"Awesome research -- keep it going!"
"I learned a lot about monarchs today -- very informational!"
"Great event! Loved the demonstration!"
"Really well organized."
"Great program!"
Participants at the 2018 Iowa Monarch Summit and Field Day enjoyed a full day of presentations and field tours at the ISU Field Extension Education Lab near Boone, Iowa. Mike Naig, Iowa Secretary of Agriculture, welcomed nearly 70 attendees and highlighted the importance of partnerships to support conservation efforts statewide. Participants rotated through indoor and outdoor presentations led by:
- Kelsey Fisher, ISU graduate student -- What radio telemetry can tell us about monarchs
- Dr. Tyler Grant, ISU postdoctoral researcher -- Modeling monarch habitat in the agricultural landscape
- Keith Bidne, USDA-ARS -- Monarch butterfly biology, annual migration, and life stages
- Josh Divan, Laura Leben, Dan Borchardt; Iowa Pheasants Forever -- Choosing native mixes to fit your goals
- Wayne Fredericks, Mitchell county farmer -- Pollinator habitat: Our journey
- Seth Appelgate, ISU ag specialist -- Monarch habitat establishment
- Ethan Thies, ISU ag specialist -- Water quality and conservation practices
- Dr. Bob Hartzler, ISU Extension weed scientist -- Weed management in conservation plantings
Thank you to the USDA-NRCS Conservation Innovation Grant program, the Iowa Monarch Conservation Consortium members and partners, the Iowa State University monarch research team, and the ISU Field Extension Education Lab. We'll see you again next summer!
