Nearly one million of the trees felled in the 2020 derecho were in Linn County alone, and the damage left rural and urban communities alike with gaping holes in their tree canopies. Five years later, The Gazette is revisiting what’s been done to fill the gaps.
The donation from QTS, which is building a data center in Cedar Rapids, will support derecho recovery efforts through tree plantings on private property.
The City of Marion has updated its city code relating to weeds to define guidelines for natural landscaping.
Growing plants native to Iowa support birds, bees and butterflies. Experts say you don’t need a large yard to make a difference.
The number of monarch butterflies that spent the winter in Mexico doubled this year, giving hope for a species that has faced decline in recent decades. And while conservationists welcome that news, they warn those numbers still lag and more work is needed.
After Linn County lost an estimated 1 million trees in the 2020 derecho, Monarch Research Project of Marion made it its mission to rebuild. The nonprofit has planted 100,000 native trees in Linn County. Monarch Research Project wants to double that total in the next five years.
If the proposed rule is finalized, the butterfly would become one of the most widespread species ever protected under the law.
American Society of Landscape Architecture recognizes Marion-based Monarch Research Project with Public Stewardship Award.
Butterfly numbers are down this year across Iowa and beyond. Why is that? And why does it matter?
Get to Know more about the Monarch Research Project in this Gazette podcast with Lisa Wiebenga and Augie Bergstrom.
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