Iowa Department of Natural Resources facts for kids
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (often called the Iowa DNR or IA DNR) is a government agency in the U.S. state of Iowa. It was created in 1986. The Iowa DNR's main job is to take care of Iowa's beautiful state parks and forests. It also works to protect the environment of Iowa, manage energy, and look after fish, wildlife, land, and water resources across the state.
Iowa DNR logo
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| Agency overview | |
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| Formed | 1986 |
| Headquarters | 502 East 9th Street, Des Moines, Iowa 50319-0034 |
| Employees | 1,170 |
| Agency executive |
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| Website | http://www.iowadnr.gov/ |
Contents
History of the Iowa DNR
The Iowa DNR was created in 1986 by the 71st General Assembly. This happened when Terry E. Branstad was the governor of Iowa. The new DNR was formed by combining four older state agencies. These included groups that managed water, air, and waste, parts of the Iowa Energy Policy Council, the Iowa Conservation Commission, and the Iowa Geological Survey Organization.
How the Iowa DNR is Organized
The Iowa DNR has about 1,170 full-time employees. A director, chosen by the governor, leads the department. The DNR is divided into three main service areas. These are Conservation and Recreation, Environmental Services, and Management Services.
Two special groups, called citizen commissions, help make decisions. The governor also chooses the people who serve on these commissions. The Natural Resource Commission looks after fish, wildlife, parks, and forests. The Environmental Protection Commission has nine members. This group focuses on keeping Iowa's water, land, and air clean and healthy.
Environmental Protection Commission's Role
The Environmental Protection Commission is a very important group. It helps decide the rules for keeping Iowa's environment safe. This includes making sure our water, land, and air stay clean. The commission works to protect Iowa's natural resources for everyone.
Environmental Services Division
The Division of Environmental Services helps protect Iowa's environment. It has different sections, called bureaus, that focus on specific areas. These include Water Quality, Air Quality, and Land Quality. There is also a Field Services and Compliance bureau. This group checks facilities to make sure they follow environmental rules. They also review plans for managing animal waste and issue permits for different activities.
Forestry Bureau: Protecting Iowa's Trees
The Forestry Bureau helps people and businesses in Iowa take care of their trees, forests, and prairies. They offer advice on how to manage these areas. They also have programs to help pay for conservation efforts and teach people about forestry.
This bureau manages over 40,000 acres (about 160 square kilometers) of forests. These forests are important for timber, wildlife, protecting water, and for people to enjoy. The bureau also runs state nurseries in Ames, Iowa and Montrose, Iowa. These nurseries grow about 4 million tree and shrub seedlings each year. They sell these young plants at a low cost to help control erosion, create homes for wildlife, and replant forests.
Parks Bureau: Enjoying Iowa's Outdoors
The Parks Bureau is in charge of Iowa's state parks and recreation areas. They manage and maintain 84 different parks. These parks offer many fun activities like hiking on trails, camping in cabins, picnicking, swimming, boating, and fishing.
The bureau also looks after more than 90 state preserves. These are special places set aside because they have unique natural features or important cultural history. The Parks Bureau also helps plan recreation activities and works to protect natural resources across the state.
