About the Stewardship Committee
The Stewardship Committee strives to protect, preserve and enhance the fragile native ecosystems of the loess hills for the future of the area's natural and cultural resources by providing education, training and resources to private landowners and local Volunteer Fire Departments (VFD's). One of the main efforts of this committee is the re-introduction of prescribed fire as an important tool to help restore the health of the Loess Hills ecosystems. Fire is essential to maintain the integrity of the prairie and bur oak savanna that many rare plant and animal species depend upon for survival. Some of the Committee's other focus topics are: Woody Encroachment, Exotic Invaders, Erosion, Fill Dirt Removal, Natural Area Management, and the Empowerment of Landowners to Practice Good Land Stewardship.
Committee Chair: Lance Brisbois
Recent projects:
To help accomplish these goals the Stewardship Committee partners with other organizations and entities to fund two Private Lands positions. Other projects the Stewardship Committee has supported in recent years include: Loess Hills Cooperative Burn Week, Loess Hills Nature School programming, Loess Hills Prairie Seminar, Hitchcock Nature Center BioBlitz, and Harrison County Summer Technician.
2023 Meetings
Meetings take place at Brent S. Olson Memorial Visitor Center (Loess Hills State Forest Headquarters) at 206 Polk Street, Pisgah. Meetings are open to the public. Please contact us to confirm meeting time and location.
Meeting Minutes
March 1, 2023
February 7, 2023
December 7, 2022
November 2, 2022
September 7, 2022
June 1, 2022
February 2, 2022
December 1, 2021
Previous minutes.
Conservation Resources for Landowners
The Stewardship Committee contributes funds for two Pheasants Forever Private Lands Biologists positions, who provide quarterly reports of their efforts.
Tabitha Panas
Pheasants Forever Farm Bill Wildlife Biologist
Harrison, Pottawattamie & Shelby counties
tpanas@pheasantsforever.org
April-June 2023
January-March 2023
October-December 2022
July-September 2022 report
April-June 2022 report
Hallie Uhlig
Pheasants Forever Farm Bill Wildlife Biologist
Fremont, Mills, Montgomery & Page counties
HUhlig@pheasantsforever.org
April-June 2023
January-March 2023
October-December 2022
Click here to view previous biologist reports.
Other Resources
Iowa Native Prairie Planting Guides:
• Native Prairie Establishing & Managing Native Plantings
• Planting Native Prairie Into Cool Season Sod
• Planting Native Prairie Into Corn/Bean Stubble
• Stewardship Resource Directory
• 2014 Landowner Burn Workshop Press Release
• 2014 Field Day Information
• Loess Hills Before and After Photos (PowerPoint Presentation)
Committee Chair: Lance Brisbois
Recent projects:
To help accomplish these goals the Stewardship Committee partners with other organizations and entities to fund two Private Lands positions. Other projects the Stewardship Committee has supported in recent years include: Loess Hills Cooperative Burn Week, Loess Hills Nature School programming, Loess Hills Prairie Seminar, Hitchcock Nature Center BioBlitz, and Harrison County Summer Technician.
2023 Meetings
Meetings take place at Brent S. Olson Memorial Visitor Center (Loess Hills State Forest Headquarters) at 206 Polk Street, Pisgah. Meetings are open to the public. Please contact us to confirm meeting time and location.
- Wednesday, February 1 at 11am - Rescheduled to Tuesday, Feb. 7 at 11am
- Wednesday, March 1 at 10am
- Wednesday, May 3 at 11am - This meeting was canceled.
- Wednesday, June 7 at 10am
- Wednesday, August 2 at 11am
- Wednesday, September 6 at 10am
- Wednesday, November 1 at 11am
- Wednesday, December 6 at 10am
Meeting Minutes
March 1, 2023
February 7, 2023
December 7, 2022
November 2, 2022
September 7, 2022
June 1, 2022
February 2, 2022
December 1, 2021
Previous minutes.
Conservation Resources for Landowners
The Stewardship Committee contributes funds for two Pheasants Forever Private Lands Biologists positions, who provide quarterly reports of their efforts.
Tabitha Panas
Pheasants Forever Farm Bill Wildlife Biologist
Harrison, Pottawattamie & Shelby counties
tpanas@pheasantsforever.org
April-June 2023
January-March 2023
October-December 2022
July-September 2022 report
April-June 2022 report
Hallie Uhlig
Pheasants Forever Farm Bill Wildlife Biologist
Fremont, Mills, Montgomery & Page counties
HUhlig@pheasantsforever.org
April-June 2023
January-March 2023
October-December 2022
Click here to view previous biologist reports.
Other Resources
Iowa Native Prairie Planting Guides:
• Native Prairie Establishing & Managing Native Plantings
• Planting Native Prairie Into Cool Season Sod
• Planting Native Prairie Into Corn/Bean Stubble
• Stewardship Resource Directory
• 2014 Landowner Burn Workshop Press Release
• 2014 Field Day Information
• Loess Hills Before and After Photos (PowerPoint Presentation)
Prescribed Burn Photos