IOWA NATURAL HERITAGE FOUNDATION

LAND PROTECTION AND STEWARDSHIP:DURING THE 12-MONTH FISCAL YEAR, JULY 1, 2023 - JUNE 30, 2024, INHF PROTECTED 28 CONSERVATION PROPERTIES TOTALING 3,545 ACRES. OF THESE, 21 PROPERTIES HAVE BEEN OR WILL BE TRANSFERRED TO A PUBLIC CONSERVATION AGENCY FOR PUBLIC ENJOYMENT. FOUR PROPERTIES WILL BE OWNED AND STEWARDED BY INHF AND TWO CONSERVATION EASEMENTS ON PRIVATELY OWNED LANDS WERE ACCEPTED BY INHF. NUMEROUS LANDOWNERS CHOSE TO PERMANENTLY PROTECT WILDLIFE HABITAT, OPEN SPACE, AND AGRICULTURAL AREAS WITH INHF. ALL INHF-HELD CONSERVATION EASEMENTS ARE MONITORED ANNUALLY BY VISITING THE PROPERTY AND TALKING WITH THE LANDOWNER. SINCE 1979, INHF HAS HELPED PROTECT OVER 198,500 ACRES OF LAND ACROSS IOWA. OUR LAND CONSERVATION PROJECTS RANGE FROM IMPORTANT ECOSYSTEM CONSERVATION TO PRIVATE WORKING LANDS THROUGHOUT IOWA AND IN PRIORITY REGIONS SUCH AS THE LOESS HILLS OF WESTERN IOWA, UPPER MISSISSIPPI RIVER BLUFFLANDS, IOWA GREAT LAKES, PRAIRIE POTHOLE REGIONS, AND SOUTHERN IOWA GRASSLANDS. INHF WORKS TOWARDS THE CREATION OF LARGER STRETCHES OF INTER-CONNECTED PROTECTED CONSERVATION LANDS THAT IMPROVE WILDLIFE HABITAT AND OFFERS MANAGEMENT FOR IMPROVED SOIL HEALTH, WATER QUALITY, AND OUTDOOR RECREATION.

CONNECTING PEOPLE WITH NATURE:OUR DONOR-SUPPORTED ORGANIZATION WORKS STATEWIDE TO PROTECT OUR NATURAL HERITAGE, IOWA'S PRAIRIES, WOODLANDS, WATERS, AND OPEN SPACES. EACH YEAR WE WORK ON DOZENS OF PROJECTS THAT INCREASE THE NUMBER OF ACRES AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC FOR OUTDOOR RECREATION, SUPPORT PRIVATE LANDOWNERS IN PLACING PERMANENT PROTECTION ON THEIR PROPERTIES WITH OUR CONSERVATION EASEMENT PROGRAM, HELP COORDINATE THE CONTINUED GROWTH OF IOWA'S NETWORK OF MULTI-USE TRAILS WITH OUR TRAILS AND GREENWAYS PROGRAM, GET OVER 1,000 PEOPLE OF EVERY AGE OUT ON THE LAND WITH OUR VOLUNTEER PROGRAM, ESTABLISH CONSERVATION LEGACIES WITH OUR PLANNED GIVING PROGRAM, AND GIVE 20+ COLLEGE STUDENTS MEANINGFUL AND EDUCATIONAL EMPLOYMENT WITH OUR INTERN PROGRAM. IN ADDITION, WE STEWARD A RANGE OF INHF-OWNED PROPERTIES, SOME OF WHICH ARE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. INTERESTED LANDOWNERS LEARN ABOUT OPTIONS FOR PERMANENT LAND PROTECTION THROUGH PRINTED MATERIALS, ONLINE RESOURCES, AND PERSONAL COMMUNICATION WITH INHF STAFF. INHF INTRODUCES PEOPLE TO IOWA'S CONSERVATION CHALLENGES AND SHARES STORIES OF CONSERVATION SUCCESS IN OUR QUARTERLY MAGAZINE, MEDIA OUTREACH, STRONG DIGITAL AND SOCIAL MEDIA COMMUNICATION, AND CO-SPONSORED EVENTS AND CONFERENCES