Agriculture and natural resources have a lot in common and Kaycie Waters, the newly named natural resources field specialist with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, looks forward to exploring the ways the two intersect.
Waters grew up in a farm family from Arizona. She previously worked in 4-H youth development with ISU Extension and Outreach.
Kaycie Waters.Half of her job will involve helping to lead the Master Conservationist Program in Iowa, and the other half will focus on new programming related to wildlife, water and forestry.
"The real goal in this position is to create programming that has what the counties need in order to deliver that programming on the ground," she said. "I am also working with county staff to share their ideas with others in the state, because they're really the ones with the on-the-ground knowledge."
Waters earned her bachelor's degree at the University of Arizona in renewable natural resources and wildlife conservation, where she also earned her master's, in agricultural education.
She grew up raising dairy goats and her family has a long history of lettuce production -- a popular crop grown in the southwest corner of Arizona, near Yuma.
She looks forward to the opportunity to help Iowans improve their understanding of the state's natural resources, while promoting conservation and sharing the research of the university.
"I love that extension connects higher education to on-the-ground work," she said. "It's a nice bridge between the university to the individual, for things that might otherwise seem a little daunting to some."
Adam Janke, assistant professor in natural resources ecology and management and extension wildlife specialist at Iowa State University, said he is excited about the new ideas and energy Waters brings to extension, which includes experience working with a state wildlife agency, private consulting firm, and most recently, the Iowa 4-H program.
"Her professional training in natural sciences and social sciences will be a real asset for our team as we seek to find ways to help people steward natural resources like water, wildlife and forests on behalf of all Iowans alive today and future generations," said Janke. "I'm particularly excited to see what Kaycie does with the Master Conservationist Program as we transition into a new phase of growth with that program in partnership with Iowa's 100 county extension offices.
Today, more than 400 people have completed the curriculum in partnership with 35 counties. Waters and Janke are hoping to work with those 400 graduates and the next 400 to continue building a strong Iowa.
For more information, Waters can be reached at kwaters@iastate.edu
Categories: Iowa, Sustainable Agriculture