Iowa Environmental Council and Practical Farmers of Iowa

Iowa Environmental Council and Practical Farmers
of Iowa believe that all life has intrinsic value.

The Iowa Environmental Council (IEC) and Practical Farmers of Iowa (PFI) propose a strategic partnership grounded in the principles of BeWildReWild, recognizing that all life has intrinsic value, that over-consumption and over-domestication have destabilized ecological systems, and that agriculture and wildness must coexist if Iowa is to thrive.

This collaboration will advance regenerative land stewardship, restore natural systems, and elevate watershed health as a primary decision-making framework across policy, agriculture, and community life.

Iowa’s landscape has been shaped by systems of centralization and complexity that have prioritized extraction and efficiency over ecological balance and community vitality. Today, Big Business, Big City, and Big Government dominate decision-making structures that affect land, water, and rural life. At the same time, Iowa’s natural systems (woodland, wetland, and grassland) have been diminished, compromising biodiversity, soil integrity, water quality, and long-term resilience. This partnership seeks to respond with grounded, place-based solutions rooted in regenerative agriculture, ecological restoration, and watershed-first thinking.

Objectives

Reframe the Narrative Around Intrinsic Value

Advance public understanding that all life has intrinsic value separate from its usefulness to humans, embedding this ethic into agricultural, environmental, and policy conversations statewide.

Address Over-Consumption and Over-Domestication

Elevate awareness of how over-consumption and over-domestication have degraded Iowa’s ecological systems, and promote regenerative alternatives that restore balance between human systems and wild
systems.

Objectives

Strengthen Local Resilience

Promote decentralized, community-based approaches to land stewardship and agriculture that counteract the destabilizing effects of excessive centralization and complexity.

Advance Agriculture and Wildness Together

Demonstrate and scale models where productive agriculture and wild ecosystems coexist — supporting biodiversity, soil health, water quality, and farmer viability.

Restore Natural Systems at Scale

Advocate for policy and practice that restores woodland, wetland, and grassland systems across Iowa for the benefit of air, soil, water, and biodiversity.

Center Watershed Health in Decision-Making

Embed watershed health as a primary consideration in policy development, agricultural practice, land use planning, and public investment decisions.

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Outcome 2: Co-Hosted Webinar

IEC will partner with PFI to present a webinar in 2026 surrounding the importance of agriculture and wildness co-existing, focusing on specific Iowa examples where biodiversity thrives, and land contributes to the health of the Mississippi Watershed. IEC estimates roughly 200 attendees at our free, virtual webinars. These webinars are held via Zoom and posted to our website for viewing at later times. We anticipate these presentations will generate thoughtful reflection and discussion on the importance of protecting our lands and how each individual and community is responsible.

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Outcome 3: Quarterly Conversations

PFI and IEC will gather in-person or virtually on a quarterly basis to discuss opportunities for partnership, for continuing the conversation of rewilding within our organizations and spheres of influence, and to share knowledge. These conversations will include leadership and program staff where applicable.

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Outcome 4: Blog Post in Iowa Water Watch

PFI and IEC will co-author a blog in IEC’s Iowa Water Watch, a weekly email newsletter highlighting impaired recreational bodies of water in Iowa. These newsletters are intended to educate readers on specific water quality issues, as well as engage in dialogue about topics that may not be in traditional media. The angle of this blog post is from a farmer’s perspective and their accountability for maintaining a balance of protection and restoration of natural systems while continuing to utilize the land.

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Outcome 5: Participation in Annual Meetings

Both Practical Farmers of Iowa and Iowa Environmental Council will sponsor and exhibit at each annual meeting in 2026/2027. IEC’s Annual Conference will be at Drake University on September 29, 2026. PFI’s Annual Conference will be at the Iowa Events Center in January 2027. Two sessions during the 2027 PFI Annual Conference will be focused on increasing habitat conservation and restoration in Iowa. Both organizations are excited to be a visible, engaged participant at one another’s events throughout the project. In keeping with the idea of BIG RIVER CONNECTIVITY, we will touch on creating a wilder, more beautiful, more biologically diverse Iowa landscape.

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IEC and PFI will collaborate to:

• Advance regenerative agriculture policies aligned with watershed restoration.
• Support farmer-led adoption of practices that integrate biodiversity and production.
• Elevate shared storytelling and education grounded in BeWildReWild philosophy.
• Engage policymakers in reforms that prioritize restoration and local resilience.
• Convene stakeholders to align agricultural and environmental leadership.

GRANT REQUEST

Iowa Environmental Council and Practical Farmers of Iowa request $50,000 total ($25,000 each to the Iowa Environmental Council and Practical Farmers of Iowa) to support the advancement of these objectives and activities.

CONCLUSION

This partnership reflects the spirit of BeWildReWild: restoring ecological integrity while strengthening human communities. By aligning policy leadership with farmer-led innovation, we can reimagine Iowa as a place where wildness and agriculture coexist — and where watershed health guides every choice we make.

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Financials

BeWildReWild has been a leading voice in connecting the dots between reduced soil/nutrient loss and improved water quality to a wilder Iowa and increased biodiversity. Together, we are stronger: It’s critical that key partners and allies with different audiences, such as the Iowa Environmental Council and Practical Farmers of Iowa, share the message in order to amplify it. BIG RIVER CONNECTIVITY is a shared goal and vision, and we all have a part to play in restoring large landscapes and creating a healthier Iowa for people, animals, and all life.