Working directly with farmers and community leaders, watershed coordinators are the “boots on the ground” of water quality improvement in Iowa.
Coordinators meet people where conservation decisions happen – farm fields, dinner tables and community events – and work hand-in-hand with these decision-makers to achieve conservation goals and implement water quality improvement projects that benefit all Iowans.
It’s a tall task, one that requires knowledge of technical topics like natural resource management and agronomy, soft skills like communication and outreach, and most importantly, the ability to form relationships with farmers and landowners.
Research from Iowa State University shows that the greatest indicator of farmer adoption of conservation practices is consistent interaction with a conservation professional, like watershed coordinators.
Recognizing the value of watershed coordinators and the need to equip them with the latest research and resources, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach launched a program in 2016 that trains and empowers them to be their best.
The Iowa Watershed Academy, now in its seventh year, is a semi-annual professional development event for watershed coordinators and those with similar roles like conservation agronomists. The Watershed Academy is designed for public sector and nonprofit staff whose primary focus is offering conservation technical assistance to farmers and landowners. Thirty to 40 individuals come together twice each year to network and connect with other coordinators, while learning new information about how to implement conservation in their local watersheds.
Other partners include the Iowa Agriculture Water Alliance, Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Iowa Soybean Association, Iowa Natural Resources Conservation Service, Soil and Water Conservation Society, and Conservation Districts of Iowa.
"As a new coordinator, you often feel like you’re trying to solve the world’s problems on your own, and I think every coordinator struggles with that issue,” said Colton Meyer, watershed coordinator and now environmental specialist in northwest Iowa. “The watershed academy helps coordinators realize that it’s impossible to do all of this stuff on your own and you really need to utilize the people around you and your project coordinators to accomplish your goals.”
Coordinator recognition
Meyer graduated from Iowa State in 2010, with a degree in environmental science. He was hired as a watershed coordinator in 2016 and became an environmental specialist with the Iowa Department of Agriculture in 2020.
Meyer has worked in the Floyd River Watershed in Northwest Iowa from the start of his career, and has attended the Iowa Watershed Academy each year, beginning in 2017.
In 2021, he was named Watershed Coordinator of the Year, an honor presented by the Iowa Agriculture Water Alliance during the academy. His years of experience have benefited other watershed coordinators, especially those who are new to the position and are looking for veteran advice. He has participated on the watershed coordinator success panel at the academy and is readily willing to share his experience.
“Oftentimes the coordinators are not in close proximity to other coordinators to ask for help and exchange ideas, so hearing from experienced coordinators about what worked or did not work is invaluable,” said Meyer. “The academy really provides an opportunity to learn from other coordinators and conservation partners while hearing different perspectives on the same issues.”
The academy is organized by Catherine DeLong, water quality program manager for ISU Extension and Outreach. She says the goal is to put coordinators in touch with each other, while giving them two days of education they can use throughout the year.
“Watershed coordinators often feel isolated in their roles, and we want to help them create a professional network,” said DeLong. “At the academy, they get to hear from their peers and learn from each other.”
Source: iastate.edu
Photo Credit: istock-Dorin_S
Categories: Iowa, Crops, Soybeans, Education, Sustainable Agriculture