Connecting businesses and private landowners in Madison County, IA.

This project, a partnership between the Jay N. Darling Institute, local businesses, and Madison County Conservation staff, connects private landowners and community members to improve brownfields, yards, roadsides, and more.

Jessie Lowry, outreach coordinator for the Madison County Conservation Board, has seen firsthand that conservation efforts thrive when diverse stakeholders come together. In Madison County, she and her team are working to unite conservation agencies, non-profits, businesses, service groups, and small farmers.

“It’s all about everyone sitting at the same table and using those resources even more efficiently and effectively,” Lowry noted. 

2025 - Growing Relationships and native prairie roots.

In the summer of 2025, students worked to expand Cultivating Connections. Most weekends, they could be found distributing free native prairie plants at farmers markets, fairs, and conservation centers—sparking conversations with residents of all ages about pollinators, soil health, and the legacy of the Iowa prairies.

The initiative had tangible results: native planting efforts in the county more than doubled. More importantly, students helped deepen local pride and participation in environmental stewardship, making sustainability a shared and ongoing conversation.

2024 - Empowering Students and Communities

A junior from Geneseo, Illinois, majoring in environmental sustainability and business management, helped with branding, research, presentations, and designing the Find Your Why card game. “My role was to take my marketing knowledge and make scientific concepts accessible to the public,” Snyder said.

Her efforts culminated in a successful launch event, fostering connections with local participants and agencies. Inspired by the experience, Snyder continued her work with the Madison County Conservation Board over the summer and aspires to a career in corporate sustainability.

“I’m passionate about improving internal processes to benefit the outside world,” she shared.

Community Engagement and Impact

Since its official launch in April 2024, Cultivating Connections has garnered significant interest, with more than 50 citizens attending the inaugural launch event. Participants pledged to take local ecological actions and engage in field trips and workshops. Activities include educational sessions, like a tour of In Harmony Farms, where a farm program is bridging the gap between urban gardening and conventional farming for historically underserved individuals, to hands-on workshops about rain barrel construction and composting.