The Iowa Learning Farm (ILF) is traveling across Iowa with the new Conservation Station, a mobile learning center that encourages all Iowans to help protect and improve soil and water quality. The ILF team is excited to take the farm on the road and inspire others to help build a Culture of Conservation.
The big, blue trailer will be at field days, county fairs, farmers’ markets and student educational outings all over Iowa this summer and fall. Through demonstrations, pictures, computer animations, three-dimensional interactive displays, video and sound, people of all ages can learn why Iowa’s water and soils are so precious and how they can help preserve and protect these natural resources. Visitors can see the Conservation Station for free and will learn about soil, water, crop residue, prairies and wetlands. It also has a rainfall simulator, demonstrating the affects of rainfall on the land, collecting surface water runoff and subsurface drainage.
The Conservation Station makes its first stop on Thursday, May 20, at Ada Hayden Park in north Ames from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Visitors can see the debut of Conservation Station, enjoy a light lunch and the park’s trails and wildlife. The event is free and open to the public, but an RSVP is requested; email: ilf@iastate.edu or phone 515-294-8912.
The Conservation Station will be at many events in Iowa this summer and fall. Visit the Iowa Learning Farm website often for a listing of events, as events are added regularly. To request the Conservation Station for an event, call 515-294-5429 or e-mail ilf@iastate.edu.