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Projects...
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LOCAL FOODS
The Iowa Lakes RC&D received a grant
from the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land
Stewardship for specialty crop market development. This grant will
address specialty crop market development in parts of six counties
in Northwest Iowa. Additionally, it
provides for a project manager to work with a
newly forming cooperative of local fruit and vegetable growers, and
with governmental, institutional, school, nonprofit and business
partners.
For more information visit:
www.littlesiouxgrowers.com |
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IOWA WILDLIFE
ACTION PLAN
This project is
creating a template for Iowa’s RC&Ds to use for helping implement
Iowa’s Wildlife Action Plan. The goal for this project is to create
new opportunities for economic growth by marketing existing local
county and state natural resource public areas. Our project seeks
to educate and engage Iowa’s tourism infrastructure to support
wildlife associated education, recreation and quality of life.
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BYWAY DEVELOPMENT &
SUSTAINABILITY
Work
on the byway has involved building a photo library; completing GIS
for maps; and marketing the byway through local events. The
first byway event "Trek the Trail" was held on June 26, 2010
and then again in 2011.
The event invited attendees to travel along the byway visiting
over 10 different locations. They were invited to listen to local
re-enactors, an archaeologist, and even learn how to throw a spear!
Finally, each of the 10 state byways received new signage in
2011. Stay up-to-date by visiting the byway website:
www.iowalakesrcd.org/GlacialTrailScenicByway.htm
or find us on facebook:
www.facebook.com/pages/Glacial-Trail-Scenic-Byway/166453426711068
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MID WINTER THAW PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOP
The Iowa Lakes RC&D teamed up with the County Conservation Board
Naturalists in Palo Alto, Clay and O’Brien Counties to sponsor a
Nature Photograph Workshop at the
Iowa Lakes Community College in
Emmetsburg. The workshop was held on February 19, 2011. The
Palo Alto County
Gaming Development Corporation was a partner as they awarded the
RC&D a grant to help defray some of the costs.
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GREEN BUS TOUR
The Green Bus Tour is
an annual event sponsored by the Iowa Lakes RC&D and the County
Conservation Boards of Clay, Palo Alto and O'Brien. The Tour takes
interested community members to see environmentally friendly
projects and businesses.
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RENEW STORE
The Renew
Store is a project of the Lakes Community Land Trust with the Iowa
Lakes RC&D as a partner. Recently, the store received a DNR SWAP
grant of $20,000 to expand the square footage from 3,000 square feet
to 6,000. In less than one
year, the Renew Store service has diverted
over 184 tons of household/construction materials from the landfill.
For more information on the Renew Store and the Lakes Community Land
Trust visit:
www.lakesclt.org
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PRIVATE LAND
STEWARDSHIP GRANT
Funding from this
grant is being used by private landowners along the Little Sioux
River Valley to remove invasive species and restore prairie through
the use of management practices such as fire and brush/Cedar tree
removal.
The Iowa Lakes RC&D is administering a grant from the
US Fish and
Wildlife Service.
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USDA–REAP GRANTS
Iowa Lakes
RC&D has written several renewable energy and energy efficiency
grants for local small businesses and elevators. The grants have
included energy efficiency updates, geothermal, and grain dryer
systems. Grants are available for 25% of the project cost and up to
50% guaranteed loan. A few projects include:
The Motor Works,
Cooperative Elevator Association,
and
Emagine Internet Marketing.
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WEBB
WIRELESS
Webb
Wireless is a locally owned internet business in
the community of
Web, population 100 people. The RC&D assisted with a low interest
loan to allow the business to expand to other nearby communities.
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DEW
DROP DRILL
The
Dew Drop Drill is a small scale native seed planter that is sold
by the Little Sioux Prairie Company in Spencer, Iowa. The Iowa Lakes
RC&D assisted in the product design and start-up of this business.
Grant funding was provided by IA DNR/RDTF for startup assistance.
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SUNDHOLM NATURAL RESOURCE EDUCATION CENTER
Assistance was
provided to move and develop this log cabin built in the early 1950s
to its new location at the
Clay County Fair Grounds. Its primary use
is during the Clay County Fair when over 300,000 people attend the 9
day event. |
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SOLAR
PUMPING FOR LIVESTOCK GRAZING SYSTEMS
Through a grant funded
by
USDA/NRCS a cost-share program for producers was established to
assist with installation of solar powered watering systems to better
utilize pasture lands.
Click here to
learn more. |
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PRAIRIE FLOWER NURSERY & PLANTING SERVICE
The Prairie Flower
Company was an Iowa Lakes RC&D business incubator project. It
currently is a successful business located in Fostoria, Iowa. Grant
funding was provided by IA DNR/RDTF for startup assistance.
Click
here to visit The Prairie Flower's Web site. |
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COMPUTER RECYCLING/REFURBISHING SERVICE
RC&D developed this
project to provide individuals and businesses with an alternative to
landfilling used computer equipment. The RC&D also donates
refurbished computers to nonprofit organizations. Click here to
learn more. Click here to learn
about this service. |
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STORM
LAKE MIDDLE SCHOOL ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION AREA
The RC&D assisted with
planning, funding and implementation of a five acre education area
that included a prairie, windbreak, timber establishment and
butterfly garden. |
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WATER
QUALITY
We worked with the
Dickinson County Soil & Water Conservation
District and the Iowa Department of Natural
Resources to complete a detailed watershed assessment of the Iowa
Great Lakes. For more information contact the Iowa
Lakes RC&D office. |
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RAIN GARDEN DEMONSTRATION PROJECT
Rain Gardens design and implementation
was completed in Storm Lake. The Rain Garden project is part of a
Low Impact Development program to reduce and filter urban runoff. |
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DRY
HYDRANT INSTALLATIONS
The RC&D acquired
grant funds through the
Iowa Department of Economic Development to
install ten dry fire hydrants in a five country area. |
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