Connections

There are numerous current and potential connections between IWC and other agencies and organizations.Here are a few of those connections and links to their sites:   

• The Iowa Department of Natural Resources http://www.iowadnr.gov/license/scientific.html and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service http://www.fws.gov/migratorybirds/mbpermits.html regulate wildlife rehabilitation activities. Trained wildlife rehabilitation professionals are issued permits or licenses to possess protected wildlife for care and release. While the IDNR is grateful to these people for their service, IDNR central office in Des Moines and field stations across the state continue to receive numerous calls each year from Iowans wanting help with wildlife-related issues. Their technicians and biologists would appreciate a central facility with knowledgeable staff and volunteers to assist with these calls. Two IDNR biologists who are the primary liasons to Iowa's wildlife rehabilitation community serve on the IWC Steering Committee.

• The National Wildlife Rehabilitators Association http://www.nwrawildlife.org/home.asp  provides guiding professional standards, as well as educational material. A former president and current board member of NWRA is also a founder of IWC.

© Sue Barrows, DVM

• The Iowa Wildlife Rehabilitators Association http://iowawildliferehabilitators.org/index.htm was incorporated in 1986 to support the science and profession of wildlife rehabilitation, its practitioners, and conservation education. One IWRA founding board member serves on the IWC Steering Committee.  

• The Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation http://www.inhf.org/index.html has helped protect over 100,000 acres of Iowa's prairies, woodlands, wetlands, greenways and trails since 1979. INHF was the interim owner of IWC's WildWay property and our fiscal agent during our first year. We can't thank them enough for giving this fledgling organization a safe place from which to take flight.

• Iowa's 99 county conservation boards http://www.mycountyparks.com/ are authorized by the State to acquire and  maintain conservation and recreation areas. These CCBs also help educate local residents about environmental issues, many with the help of trained naturalists working out of nature centers. Most CCBs receive calls from the public to help with "nuisance" wildlife issues or rescue wildlife perceived to be in need of assistance. The scope of such services varies from county to county. Several representatives of central Iowa's CCB  serve on the IWC Steering Committee.

                    © Marlene Ehresman/IWC 

• Most of Iowa's 99 County Conservation Boards employ naturalists who do a superb job of providing environmental education to the public. Their Iowa professional association's website has information about workshops, display swaps and more. Visit the Iowa Association of Naturalists' website for more information.
  

• There are about 80 permitted/licensed wildlife rehabilitators spread across the state http://www.iowadnr.gov/cs/files/wildliferehab.pdf. However, many accept only limited numbers and selected species of wildlife. Demand in Iowa for appropriate wildlife rehabilitation, training, education and care of species with special needs is greater than can be presently met. Several of these dedicated people have provided guidance and suggestions to the developing IWC, including those leading Save Our Avian Raptors (SOAR) http://www.soarraptors.org/ and Macbride Raptor Project http://www.macbrideraptorproject.org/brochure_material.htm. 
   

              © Jim Brown