Lacey McCormick, National Wildlife Federation & Betsy Penisten, Iowa Wildlife Federation DES MOINES, Ia. — More than a third – 36% – of the water in the Raccoon River comes from smaller streams that are no longer protected by the Clean Water Act. In the Des Moines River, these newly-unprotected streams provide 26% of the total flow, according

This article was featured in the Des Moines Register Opinion section on April 2, 2024. When it comes to helping wildlife and protecting the environment, small changes have a big impact. That’s the message Iowa Wildlife Federation Executive Director Ryan Smith wants Iowans to hear. “Select native plants. Build a pollinator garden. Put it along the fence line

Trumpeter swans once thrived in Iowa, nesting in wetlands and waterways throughout the state. The population dwindled for many years due to unregulated hunting and wetland drainage, with the last nesting pair recorded in 1883. But thanks to extensive restoration efforts led by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, more than 5,000 trumpeter swans now