Dubuque Soil & Water Conservation district 

Beckman Catholic FFA advances to State Envirothon competition

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                                                                                                              A total of 51 Envirothon teams of high school students                                                                                                                    from all around the state of Iowa participated in regional                                                                                                                online testing this month, held from March 16-27. The                                                                                                                    students took exams in aquatic ecology, forestry and                                                                                                                      prairie, soils and land use, and wildlife. From those 51                                                                                                                      teams, the top 15 teams will advance to the state                                                                                                                              competition, which will be held on Monday, April 27 at                                                                                                                    Jester Park Nature Center in Granger, IA. The top 15                                                                                                                          teams will represent Decorah High School, North Fayette                                                                                                                Valley High School, Muscatine High School, Forest City                                                                                                                      High School, Madrid Junior High School, Marshalltown         From left to right: Andrea Schneider, Natalie Besler, Annabelle Zahradnik,           High School, Beckman Catholic High School, Unity

Allison Knipper and Ashley Schilling. Not present Dawn Mausser, Advisor.             Christian High School, North Polk High School, South        Tama County High School, Davenport North High School, and Williamsburg High School. 

Envirothon is an environmental and natural resources conservation problem-solving, leadership and academic competition for kids grades 9-12 or ages 14-19 across the United States, Canada, China and Singapore. The program incorporates STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) principles, hands-on learning and outdoor field experiences. Conservation Districts of Iowa (CDI) is organizing the Iowa Envirothon competition for Iowa youth, which is open to teams of high school youth from all around the state of Iowa. Envirothon is a program of the National Conservation Foundation and is operated in Iowa by CDI in partnership with the Iowa Conservation Education Coalition. Several volunteer positions are still open for the state Envirothon competition. If you’re interested in volunteering, please contact Regan Davis at regan@cdiowa.org.  If your school is not involved in Envirothon, please let them know that we would like to help them get involved in the future.                                                                                                  

​"Soil. Where it All Begins" CDI Poster Contest

​The Dubuque SWCD is pleased to announce the annual CDI poster contest. The poster contest is open to public, private and home-schooled students from kindergarten through 12th grade. This years’ theme is “Soil. Where it all Begins”. Each year winning posters highlight the work of Conservation Districts and the state conservation associations, auxiliaries and agencies to protect and enhance natural resources. The posters will be displayed as part of a national conservation outreach initiative.

The SWCD Commissioners will choose one winning poster from each of the five divisions. The five divisions are as follows: Division 1 – Grades K and 1; Division 2 - Grades 2 and 3; Division 3 - Grades 4 through 6; Division 4 – Grades 7 through 9; Division 5 – Grades 10 through 12. The posters are judged based upon the following criteria: 50% for conservation message; 30% for visual effectiveness; 10% for originality and 10 % for universal appeal. The winner of each division will receive a prize of $25. The Commissioners will then advance the winning posters to the state level and if selected, the poster will be sent on to the national level.Click here for entry forms  and rules. Entry forms and rules are also available online atwww.cdiowa.org/get-involved/poster-contest. Entry forms are also available at the Soil and Water Conservation District’s office or by emailing helen.backes@ia.nacdnet.net . Entry forms must be legible and complete including parental/guardian signature and with the Dubuque SWCD information. Poster entries should be mailed or dropped off at the District office – 210 Bierman Road, Epworth, IA by Friday, May 1, 2026. If anyone has any questions regarding the poster contest, rules, deadline or to submit their poster entry contact the Dubuque SWCD office at 563-876-3418 ext. 3.

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Upcoming Field Days

Check back for upcoming field days! 

Century and Heritage Farm Program ​
This program is sponsored by the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship and the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation. It recognizes families that have owned their farm for 100 years in the case of Century Farms and 150 years for Heritage Farms. Deadline to apply is June 1st. Click here for more information 

Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship Awards
IDALS, CDI, and NRCS along with many of our valuable partners are joining efforts to sponsor a number of awards this year for farmers. Click here for more information about the awards available and nomination forms. 

Iowa Farm Environmental Leader Award​​​​
The Iowa Farm Environmental Leader Award is a joint effort of the Governor, Lt. Governor, Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, and the Iowa Department of Natural Resources to recognize the exemplary voluntary efforts of Iowa's farmers as environmental leaders committed to healthy soils and improved water quality. Deadline to apply is May 4th. Click here for more information

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