Jacqueline Comito | Iowa Learning Farms Director and Conservation Chat Host
The 50th Conservation Chat podcast from Iowa Learning Farms (ILF) went live last month. If you haven’t had a chance to check them out, the podcast series covers topics relating to Iowa’s environment, water quality, as well as its biggest industry – Agriculture. I’ve been hosting the series from the beginning, and it’s given me some wonderful opportunities to learn and explore Iowa-centric topics from many angles. With 50 episodes to choose from, I’m pretty sure there’s something of interest for anyone who wants to learn about Iowa.
Clare Lindahl was the guest on CC35: “Preaching” Conservation
Since my inaugural episode in February 2015 with then Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey, I’ve chatted with a huge variety of people who have passions for Iowa, conservation and the environment. Guests have included distinguished experts, on-the-ground researchers, farmers, professionals from farming and conservation groups, and government officials.
I’ve tried to maintain a conversational unscripted format from the beginning of the program. These truly are chats that kick off with me asking interview questions, but the resulting back and forth typically takes on a life of its own. Frequently we’ve riffed on ideas that just came up in the conversation, not talking points either of us had considered when the mics were turned on. It’s fun and I hope the listeners hear that our intent is to inform in a relaxed and entertaining manner. And the casual atmosphere of the program allows us to explore the personality of the guest and bring out what they are passionate about and why.
Another unique part of the program is the inclusion of original music from ILF team members and professional musicians Ann Staudt and Todd Stevens.
Conservation Chats have been downloaded over 11,400 times. This level of interest buoys the spirits of the team to continue to create relevant and interesting content.
Interestingly, the first Conservation Chat continues to garner new downloads. It leads the total download list, and just in the fourth quarter of 2019, 14 new downloads were recorded. Other highflyers still logging new downloads have been CC35: Clare Lindahl: “Preaching” Conservation in September 2017 and CC 38: Earthworms and Cover Crops with Ann Staudt and Dr. Tom Kaspar in January 2018.
Dr. Janke in action at a field day
The milestone 50th Conservation Chat features my chat with Dr. Adam Janke and his list of 20 Things To Do in the 2020s To Increase Wildlife Habitat in Iowa. Some are simple and others more difficult, but the podcast covers a lot of ground about conservation, habitat and the importance of diversity on many levels.
In 2019 I wanted to change things up a little bit to improve engagement with guests and listeners and add some new dimensions to the podcast format. Adding co-hosts was the biggest change, and the changes have brought positive listener feedback. Ingrid Gronstal Anderson, from the Iowa Environmental Council, joined me to as co-host for some episodes. And I teamed up with ISU assistant professor and Extension wildlife specialist Adam Janke for an episode. Adding co-hosts helped change the dynamics of the podcast, moving from a one-on-one Q and A format to more of a group discussion.
Secretary Naig & Dr. Comito
Looking ahead, in February 2020 I welcome the return of Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship Secretary Mike Naig. His 2019 podcast was fast-paced and informative. I’m are looking forward to another great update on progress and goals from the perspective of the State of Iowa.
The podcasts are available with a quick search for Conservation Chats on Apple Podcasts or Spotify as well as on the ILF website.
Matt Helmers, Director of the Iowa Nutrient Research Center
Have an interest in the environment, conservation, and agriculture, particularly water and soil quality? We are seeking undergraduate student interns for summer 2020 who are self-motivated, detail-oriented, strong communicators, enthusiastic, and have a sense of fun!
How do we maintain productive, profitable farms in Iowa that protect soil resources, support biodiversity, and send cleaner water downstream? Tune in to the December 
Many wildlife species in Iowa have exhibited consistent population declines over recent decades. However, contrary to popular belief, these population declines are not due to the expansion of agricultural land. Farmed acres in Iowa have actually declined when compared to the 1930s.
While much recent attention has been focused on water quality-related conservation practices that align with the 
In order for farmland wildlife to thrive, Janke emphasizes three big needs:
Farmland wildlife, including many grassland breeding birds, butterflies, mammals, and other species were once considered by-products of diversified agricultural production practices in Iowa that included hay, pasture, small grains, and other crops. Today, fewer wildlife thrive in row cropped landscapes, but coupling wildlife habitat conservation with efforts to improve water and soil health offers promise for restoring farmland wildlife to rural Iowa. 
Janke, whose research seeks to understand how wildlife use agricultural landscapes to help stakeholders find opportunity areas for wildlife conservation in working landscapes, hopes that participants will learn to recognize opportunity areas for coupling wildlife habitat conservation with soil and water conservation practices. Janke states, “Coupling water quality conservation practices with wildlife conservation practices is a promising effort to achieve multifunctional rural landscapes that are good for people, water, wildlife, and land.”