Statewide Iowa — This is Soil and Water Conservation Week in Iowa.
Officials with the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship tell us that Iowa Soil and Water Conservation Week is an opportunity to recognize the important conservation work that has been placed on the Iowa landscape and bring attention to the ongoing work by farmers, landowners, and urban residents to protect the state’s soil and water resources.
They tell us that Iowa Soil and Water Conservation Week this year is being coordinated with national Stewardship Week, which is sponsored by the National Association of Conservation Districts. This year’s Stewardship Week theme is “Healthy Soil, Healthy Life” and is designed to focus the nation’s attention on the stewardship and importance of our natural resources.
Ag Department officials say that the severe erosion during the “Dust Bowl” years of the 1930s brought about the first efforts to prevent soil erosion, which also helped protect water resources. Iowa passed a law in 1939 to establish a state agency and the means for soil and water conservation districts to organize. This legislation declared it the policy of the State of Iowa to preserve soil and water; protect the state’s tax base; and promote health, safety, and public welfare of the people of Iowa.
They tell us that today, Iowa is a national leader in the implementation of water quality and watershed projects, soil conservation, and buffer programs. Iowa currently leads the nation in the continuous conservation reserve program buffer initiative with more than 600,000 acres. Iowa also has more than 60 active watershed and water quality projects across the state.
