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A climate change book club needed hope. So, it decided to plant Iowa’s first mini-forest.

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2 years ago

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A climate change book club needed hope. So, it decided to plant Iowa’s first mini-forest.


A book club that reads about sustainability, climate change and environmental justice got tired of feeling helpless and decided to organize the planting of Iowa’s first claimed “mini-forest” with the help of the city of West Des Moines and a Waukee elementary school.

“It can get pretty depressing and you feel like you can’t address issues,” reading about the topics the club does,” said Diane Ford, a Des Moines member of the book club. “We often feel overwhelmed by moving forward.”

But after reading Hannah Lewis’ book, “Mini-Forest Revolution: Using the Miyawaki Method to Rapidly Rewild the World,” and seeing the author speak at Iowa State University, the club moved forward by quite literally digging in and organizing the planting of a mini-forest at Brookview Park in West Des Moines, near Brookview Elementary School.

A mini-forest should reach maturity in about 15 years, compared to a century or more with a larger forest, Ford said.

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That means the community will get the benefits to air, water, soil and education much faster from the stand of 1,200 plantings of Iowa native species in an area about the size of a tennis court, or one-tenth of an acre.

More: For Earth Day 2024, experts are spreading optimism – not doom. Here’s why.

The mini-forest’s started on Friday and was celebrated on site by city and school officials and community members, including Brookview elementary students who helped plant throughout the day.

“This felt like something we could do,” book club member and volunteer Walter Pearson said.

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Pearson said the city paid for the seedlings, donated the park land and had staff donate their time, including to auger the holes for the trees and shrubs. Other supporters included the First Unitarian Church of Des Moines, the Waukee school district’s Aspiring Professional Experience high school program, Des Moines Valley Friends Meeting and more than a dozen private individuals.

What trees are in the mini-forest?

West Des Moines City Forester Paul Tauke said the trees in the mini-forest include varieties of oak, pecan, sycamore, hazelnut, birch, elderberry, ninebark, paw paw, maple and black cherry.

The city will water the stand as needed, and volunteers will weed it as needed, Tauke said.

More: New plans for West Des Moines arboretum include 300 trees, museum with crafts, playground

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Part of the stand will be fenced in, while a portion will not. Tauke said that’s an experiment to see how necessary it is to have protection from deer and rabbits in order for the mini-forest to be successful.

That matters because he said he hopes the project will inspire private property owners and other schools to do their own planting.

Ann Y. Robinson, a Des Moines member of the book club, said there’s been interest in Ames and Urbandale for mini-forests. Michael Andreski, a member of the West Des Moines Community School District’s Board of Education in attendance at Friday’s event, said his district also is thinking about creating a mini-forest but has not yet picked a location.

What is a mini-forest?

The “Miyawaki Method” of densely planting a small area with native species was developed in the 1970s by the late Japanese botanist and plant ecologist Akira Miyawaki.

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The New York Times reported in August 2023 that Miyawaki’s legacy is “transforming dusty highway shoulders, parking lots, schoolyards and junkyards worldwide. Tiny forests have been planted across Europe, in Africa, throughout Asia and in South America, Russia and the Middle East. India has hundreds, and Japan, where it all began, has thousands.”

According to the Times, Miyawaki got the idea from observing how clusters of indigenous trees around Japan’s temples and shrines were healthier than those in plantations or forests grown after logging.

Tauke said the secret to a mini-forest’s quick growth is the competition between the closely planted trees — they can only grow up to find sunlight, not out.

“Whatever grows best will take over the forest,” he said.

People interested in financially supporting or volunteering to take care of the mini-forest in West Des Moines can visit the city’s website at wdm.iowa.gov and search for “Brookview Park,” according to a news release from the city.

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Phillip Sitter covers the western suburbs for the Des Moines Register. Phillip can be reached via email at psitter@gannett.com or on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @pslifeisabeauty.   



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Iowa

Officiating Mistakes Cost Iowa Upset Against USC

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18 hours ago

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November 17, 2025

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Officiating Mistakes Cost Iowa Upset Against USC


Iowa Hawkeyes’ 26-21 loss at USC turned on multiple controversial officiating decisions in the third quarter. A series of missed calls set up an interception that flipped momentum and ended the Hawkeyes’ upset bid.

CBS Sports’ Chris Hassel posted video of the most egregious play that sparked outrage across college football. Running back Kamari Moulton carried the ball six yards on second down when a USC defender grabbed and twisted his facemask to bring him down.

No flag came out despite the obvious violation. The call should have given Iowa a 15-yard penalty and automatic first down at USC’s 43-yard line with the Hawkeyes leading 21-19.

The missed facemask wasn’t an isolated incident. Moulton had his helmet turned more than 90 degrees sideways and vertically on multiple occasions throughout the game without drawing flags. Fans also pointed to numerous uncalled holding penalties against USC’s offensive line that extended Trojan drives.

The officiating failures proved costly on the very next play. Instead of having a first down in USC territory, Iowa faced third-and-4 from its own 44. Quarterback Mark Gronowski threw a pass that deflected off receiver Jacob Gill’s knee and into the hands of USC freshman defensive lineman Jahkeem Stewart for an interception.

USC capitalized on the short field, driving 40 yards in six plays for a go-ahead touchdown. Running back Bryan Jackson scored from one yard out to give the Trojans a 26-21 lead early in the fourth quarter.

Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz addressed the officiating after the game: “I thought I saw a couple of things that maybe could’ve gone the other way. Apparently nobody thought it was flag worthy. You’ve got to play through those things. It doesn’t always work the way you want.”

The missed calls drew immediate backlash on social media. “Honestly – this along with all the obvious holds – there needs to be an investigation into the refs. Isn’t fun when they affect the game so bad – it’s like watching women’s basketball refs,” one fan wrote.

“Simply a game-changing missed facemask call that hurts the Iowa Hawkeyes. This is just inexcusable. You can’t miss this. His head turned. Embarrassing,” another stated.

“Officials miss a hold or hands to the face (take your pick) and then Iowa gets hit for the collision in the end zone. They’re not even looking for USC penalties now,” a third fan observed.

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The controversy extended beyond the missed penalties. Iowa committed an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on their sideline with 1:25 remaining that gave USC a crucial first down and allowed the Trojans to run out the clock.

The loss dropped Iowa to 6-4 overall and 4-3 in Big Ten play after blowing a 21-10 halftime lead. The Hawkeyes managed just 108 total yards in the second half and failed to score after intermission.

Despite the officiating controversies, Iowa still had one final chance to pull off the upset. On fourth-and-6 with under two minutes remaining, Gronowski launched a deep pass to receiver Kaden Wetjen, who made a spectacular catch near the USC 10-yard line. However, replay showed his toe landed just out of bounds by mere inches, ending Iowa’s comeback attempt.

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Iowa’s College Football Playoff hopes had already died in an 18-16 loss to Oregon on November 8. The USC defeat marked another painful near-miss in a season defined by close losses to ranked opponents.

The Hawkeyes have now lost four games this season by a combined 15 points, with three of those opponents potentially making the College Football Playoff. The defeat extended Iowa’s losing streak against ranked teams to 13 consecutive games.

Iowa has bowl eligibility secured with two regular season games remaining against Michigan State and Nebraska. The combination of questionable officiating and self-inflicted mistakes at USC captures the essence of Iowa’s frustrating 2025 campaign.

Don’t forget to bookmark Iowa Hawkeyes on SI for the latest news. exclusive interviews, recruiting coverage and more!





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Addy Brown tallies triple-double as Iowa State women beat Norfolk State

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1 day ago

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November 16, 2025

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Addy Brown tallies triple-double as Iowa State women beat Norfolk State


AMES – As Addy Brown reached her outstretched arms over Iowa State teammate Arianna Jackson in the fourth quarter and grabbed her 10th rebound of the game, the Hilton Coliseum fans rose to their feet to cheer and celebrate a historic performance.

Brown’s fourth-quarter rebound was the final thing she needed to tally the Cyclones’ first triple-double in more than a decade. She finished with 11 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists as No. 18 Iowa State rolled to a 98-52 win over Norfolk State on Nov. 16.

The triple-double was Iowa State’s first since Nikki Moody accomplished the feat on Nov. 29, 2014 against Wyoming. Brown, one of Iowa State’s most versatile players, has come within striking distance in the past but couldn’t accomplish the feat until Sunday.

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Brown entered the fourth quarter with nine points, 10 assists and eight rebounds. Her teammates quickly made sure she had a shot at history, finding her for a quick basket early in the final frame. Brown then corralled a quick rebound for her ninth of the game.

No. 10 game came with a defensive rebound with 9 minutes and 5 seconds remaining, as she and Jackson went up to grab a miss. Brown, to the excitement of fans, secured it.

Shortly after, Brown checked out of the game to a giant ovation from the fans. Her teammates, waiting for her on the bench, cheered her on as well.

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Audi Crooks, who poured in a single-game school record 43 points in Iowa State’s previous game, finished Sunday’s contest with 19 points and 10 rebounds.  Crooks was perfect from the field, connecting on all eight of her shot attempts before checking out early in the fourth quarter.

The Cyclones improved to 5-0 for the first time since the 2022-23 season. That team went on to win a Big 12 Conference Tournament title and play in the NCAA Tournament.

But the star of the show was Brown, who connected on 5-of-9 shots from the field in 26 minutes of action. The day was a big one from start to finish for her. It began with Brown being honored prior to the start of the game for reaching the 1,000-point plateau during Iowa State’s previous contest.

Tommy Birch, the Register’s sports enterprise and features reporter, has been working at the newspaper since 2008. He’s the 2018, 2020 and 2023 Iowa Sportswriter of the Year. Reach him at tbirch@dmreg.com or 515-284-8468.



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USC survived a dogfight vs. Iowa — now the biggest test of Lincoln Riley’s tenure awaits

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November 15, 2025

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USC survived a dogfight vs. Iowa — now the biggest test of Lincoln Riley’s tenure awaits


LOS ANGELES — As Lincoln Riley walked toward the Coliseum tunnel following USC’s gritty, 26-21 comeback win against 21st-ranked Iowa, he shared an animated embrace with Trojans offensive coordinator Luke Huard.

Riley was more fired up than usual, and understandably so. The Trojans’ physicality and toughness have been questioned ever since he took the job four years ago.

And after USC fell behind by 14 points in the first half — tied for its largest deficit of the season — it demonstrated the sort of toughness and resilience it’s often lacked during Riley’s tenure. The Trojans got off the mat after the Hawkeyes knocked them down in the first half and scored the game’s final 19 points.

“Culture win right there, man, if there ever was one,” Riley said.

Now that USC (8-2, 6-1 Big Ten) survived that dogfight, all that awaits is one of the biggest games of Riley’s tenure when USC travels to eighth-ranked Oregon next week. Win and a trip to the College Football Playoff seems likely — in the 80 percent range, according to Austin Mock’s model. Lose, and the season could still be viewed as a positive step forward, if USC finishes 9-3, but that would be four years under Riley without a Playoff appearance.

On Saturday, USC narrowly defeated the same Iowa team that Oregon barely beat the week before. But the Trojans will likely enter next week’s matchup in Eugene — a place where they haven’t won since 2011 — as a considerable underdog.

On Saturday afternoon, the concerns were all on display in the first half. They resided where they usually do under Riley: on defense.

Even though rain was falling throughout the afternoon in the Coliseum, Iowa still felt confident enough to attack USC’s secondary down the field, and it had success early on. That’s with an offense that ranked 133rd nationally in passing yards per game.

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Iowa had a good amount of success on the ground, too, finishing with 183 rushing yards and on a 5.5-yard average.

A team like Oregon, balanced on offense, figures to stress USC’s defense in much more significant fashion next weekend.

But give credit to the defense and coordinator D’Anton Lynn for the second-half play. The Trojans shut out Iowa over the final two quarters and have given up just six second-half points over the past three weeks.

It also did that without safeties Kamari Ramsey and Bishop Fitzgerald, who were banged up during the game.

“We just keep coming and we have all year,” Riley said. “That was a big, big time win. Team win. To come back and get that done was a really cool feeling.”

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While the defense did its part, the Trojans won this game largely because they have two of the best wide receivers in the country in Makai Lemon and Ja’Kobi Lane, a pair that applies a ton of pressure on opposing defenses. It’s also the reason this team has a puncher’s chance in every game it plays.

Iowa’s defense is great and entered the game ranked sixth nationally in scoring (13.7 ppg) and seventh in yards per play allowed (4.3). That’s impressive, but Lemon and Lane rendered those stats meaningless.

Lemon had receptions of 12, 24, 26 and 35 yards in the second half and caught a third-quarter touchdown. Lane had receptions of 10, 12 and 14 yards in the third quarter and drew a 15-yard pass interference penalty in the fourth.

Iowa’s defense didn’t even play that poorly. The Hawkeyes defensive backs were in good position a majority of the time. Lane and Lemon were just better, and that’s what spearheaded the comeback.

Lemon finished with 10 receptions (on 11 targets) for 153 yards and a touchdown. Lane had seven for 65 yards. Quarterback Jayden Maiava completed 23 of 32 pass attempts for 254 yards and one touchdown. Most importantly, he protected the football, which will be key against Oregon. USC has committed costly turnovers in its two losses (at Illinois and at Notre Dame) this season.

Running back King Miller added 83 yards on the ground. And there was some good news on the injury front. Waymond Jordan, the team’s No. 1 back, didn’t play but was listed as questionable — a sign of progress after he missed the previous three games with an ankle injury sustained against Michigan.

The status of left tackle Elijah Paige, who left the game in the first half with an undisclosed injury, will be worth monitoring this week. USC’s offensive line was fine in his absence, but Oregon’s defensive front will pose a very difficult challenge.

Next week will be the biggest game USC has played since the 2022 Pac-12 title game in Riley’s first season. That was a Trojan team that overachieved after a 4-8 season the year before. Even though USC lost to Utah in Las Vegas that night, it felt as though the program would have more chances to reach the Playoff in the coming years.

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Two massively underwhelming seasons followed and showed just how difficult it might be for USC to get over that hump.

The stakes next week couldn’t be higher. It’s a chance for Riley to make a statement after losing some of his shine the past few years.

Linebacker Eric Gentry is one of the few holdovers from that 2022 team that fell just short of a Playoff trip.

“It’s a one-week season,” Gentry said after beating Iowa. “So it’s win or go home right now, and there (isn’t) a go home. We’ve got to win. I think the whole team is understanding of what the culture is. Just fight to the last second, not in denial or feel like something bad is going to happen. Coach (Riley) said: ‘Don’t hope for (anything). Make it happen.’”

The odds will be against USC next week in Autzen Stadium. But these are the games Riley was brought to Los Angeles to win. Now it’s up to him and the Trojans to finally make it happen.

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