"What one action or policy would most improve Iowa's environmental future?" That's what CGRER members were asked this summer. They responded with surprising similarity, addressing issues primarily of governmental policy and land management.

Several members were concerned about hog feedlots. "I would either outlaw or more closely regulate large agribusiness hog lots," wrote Dick Baker, pointing out the threats they pose to groundwater as well as their odor problems. Family-owned operations are more likely to be concerned about these problems, he stated. Gene Parkin agreed. "Since their pollution load is approximately that of 3 to 5 people, a 10,000-head hog facility produces the waste equivalent of a city of 30-50,000. Shouldn't they be held to the same pollution-treatment requirements as such a city?"

Some CGRER members responded more generally. Peter Thorne believes soil conservation and land use management to be paramount, as they affect air and water quality, wildlife habitat, and future agricultural potential, and also increase the use of agricultural chemicals and associated problems. Paul Greenough wanted to see public schools shift attention from distant environmental issues (such as tropical rainforests) to Iowa's environmental problems -- for example unregulated hog lot expansion, mindless defense of land conversion to industrial use, and uncoordinated growth of housing in rural areas, "something that is happening right now in Johnson County."

Ted Smith hoped to see energy efficiency increased for all human activities -- from transportation and agriculture to food processing and entertainment. Burt Kross stressed the establishment of numeric groundwater protection standards equivalent to current safe drinking water standards. "In addition, action levels (25% of the standard) should be established which mandate specific preventive or corrective activities whenever the groundwater begins to deteriorate."

A number of responders specifically mentioned the planting of trees. "Extend the policy of planting trees along stream channels to connect riparian ecosystems, create filters between other land uses and the streams, and reduce bank erosion," wrote George Malanson. Ed Folk said nearly the same thing, recommending a planting of at least a half million quick-growing aspens. Richard Valentine recommended a more general reforestation plan for the state.

Diana Horton expressed the concern about our woodlands but from a different viewpoint: stop selective logging of commercially valuable timbers on public lands, at least until we know what we are disturbing and losing. Land use should be adjusted accordingly. "There may be state-endangered and threatened species... A systematic inventory of plants on all public lands will allow baseline criteria to be established for assessing quality and documenting occurrence of rare species," she wrote. And Steve Spangler advocated the present taxing policy which promotes establishment of native vegetation (prairies as well as woodlands) on land withdrawn from agriculture. (Editor's note: Most Iowans know that presettlement Iowa constituted the heart of the tallgrass prairie, which swept like an ocean of flowers and grasses across 85% of the state. But many are surprised to learn that growing research has shown many of our original "forests" were actually savannas, regions of widely-spaced white and bur oaks with a distinctive understory of tall grasses and forbs. Just like the original prairies, these savannas were kept open by frequent fire, which also reduced woody understory. Original settlers could drive a wagon with ease through the vast majority of Iowa's original woodlands.

In closing, for those of us who think the summer sped by too quickly and are already looking forward to future vacations, Richard Valentine sent in the following suggestion: "Improve Iowa's environmental future? This is a hard one? Well, anything we could do to improve the surfing would really help. Also, skiing." Step aside California, Iowa's moving west!