Natural Resources Conservation Service

Iowa

United States Department of Agriculture

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Backyard & Urban Conservation

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Basic No-Till Garden Recipe (PDF) - Featuring Sheila O'Riley, The Ugly Gardener
Organic Material Used for No-Till Gardens (PDF)
Grow and Construct a Gourd Birdhouse (PDF)

Backyard Conservation

Backyard Conservation - Bringing conservation from the countryside to your backyard.
Backyard Conservation (Spanish)
General Information for Homeowners, Urban and Suburban Land User

Urban Conservation

Rain Gardens
Iowa Rain Garden Design and Installation Manual (PDF, 5.8 MB)
Rain Garden - How to Guide Sheets (PDF, 7.8 MB)
Iowa NRCS Urban Conservation Photo Gallery
Rainscaping Iowa - Landscapes for Cleaner Water
Urban Conservation Brochure (2.2 MB) - "Conservation Strategies for Growing Communities"
City of Des Moines Rain Garden Tool Kits
Video of Porous Asphalt (MPG, 4 MB) (Courtesy of Grimes Asphalt and Paving Corp.)
Minnesota NRCS Information

Urban Conservation Fact Sheets

Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) State Revolving Fund - Low-Interest Loans through the General Non-Point Source Program

Urban Conservation Feature Stories

Downtown Cedar Rapids' First Green Roof (Cedar Rapids)
Rain Gardens Growing Trend in Pottawattamie County (Council Bluffs)
Iowa NRCS Assists Engineering Firm with Pollution Problem (West Des Moines)
Loess Hills Residential Development Retains Rain (PDF) (Glenwood)
WIRB Grant Helps Stream Rehab on UNI Campus (PDF) (Cedar Falls)
Iowa School for the Deaf Ready for Rain (PDF) (Council Bluffs)
USDA Service Center Installs Three Rain Gardens (Council Bluffs)
Greenwood Elementary Installs Rain Garden (Des Moines)
Homeowners Asked to Protect McLoud Run Trout (Cedar Rapids)