This mallard hen brought her brood of ducklings to the newly restored wetland just 5 days after the restoration. The whole family is now attached to the ducks that visit their wetlands. - Photo Credit: Courtesy of the landowner.

Due to high precipitation this spring the wetland began filling up and wildlife such as turtles, ducks, and frogs were using it shortly following contruction. - Photo Credit: USFWS photo.

After removing washed in sediment to regain the wetlands natural hydrological capacity the seed bank was exposed and aquatic vegetation quickly began to sprout such as these sedges. - Photo Credit: USFWS photo.

Before the restoration occured this was the existing condition of the wetland - a corn field. As you can see the basin was washed in and wetland was not functioning. - Photo Credit: USFWS photo.

The landowner planted this high plant diversity seeding with guidance from partners. Now he, his family, and the wildlife are all benefitting from the restoration. - Photo Credit: USFWS photo.

Within one week of initiating construction activities, water began filling this 1.5 acre wetland. - Photo Credit: USFWS photo.

In Iowa’s prairie pothole region 99.9% of the prairie has been lost and 99% of wetlands. Every acre restored counts. Every partnership matters. Together we can make it happen, piece by piece, acre by acre, and end up delivering extraordinary results.

Positive change is happening in Iowa, thanks to a partnership between the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Dickinson County Clean Water Alliance and a private landowner. Together we have turned what was slated for development of condos into a wildlife habitat corridor.

In the heart of Iowa’s prairie pothole region, through the Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program, we coordinated the reconstruction of a piece of tallgrass prairie along with three pothole wetlands. Turning this private land into now prairie and wetland habitat has created a corridor between U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service waterfowl production area lands at the north and Iowa Department of Natural Resources West Okoboji Lake to the south. This project clearly demonstrates how conservation delivery can make a large impact at the landscape level by completing smaller scale projects. This restoration project may seem small at 40 acres, but when you have a 1,300 acre complex of permanently protected land on one side and a 3,950 acre lake to the other, the impacts are significantly greater. In addition to providing migratory bird and pollinator habitat, the added benefits will be seen through improving the water quality of the lake by the filtration process both the wetland and prairie now offer.

This restoration of wetlands and prairie on private land contributes to our mission by sharing a common objective to restore habitat for the benefit of federal trust species and supports priority actions identified in the Regional Partners Program Strategic Plan. Additionally, this project will contribute to the state of Iowa’s Lake Restoration Program, the county’s Clean Water Alliance, and support objectives in multiple action plans throughout the watershed and state.

Even more important is that the landowner and his family have become attached to the wildlife already using the area. “Watching the prairie flowers bloom and mallard ducklings have become a daily activity for my family,” shared the landowner. The family has also decided to use this new wildlife restoration site as a living classroom for the area school and will be hosting a professional workshop to learn about the restoration process and the value of partnerships when doing ecological restorations.

To learn more about the Partners Program visit: http://www.fws.gov/midwest/partners/.