AMES, Iowa—Iowa State University Extension and Outreach programs Water Rocks! and Iowa Learning Farms announced that the system to request an appearance of its award-winning Conservation Station educational trailers during 2026 is now live. Organizations looking to request a visit for their community festival, celebration, fair or farmers market should visit Request the Conservation Station to submit their request before March 20. Visits during the 2026 season will start June 1 and run through Sept. 30.
Each Conservation Station trailer houses a unique combination of highly visual and interactive Iowa-centric demonstrations that delve into the impacts of land management choices, both urban and agricultural, on water quality and the connections between our state’s water, soil and wildlife.
“The Conservation Stations are a consistent hit at events across the state, drawing thousands of visitors and providing fun and learning opportunities for Iowans of every age,” said Jacqueline Comito, director of Water Rocks! and Iowa Learning Farms. “If you’ve never seen a Conservation Station in action, watch our new video to check out what you’ve been missing. Thanks to our generous sponsors, we can offer these visits that provide Iowans with science-based information about water quality, natural resources, conservation and agricultural practices at no cost.”
In addition, each trailer has a different theme to provide a deeper dive into particular areas of interest. The “Conservation Station On the Edge” trailer has working bioreactor and saturated buffer demonstrations, and “Conservation Station Marsh Madness” includes working scale models of different wetlands to show how water moves through these landscapes.
Steve Konrady, nonpoint source coordinator with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources Water Quality Improvement Section, also shared the stations’ value.
“The Conservation Station fleet is a vital part of our conservation outreach and education mission across the state. In recent years, it has been a highlight of the Iowa State Fair DNR Building programming and is in high demand by field staff at many events around the state,” he said. “Each trailer packs a lot of education into a flexible platform that has the ability to reach curious Iowans of all ages and ability levels, leaving each visitor with some newfound knowledge about Iowa’s environment.”
Conservation Station visits include teams made up of Iowa State University faculty, staff and student interns that are eager to engage with the public about Iowa and its natural resources.
Event organizers and fair boards are encouraged to submit requests for Conservation Station visits using the online form before March 20. Requesters will be notified of the status of their request by April 15.
Conservation Station visits are available at no cost thanks to support from ISU Extension and Outreach, Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, Iowa Department of Natural Resources (United States Environmental Protection Agency, Section 319 of the Clean Water Act), USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture, Soil and Water Conservation Districts statewide and personal gifts of support.
About Iowa Learning Farms
Established in 2004, Iowa Learning Farms is building a Culture of Conservation by encouraging adoption of conservation practices. Farmers, researchers and ILF team members are working together to identify and implement the best management practices that improve water quality and soil health while remaining profitable. Partners of Iowa Learning Farms include the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, Iowa Department of Natural Resources (United States Environmental Protection Agency, Section 319 of the Clean Water Act), Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture and the Iowa Nutrient Research Center. Learn more at Iowa Learning Farms.
About Water Rocks!
Water Rocks! is Iowa’s unique, award-winning statewide youth water education program. Through a combination of STEM and the arts, especially music, Water Rocks! educates, challenges and inspires young people toward a greater appreciation of our state’s water, soil and other natural resources. Partners of Water Rocks! include Iowa Department of Natural Resources (United States Environmental Protection Agency, Section 319 of the Clean Water Act), Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, and Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture. Supplemental support comes from contributions from county extension councils and Soil and Water Conservation Districts statewide, and personal gifts of support. Learn more at Water Rocks!
(contributed press release, ISUANR
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