Would you like to have an Iowa Learning Farms Conservation Station educational trailer at your county fair or other community event this summer?
Iowa State University Extension and Iowa Learning Farms announced that the system is now open for people to request an appearance from the award-winning Conservation Station trailers. Organizations looking to request a visit for their community festival, local celebration, county fair or farmers market should visit the Water Rocks! website to learn more about the Conservation Station program and submit their request online before March 31.
“The Conservation Stations are a popular feature at many events, drawing over 7,000 unique visitors during the 2024 season,” says Jacqueline Comito, director of Water Rocks! and Iowa Learning Farms. “A big part of the appeal is that we help make the latest in science and research accessible, understandable and fun for visitors of any age — and we do it for free. Thanks to our generous sponsors, we offer resources and information to Iowans about water quality, natural resources, conservation and agricultural practices.”
Open for summer 2025 events
The Conservation Station fleet of four trailers is available to travel to local events in Iowa from June through August. “Our visits during the 2025 summer season will start June 2 and run through Aug. 31,” Comito says.
Openings are available Monday through Saturday in June and July. During August, visits are available Monday through Friday. Due to high demand, visits to an event will be limited to one day (whether the event runs a single day or multiple days), with the team on-site for a three- to four-hour block of time engaging with visitors.
The Conservation Station fleet comprises four customized trailers equipped with Iowa-centric, hands-on demonstrations and activities that delve into the effects of land management choices, both urban and agricultural, as well as water quality and the connections between our state’s water, soil and wildlife.
Each trailer has a theme
In addition to the core science-based resources, each trailer has a different theme to provide a deeper dive into particular areas of interest. Conservation Station on the Edge has working bioreactor and saturated buffer demonstrations, and Conservation Station Marsh Madness includes working scale models of different wetlands to show how water moves over and through these landscapes.
Each visit from a Conservation Station trailer is staffed by ISU faculty, staff and/or student interns who are eager to engage with the public and share what they know about Iowa and its natural resources.
Event organizers and county fair boards are encouraged to submit requests online for Conservation Station visits. All requests will be considered after March 31, and requesters will be notified about the status of their request by April 18.
About Water Rocks!
Water Rocks! is Iowa’s unique, award-winning statewide youth water education program. Through a combination of STEM and the arts, especially music, Water Rocks! educates, challenges and inspires young people to have a greater appreciation of our state’s water, soil and other natural resources.
Water Rocks! partners include ISU Extension, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Section 319 of the Clean Water Act and personal gifts of support.
About Iowa Learning Farms
Established in 2004, Iowa Learning Farms is building a culture of conservation by encouraging adoption of conservation practices. Farmers, researchers and ILF team members work together to identify and implement best management practices that improve water quality and soil health while remaining profitable.
Partners of Iowa Learning Farms include the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, ISU Extension, the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, the EPA Section 319 Grant Program, and GROWMARK Inc.