anne Montague, Managing Earth's Resources, Inc. IT Group has several openings IT Group, a leading full-service provider of environmental management services, has several openings in the Urbandale, Iowa, office. Mail resume referencing job code ENV/I0 to: IT Corporation, Attn: D. Papciak, 2790 Mosside Boulevard, Monroeville, PA 15146; fax to 412/858-3973; or email resume as a Word document with no graphics to <[log in to unmask]>. View the website at <http://www.theitgroup.com>. Submitted by Cheri Parco, The IT Group, Inc. CONFERENCES AND EVENTS Choir to perform at benefit concert June 5, Des Moines The Heritage Youth Choir is holding a benefit concert for the Heart Connection Children's Cancer Programs and the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation at 7:30 p.m. The concert will be held at the Iowa Public Theater in the State Historical Building. A free-will offering will be taken. Submitted by Cathy Engstrom, Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation Stream improvement workdays Various dates and locations Hawkeye Fly Fishing's upcoming workdays will include in-stream habitat structure construction, bank stabilization, and stream cleanup. All workdays begin at 9 a.m. and include refreshments and a free lunch. Visit <http://www.hawkeyeflyfishing.com> for details and possible date and location changes. -- June 9: Bailey's Ford Park near Manchester - June 30: McCloud Run in Cedar Rapids - August 4: French Creek near Lansing Submitted by Steve Veysey, Hawkeye Fly Fishing Association Attend a public meeting on impaired waters Various dates and locations The DNR has scheduled public meetings throughout June to discuss plans to address several of Iowa's impaired waters. For more information, contact Kevin Baskins at 515/281-8595 or <[log in to unmask]>. Or visit <http://www.state.ia.us/epd/wtresrce/files/tmdl_notice.htm>. Submitted by Iowa Department of Natural Resources Proposed CAFO changes to be discussed Various dates and locations A series of statewide meetings are being held to discuss the EPA's proposed changes to the Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation rules. These meetings are open to the public. For dates and locations, visit the Iowa Pork Producers' website at <http://www.iowapork.org/news_epa-prepared.html>. Submitted by Angie Rieck-Hinz, Iowa State University Field days for manure management Various dates and locations A list of manure - or nutrient management - related field days can be found on the Iowa Manure Management Action Group website at <http://extension.agron.iastate.edu/immag/>. To add an event to this list, contact Angie Rieck-Hinz at 515/294-9590 or <[log in to unmask]>. Submitted by Angie Rieck-Hinz, Iowa State University Attend dedication and hike June 9, Allamakee County A dedication ceremony for the new Heritage Addition to Effigy Mounds National Monument will be held at 10 a.m. and hikes will begin at 7 a.m., noon and 4 p.m. Hikers must register before June 6 by contacting Linzi Cross at 515/288-1846 or <[log in to unmask]>. For more information about the monument and events, visit <http://www.inhf.org>. Submitted by Cathy Engstrom, Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation Canoe the Skunk River June 9, Chichaqua Bottoms Greenbelt The morning session will be held from 10 a.m. to noon and the afternoon session will be held from 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. A canoe lesson will be provided at the beginning of both sessions. Canoes, paddles, and life jackets will be provided. Participants must register by June 8. The fee is $5 per person and participants must be at least 10 years of age. To register, call 515/323-5361. Submitted by Lewis Major, Polk County Conservation Board Learn about watersheds June 12, Des Moines A course entitled "Watersheds 103: Training for TMDL Practitioners" will be conducted from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Wallace Building. The course is open to DNR staff and members of the public. There is no charge but registration is required. Please contact Vera Williams at 515/281-5612 or <[log in to unmask]>. Submitted by Bill Ehm, Iowa Department of Natural Resources Learn to identify common trees June 13, Des Moines A free educational program on tree identification will be held at the Fort Des Moines Park arboretum from 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Registration is not required. For more information, call 515/323-5300. Submitted by Kami Rankin, Polk County Conservation Board Volunteers needed to prune vegetation June 16, Polk County Help prune vegetation on many park trails at Jester Park from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Participants are asked to bring pruning equipment if available. Any child 12 years and younger is required to be under adult supervision. Pre-register by calling 515/323-5363. Submitted by Kami Rankin, Polk County Conservation Board Grab your wading boots June 21, Polk County Enjoy a wetland walk at Engeldinger Marsh from 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Naturalists will explain the importance of this unique habitat and search for insects and marsh life. Wear old clothes and boots. This free program is open to individuals, families, and groups. For more information, call 515/323-5300. Submitted by Heidi Anderson, Polk County Conservation Board Join national effort to measure water quality June 30 - July 15, nationwide Volunteer programs are invited to participate in the 2001 Great North American Secchi Dip-In. Any program in the United States and Canada that gathers data using a Secchi disk, turbidity tube, black transparency disk, or turbidimeter can participate. See website at <http://dipin.kent.edu>. For more details, call 330/672-3849, email <[log in to unmask]> or write to 2001 Secchi Dip-In, Biological Sciences, Kent State University, Kent, OH 44242. Submitted by Kent State University Grazing conference to be held July 17-19, Dubuque People interested in year-round or rotational grazing for cattle are invited to the Upper Midwest Grazing Conference. Visit the conference website at <http://www.wisc.edu/cias/uppermidwest>. For information, contact Larry Tranel at 319/583-6496 ext. 14 or email <[log in to unmask]>. Submitted by Laura Miller, Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture RESOURCES Sustainable agriculture award available The children of a rural Iowa couple who farmed 40 years near Sioux City have created an award to honor people committed to the family farm and sustainable agriculture. The award will be administered by the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture. For more information, call Laura Miller at 515/294-5272. Submitted by Laura Miller, Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture Sources for meat raised without antibiotics A web guide from the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy is available at <http://www.iatp.org>. The guide provides background information and informs consumers where to buy these meats. Submitted by Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy Water-quality and ecological data available The U.S. Geological Survey recently published a report entitled "Water Quality in the Eastern Iowa Basins and Minnesota, 1996-98." The report, U.S. Geological Survey circular 1210, can be requested from the Water Resource Division of the U.S. Geological Survey in Iowa City. It can also be obtained from the Eastern Iowa Basins website at <http://iowa.usgs.gov/nawqa/reports.html> or from the NAWQA publications website at <http://water.usgs.gov/pubs/nawqasum>. Submitted by U.S. Department of the Interior Learn about natural history and conservation issues Iowa Lakeside Laboratory offers public nature programs, tours, and courses. The laboratory's website includes water quality data from the Iowa Great lakes region and information on a citizen volunteer water quality monitoring program. For more information, call 712/337-3669 ext. 305 or visit the website at <http://www.lakesidelab.org>. Submitted by Jane Shuttleworth, Iowa Lakeside Laboratory Watershed Academy brochure The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Watershed Academy has published a brochure describing training courses, publications, watershed management facilitation services, web-based training, and more. For a hard copy, call 800/490-9198 and request document number EPA 841-B-01-002. Access the information online at <http://www.epa.gov/owow/watershed/wacademy/wtopps.html>. Submitted by the U.S. EPA Guide for cleaning up dirty waters A handbook to help develop and implement Total Maximum Daily Load watershed cleanup plans is available on the Clean Water Network website at <http://www.cwn.org>. Submitted by Clean Water Network Weekly water news online WaterNews is a weekly on-line publication that announces publications, policies, and activities of the U.S. EPA's Office of Water. For details about subscribing, email <[log in to unmask]>. Submitted by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Leopold Center progress report available The annual series of reports from competitive research and educational grants is now available. The reports include summaries of three ecology projects, including restoration of farmland woods. For a free copy of the 2001 Center Progress Report, contact the Leopold Center at 515/294-3711 or email <[log in to unmask]>. Submitted by Laura Miller, Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture **************************************************** The IEC News Bulletin sends timely news and information to requesting individual members, IEC member organizations, directors, and cooperators. It is provided as a service for both organizational and individual members to share information and enhance networking. To submit material for the News Bulletin, contact Debbie Carmody at <[log in to unmask]> or 515/277-5099. **************************************************** Items in the News Bulletin are not necessarily endorsed by the Council, nor do they necessarily reflect the views of the Council as a whole. All information may be freely reprinted and shared. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - To get off the IOWA-TOPICS list, send any message to: [log in to unmask]