Mahaska Partnership Recognized with Resilient Iowa Communities Awards from UNI’s Center for Energy and Environmental Education
The Mahaska Partnership is a collaboration between Mahaska County Conservation, the City of Oskaloosa, the Mahaska County Soil and Water Conservation District, and William Penn University, with active support from Green Iowa AmeriCorps.
The Mahaska Partnership is a collaboration between Mahaska County Conservation, the City of Oskaloosa, the Mahaska County Soil and Water Conservation District, and William Penn University, with active support from Green Iowa AmeriCorps. The group works across agencies and jurisdictions to carry out projects that improve environmental resilience, sustainability, and quality of life.
Projects recognized through the RIC awards include the planting of native pollinator gardens throughout the City of Oskaloosa and the production of about 11,000 native plants grown in a newly built greenhouse. These plants were used in community plantings, native landscaping at the Environmental Learning Center, and the creation of a new nature playscape.
Additional projects include the construction of oxbow wetlands at Caldwell Park and a sediment forebay at the Environmental Learning Center. These projects serve as demonstrations for habitat creation, stormwater management, and water quality improvement while also enhancing wildlife habitat.
Outside the city, Mahaska County Conservation planted about 125 acres of high-diversity prairie within its natural resource areas and completed a major prairie restoration at the Eddyville Sand Dune Prairie. These efforts help strengthen biodiversity and long-term ecosystem health.
“These awards are a great example of what can be accomplished when community partners come together with a shared vision,” said Chris Clingan, Director of Mahaska County Conservation. “There is much more to come in the future, and what we have been able to achieve in a short period of time can be used as an example of the strength of partnership in action.”
These projects were made possible through collaboration with private community members, Friends of Mahaska County Conservation, Green Iowa AmeriCorps, the Iowa Soybean Association, the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Projects like these help make Mahaska County and the City of Oskaloosa more attractive to visitors and people considering relocation for work. They also improve quality of life for residents while creating positive economic impacts locally.
Together, the Mahaska Partnership continues to demonstrate what it means to be a Resilient Iowa Community.
