Mary Lou Freeman
STATE REPRESENTATIVE
Fifty-Second District
Statehouse: (515) 281-3221
e-mail – mary.freeman@legis.state.ia.us
HOME ADDRESS
203 Villa Road
Alta, IA 51002
Home: 712-732-3781

FREEMAN FOOTNOTES

March 17, 2005

This Wednesday marked the fiftieth anniversary of the Iowa County Conservation Boards. The plan for each county to create their own Conservation board was filed as a bill in the 1955 session of the legislature. When the bill to create these boards did not even receive consideration by the committee to which it was assigned, it appeared that the plan, although it had merit, would not be considered that year. The sponsor did not give up. He filed the Conservation Board amendment to the Conservation Commission (now Department of Natural Resources) Appropriation bill. The amendment was adopted onto the bill, passed by the House and went to the Senate where the floor manager was Senator Putney. Senator Putney’s son, John, is serving in the Iowa Senate today.

Today, conservation boards serve all 99 counties and collectively manage over 160,000 acres of park and habitat areas. The Iowa Association of County Conservation Boards has published a book titled “Outdoor Adventure Guide.” This shows all of the parks and habitat preserves in each county of the State. It serves as a wonderful guide for camping, trails, picnicking and other recreation opportunities.

The revenue that is spent on conservation efforts brings us a double “bang for the buck” since it not only works to create a healthy environment; it also serves to provide improved habitat for wildlife and hunting, and clean rivers and lakes for fishing and water recreation.

Our natural resources have the potential to promote economic development in the State through tourism, hunting and recreational activities for families. Our County Conservation Boards are in the forefront of this effort. We need to encourage them to continue the work they started fifty years ago. Congratulations!

I can be reached via email at mfreema@legis.state.ia.us or mfreema@iw.net ; phone 515-281-7481 (weekdays) or 712-732-3781 (weekends).