Muscatine County Conservation and Scott County Conservation are inviting residents to help shape the future of parks, trails, wildlife habitat, and other conservation efforts during the Region 9 Resource Enhancement and Protection (REAP) Assembly.
The public meeting will be held at 10 a.m. Friday, July 24, at the Wapsi River Environmental Education Center, 3155 52nd Ave., Dixon.
One of 19 REAP assemblies taking place across Iowa this summer, the Region 9 meeting will bring together residents from Muscatine and Scott counties to learn how REAP funding has benefited local communities and to help identify priorities for future projects.
“REAP has helped communities across Iowa turn good ideas into projects that improve parks, trails, wildlife habitat, water quality, conservation education, and other important public resources,” Scott County Conservation Director Roger Kean said. “This assembly gives local residents an opportunity to see what has been accomplished and help shape what comes next for Scott and Muscatine counties.”
Since the program began in 1989, Iowa’s REAP program has invested nearly $430 million in projects supporting outdoor recreation, water quality, habitat restoration, historic preservation, park and trail development, roadside prairies, and conservation education.
During the assembly, attendees will have the opportunity to:
- Learn about REAP-funded projects in the region.
- Share ideas for future conservation and recreation initiatives.
- Help develop recommendations for the region’s five-year REAP plan.
- Review past REAP investments and suggest policy improvements.
- Elect five delegates to represent Region 9 at the REAP Congress on Aug. 29 at the Iowa State Capitol.
“REAP investments make a visible difference in our communities, but the program’s future also depends on residents sharing their experiences and priorities,” Muscatine County Conservation Director Katie Hammond said. “We encourage anyone who cares about the future of our natural, recreational, and cultural resources to join the conversation.”
The meeting is free and open to the public, and no registration is required.
