Iowa Birdlife

The Nature Conservancy

The Nature Conservancy The Nature Conservancy is an international membership organization committed to the global preservation of natural diversity. Its mission is to find, protect, and maintain the best examples of communities , ecosystems, and endangered species in the natural world. Operating in the United States for over forty years and in Iowa since 1963, the Conservancy also has a Latin American Program that focuses on conservation ofliving resources in fourteen Latin American nations. The Conservancy works by identifying lands that shelter the best examples of natural communities and species and determining what is truly rare and where it exists; protecting habitats and natural systems through acquisition by gift or purchase and assisting government and other conservation organizations in their land and natural diversity preservation efforts; managing more than 1.2 million acres nationwide (over 1,500 in Iowa) using both staff and volunteer land stewards and encouraging compatible use of the sanctuaries by researchers , students, and the public. The Iowa Chapter was founded in 1963 by a number ofinterested private citizens and professional conservationists. Today members range from layperson to scientist, from casual bird-watcher to professional archaeologist, all of whom share a single goal: the preservation of natural environments and the species that live in them. Business is conducted by chapter officers, a board of trustees (member-elected), various committees, and the director ofthe Iowa Field Office. The current director, Gary B. Reiners, assumed office on September 18, 1989. XIII Identification The Iowa State Natural Heritage Inventory Program, a part of the state's Department of Natural Resources, is an ongoing inventory process that identifies rare natural elements and their locations within a particular state. Researchers use inventory techniques and assessment methods developed by The Nature Conservancy. The scientific information gathered by the inventory indicates the relative rarity of plant and animal species, aquatic and plant communities, and other significant ecological features. The systematic inventory process also indicates which natural elements are currently protected and which are not. Consequently, the data can be useful in guiding development siting decisions, resource planning, and other conservation initiatives. Protection "Protection" is the term used by the Conservancy to denote the acquisition of property or interests in property that will protect the species of concern. A protection project is undertaken based upon a natural heritage program inventory that identifies a specific site sheltering critically threatened plant or animal species/communities or an acquisition strategy designed to enlarge an existing sanctuary. The project is first reviewed by the Conservancy 's senior management. If it clearly supports the Conservancy's mission, a purchase option is negotiated by Iowa Field Office staff. Upon approval, money for the purchase is made available from the Conservancy 's national revolving loan fund, the Land Preservation Fund. The Iowa Field XIV THE NATURE CONSERVANCY Office (or a special project committee) then raises funds to repay the national revolving fund so that the money can be reinvested in other protection projects. Management and Stewardship The Iowa Field Office manages or participates in the management of twenty-five preserves with a total of over 1,500 acres. It also has an active Natural Areas Registry Program with over five hundred properties enrolled. The registry program is a voluntary program that provides the private owners of lands with significant rare and endangered species information and assistance in the proper stewardship of their natural areas. Acres acquired since If}63: Acres managed: 1,500 Acres registered: Location ofprojects: 34 Iowa counties Membership: 5,000 Preserves with Conservancy 25 management: We need your help. For membership and volunteer information, please contact The Nature Conservancy, Iowa Chapter, 43 I E. Locust, Suite 200, Des Moines, Iowa 50309, or phone (5 15) 244-5044' Gary B. Reiners The ..tit NatureII' conservancy ...