Iowa Valley Regional Food Initiative
The RC&D first began evaluating the process to form a regional food coalition in the summer of 2004 at the urging of local food growers who voiced a need for a regional body to coordinate and strengthen efforts in this geographic region on a multi-county level.

As a result, a core working group set out to solicit support to develop an initiative that seeks to support a localized food model for the Iowa and Cedar Valleys region. The strategy is to bring together key leaders from various counties with a stake in local food, to create a dialog which will identify barriers and opportunities to promote the integration, utilization and access of local food across the region. This process will result in the development of a plan to create a local food system across the Iowa Valley RC&D region. See http://i-food.IVRCD.org.

Pilot Grove Website  View website
Learn about the unique history, flora and fauna of Pilot Grove State Preserve through this interactive website, which includes original historical documents, plant inventories and photos and information about this Iowa County landmark.

Iowa Valley Farm Heritage Tour  View Tour 
This driving tour, completed through a grant from the Silos and Smokestacks National Heritage Area, highlights four family farms in Iowa County, Iowa. The stories of these farms have been pieced together from survey records, census records and county and local histories, and are typical of Iowa during the 19th century, giving us a window into a long vanished slice of American agricultural history.

Edible Wild Plants of the Meskwaki Nation
This poster (front / back) represents a unique collaboration to address an educational need identified by the Meskwaki Nation. For more information on the project click here.

Iowa Valley Scenic Byway
The Iowa Valley Scenic Byway is a picturesque 77-mile stretch through the Iowa River Corridor. The brochure contains a route map and information on some byway attractions. For more information on future byway projects click here. We are also seeking interesting stories of the byway for interpretive projects.

Iowa River Gateway Park and Preserve
Iowa River Gateway Park and Preserve in Marengo is a 131-acre property acquired in 2002 by the Iowa County Conservation Board. The Iowa Valley RC&D, along with local community and regional partners, continue to provide assistance to help develop this park into a regional conservation and recreational area. For more information click here.

The Ioway Trail
The Ioway Trail is a collaborative effort to connect existing and proposed trails in a seven county area in eastern Iowa via the Iowa River Corridor. Click here for more information or visit the Ioway Trail web site at www.iowaytrail.org.

Iowa River Canoe Trail
This brochure describing the Iowa River Canoe Trail from Montour to the Amanas was produced in 2004 through a collaboration of the Ioway Trail Steering Committee and the Iowa Valley RC&D. For a copy of the brochure or for more information or how you can help, click here.

Iowa River Corridor Book
The Iowa River Corridor Book is a collaborative effort of Grinnell College, Free River Press, The Lincoln Highway Enrichment Corporation, Humanities Iowa, local communities, individuals and the Iowa Valley RC&D. The book documents the oral history of the Iowa River Corridor and promotes cultural regionalism in the area. For more information contact Robert Wolf at Free River Press.

Grinnell Area Local Food Alliance (GALFA)
The Grinnell Area Local Food Alliance is a collaborative project under taken by a number of organizations to encourage and oversee the development of a local food system based upon sustainable farming practices. Click here for more information.