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Conservation reports final Destination Iowa payment; board approves $71,000 transfer and prairie lease plan
Summary
County Conservation Director reported receipt of the final Destination Iowa grant payment for the Austin Gateway Access project. The board approved an interfund transfer of $71,000 to repay an inter-departmental loan and authorized the Conservation Board to cash-rent 10 acres to remove invasive weeds and restore prairie.
Van Buren County Conservation Director Richard Daugherty told the board the final grant payment from Destination Iowa for the Austin Gateway Access project has been received. The board approved an interfund operating transfer of $71,000 from the Conservation Land Acquisition Fund (#68000) to the General Fund (#01000) as final repayment of an inter-departmental loan previously authorized on Oct. 23, 2023.
Daugherty described a plan to cash-rent 10 acres of prairie ground north of Bentonsport for 3'5 years to destroy invasive weeds and return the tract to prairie at lease end. The Conservation Board's plan calls for a corn/bean rotation, tillage the first year then no-till thereafter, establishment of waterways and access improvements to accommodate farm equipment. The board approved that the Conservation Board set up and manage the lease and retain cash rent so long as funds are reinvested into the property.
