New Videos Document the Wonders of Iowa’s Wetlands

AMES, Iowa – The variety and significance of Iowa’s wetlands is captured in a not too long ago revealed set of movies recorded from far above the wetlands’ floor.

13 instructional wetlands movies had been recorded by drone, below the route of two pure sources educators with Iowa State College. The undertaking is named “Profiles within the marvel of Iowa’s wetlands,” and all movies might be discovered on the Iowa State College Agriculture and Pure Assets Extension YouTube channel.

Adam Janke, extension wildlife specialist, and Kay Stefanik, assistant director for the Iowa Nutrient Analysis Heart, spent the previous two years researching, filming and narrating the movies, that are publicly out there on YouTube and shall be used to coach Iowans and others concerning the biodiversity and performance of wetlands.

“As we are saying within the first video within the collection, wetlands are maybe Iowa’s hardest working ecosystem,” mentioned Janke. “So on this collection, we actually simply needed to inform that story with compelling imagery from all around the state.”

4 movies characteristic composite imagery from over 20 completely different wetlands throughout the state to offer overviews of wetlands (Introduction to Iowa’s wetlands), details about wildlife habitat in wetlands (Wildlife habitat in Iowa wetlands), an outline of leisure alternatives in wetlands (Recreation in Iowa wetlands), and a brief information to discovering wetlands (Discovering an Iowa wetland close to you).

The remaining 9 movies had been particular profiles of a range of wetland varieties in Iowa together with prairie pothole wetlands, oxbow wetlands, city stormwater wetlands, riverine wetlands, vernal swimming pools, beaver wetlands and nutrient therapy wetlands.

“Wetlands are an integral a part of Iowa’s panorama that assist enhance water high quality, present habitat for native and migrating wildlife, retailer floodwater and supply leisure alternatives for folks. We’re hopeful that this undertaking will spark a higher appreciation of wetlands throughout the state,” mentioned Stefanik.

The undertaking was funded by a Wildlife Range Program Small Undertaking Grant, from the Iowa Division of Pure Assets. Along with Iowa State, the movies shall be utilized by IDNR, in addition to different conservation-minded companions.

Janke and Stefanik additionally developed a web site about wetlands in Iowa that indexes all of the movies and options different supplies from Iowa State and different companions that lead in wetland conservation and schooling in Iowa.

Shareable photograph: Candy Marsh wetland in Bremer County, Iowa.