Professional development

Excerpt

The Iowa Resource Enhancement and Protection (REAP) Program has been heralded as one of the most significant conservation programs ever implemented in Iowa. In fact, many people view it as a model program for the rest of the nation. In 1992, Renew America, an environmental organization, presented the REAP Program with a national environmental award, saying that the program “establishes Iowa as a national leader in the movement to retain our country's rich base of ecological resources.”

The success of the Iowa REAP Program is due in part to the program's ability to build conservation coalitions. These coalitions have allowed state government and the public to work together on conservation efforts. In this article, we describe how the coalitions are formed and why they are important to the continued success of the program. We also present some ideas on how the coalitions could be strengthened. These ideas may have implications for other conservation programs.

Program history and goals

According to the legislation enacting the REAP Program, since the early 1800's, Iowa has lost over 50 percent of its topsoils, 80 percent of its woodlands, 98 percent of its wetlands, 99.9 percent …