Current Competitive Grant

Grazing prairie and browsing oak savannah: Improving species diversity while maintaining cattle and goat productivity and resting home pastures

Project ID: E2008-05

This 5-year grant for $96,923 was awarded in 2008.

Location: Polk, Ringgold counties

The investigators seek to increase species diversity at Chichaqua Bottoms Wildlife Area in Polk County by grazing cattle on a 263-acre reconstructed prairie and browsing goats in three oak savanna areas degraded by invasive species. Calf-weaning weights, body condition scores, and the economic value of winter forage harvested or stockpiled on resting home pastures also will be measured.

Gay Lea Wilson

Gay Lea Wilson is president of Iowa Heartland Resource Conservation and Development, a non-profit that works in partnership with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service to build conservation and community enhancement partnerships in a six-county area in central Iowa. He is the Polk County Supervisors’ representative on the Board of Directors. Co-investigator is Loren Lown, a natural resources specialist for the Polk County Conservation Board. Formerly, the PI for this project was Doran Ryan of Iowa Heartland Resource Conservation and Development. [Contact lead investigator]

Co-Investigator(s):

This competitive grant project is part of the Leopold Center's Ecology Initiative.

The Leopold Center was established by the 1987 Iowa Groundwater Protection Act as a research and education center at Iowa State University to develop sustainable agricultural practices that are both profitable and conserve natural resources. Iowa State does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, age, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, sex, marital status, disability, or status as a U.S. Vietnam Era Veteran. Any persons having inquiries concerning this may contact the Director of Affirmative Action, 3210 Beardshear Hall, (515) 294-7612.

This page was found at http://www.leopold.iastate.edu/grants/e2008-05 on 01/20/2013