By Ann Y. Robinson
“This is a conservation program all about farming and farmers,” says Adam Janke, ISU Extension and Outreach wildlife specialist, about the Land Stewardship Leadership Academy he helped develop.
The LSLA assists early- to mid-career natural resource professionals who work with private landowners in Iowa. Through in-person and virtual discussions with farmers and ISU Extension and Outreach farm managers and specialists, academy participants walk away with skills needed to build stronger relationships with farmers and landowners.
According to Janke, inspiration for the program came from awareness that many people working at the interface between agriculture and conservation often don’t have a background in agriculture.
“Participants work in government, nonprofits and farm organizations. Many work in small communities where they may not have other colleagues nearby. Some have just moved to Iowa,” Janke says. “We try to connect them to a professional community across the state and across conservation-related disciplines, so they can support and learn from each other.”
Course evaluations report improved confidence in communication and leadership skills, greater knowledge of farming and increased empathy for farmers’ challenges.
"This program was really helpful," says Grace Yi (’20 MS sustainable agriculture), a habitat specialist with Practical Farmers of Iowa who grew up in South Korea and has lived throughout the U.S. “I gained a more in-depth understanding of the context of Iowa and its landscape, as well as specific topics like row crop production, livestock operations and farm finances. But the networking aspects of the program have been the most valuable.”
Ethan Thies concurs. Thies (‘14 agricultural systems technology, ’21 MS agricultural education) attended LSLA’s first class in 2022 when he was working as a watershed coordinator.
“I already had a strong farm background, but I knew I could benefit from networking with other conservation professionals working in different disciplines. I have been able to collaborate on projects with several,” says Thies, now an extension conservation field specialist in Waterloo, Iowa.
“I would also say the program offered some great lessons beyond what I got in college classes, including better understanding of water quality issues,” he says.
Janke and other LSLA leaders have shared the program model with natural resource educators in other states. But it is not easily replicable.
“This program is something Iowa State is uniquely positioned to offer, thanks to our teaching farms and the deep bench of extension educators, farmer alums and partners with broad expertise in agriculture and natural resources. We’re just the glue that facilitates the connections,” Janke says.