INRC Assistant Director Kay Stefanik presents an Iowa Learning Farms webinar, “Wetland Ecosystem Services: How Wetlands can Benefit Iowans.” Learn more or join live, at https://iastate.zoom.us/j/364284172 .
Kay Stefanik, Assistant Director, Iowa Nutrient Research Center, discusses the ecological services wetlands provide in the Iowa agricultural landscape, in a blog post for the Iowa Learning Farms/Conservation Learning Group.
Fifteen years of wetlands research by Iowa State University – a study thought to be the largest and longest running project of its kind in the country – clarifies their performance as highly beneficial systems for reducing nitrogen pollution.
"Farm News" interview with Iowa Nutrient Research Center Assistant Director Kay Stefanik about the importance of wetlands and the roles they play in Iowa's landscape. Article (June 19, 2020) by Kriss Nelson.
Putting Science into Practice is the theme of the 2021 Agribusiness Association of Iowa Virtual Showcase & Conference, Feb. 9-10. INRC Assistant Director Kay Stefanik will speak on "Implementing Wetland Edge-of-Field Management: Why, Where, and How" at 3:00.p.m., during the session, Putting Wetland & Edge of Field Management into Practice, from 3:00-3:55.
“Profiles in the Wonders of Iowa’s Wetlands” will feature 12 in-depth educational videos highlighting the diversity and benefits of wetland ecosystems throughout the state. The videos are being developed by Iowa State University Extension and Outreach and the Iowa Nutrient Research Center. A webinar on Tuesday, May 25, at 7-8 p.m., kicks off the series during American Wetlands Month.
A new trailer named “Marsh Madness” combines sight, sound and science to engage Iowa audiences about the values of the state’s wetland ecosystems. The artfully designed trailer features scenes of wetlands and their plant and animal communities and recorded sounds of wetland fauna. Adding to the immersive educational experience are three-dimensional interactive models demonstraing the unique landscape placement and hydrology of three wetland types typical in the state. The trailer was developed by Iowa Learning Farms team and the Iowa Nutrient Research Center.
A newly published study found that poorly drained agricultural soils emit enough of the greenhouse gas nitrous oxide that the resulting climate change effects could far exceed the benefits of using the same soils as a means of sequestering carbon.The research, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, was authored by Steven Hall, associate professor of ecology, evolution and organismal biology; Nathaniel Lawrence, ISU graduate student in ecology, evolution and organismal biology; Carlos Tenesaca, research scientist in ecology, evolution and organismal biology; and Andy VanLoocke, associate professor of agronomy. Funders for the work included the Iowa Nutrient Research Center.
The Iowa Learning Farms (ILF) conservation webinar taking place Dec. 8 at noon CST will feature Kay Stefanik, Iowa Nutrient Research Center assistant director, and Adam Janke, extension wildlife specialist and assistant professor, Iowa State University. The pair will introduce a new educational case study and learning guide for students, educators, agriculture professionals, farmers and landowners that draws on Stefanik’s expertise in wetland ecology and water quality and Janke’s expertise in the impacts of conservation practices on birds and wildlife. Get more details and the link to participate at: https://www.iowalearningfarms.org/webinar-wetlands-and-wildlife-case-study .
