DES MOINES ? The Nature Conservancy announced today that it will receive $100,000 from the Alliant Energy Foundation for its work within the Lower Cedar Valley in southeast Iowa. The gift will advance the Conservancy's efforts to restore land within the region's floodplain.

"We want to thank the Alliant Energy Foundation for this generous gift for conservation," said Sean McMahon, director of The Nature Conservancy in Iowa. "By working with willing landowners to restore relatively unproductive farmland, we can help reduce the impacts of future floods - protecting life and property - and at the same time improve habitat for native fish and wildlife."

"The Alliant Energy Foundation is pleased to invest in restoring the floodplain to its natural condition, which is a positive for the both the environment and for the communities located near the river," said Barbara Swan, Alliant Energy Foundation President.  "Increasing the amount of water that the floodplain can store reduces peak flood levels downstream and that helps reduce future flooding potential for the homes and businesses within the Lower Cedar Valley as well as within the communities we serve."

The Conservancy's strategies on the Lower Cedar Valley include :

· Studying the links between the region's geology, topography and vegetation to flooding. The research is expected to help determine how to restore floodplain habitat and hydrology for maximum environmental and public benefit.

· Working with the Natural Resource Conservation Service to assist with the processing and monitoring of floodplain easements and on restoring floodplain wetlands

· Acquiring a legal interest - either through purchase or conservation easement - in 280 acres of floodplain wetlands. The Conservancy will focus on areas that buffer its existing preserves and projects including Swamp White Oak Preserve, Maytag Preserve, Cone Lake, Pike Run-Wiesse Slouth and the Iowa River bottoms.

More than 300 species of native plants and over 40 different types of reptiles and amphibians are found in the region due to the great variety of habitat found there including sand prairie, floodplain forest and oak savanna. The valley is also home to swamp white oak woodlands and rich peat fens, which are exceptionally rare plant communities not only in Iowa but also on Earth.

"The diversity of native plants and wildlife within the Lower Cedar Valley - including rare massasauga rattlesnakes and ornate box turtles - makes it a priority for conservation," said Matt Fisher, the Conservancy's Eastern Iowa project director.

Still, there is room for improvement. The Lower Cedar Valley's floodplain oak savannas were established when the forest was more open. Fire and seasonal floods controlled growth. Without adequate fire, too many trees grow in an unnatural density. The forest then becomes shadier, preventing new oak trees from growing and suppressing understory plants. The Cedar River also is flooding unnaturally, causing certain populations of plants and animals to decline.

"We need to work harder than ever to make sure that the high-level of destruction caused by the flooding of June 2008 does not reoccur in the future," said Tom Aller, Alliant Energy - Interstate Power and Light President.  "It's important that we and others invest to improve the Lower Cedar Valley and bring balance back to the natural areas and floodplain."

The Conservancy currently owns more than 1,000 acres in the valley and an additional 20,000 acres have been protected by private landowners and partners. The Conservancy is working with partners to focus on natural areas management, sharing research and developing science-based conservation plans.

Long-term goals include working with partners to conserve and restore 5,000 acres of swamp white oak and floodplain savannas through controlled fire and other science-based techniques and to create a viable aquatic passage to the Mississippi River, providing critical habitat for large freshwater fish that spawn in its tributaries.

The Nature Conservancy is a leading conservation organization working around the world to protect ecologically important lands and waters for nature and people. The Conservancy and its more than 1 million members have protected nearly 120 million acres worldwide. Visit The Nature Conservancy on the Web at www.nature.org.

Casandra Goodpaster, a 2009 graduate of Moline High School has been chosen to receive a scholarship from the Maggie Webb Scholarship Fund administered through The Moline Foundation.

Casandra will be attending DePaul University in Chicago in the fall to major in Journalism and Theater Studies.

The Webb Scholarship winner was chosen by Maggie's friends and family through the Moline Foundation to receive a $1,000.00 scholarship.

Maggie graduated from Moline High School in 2001. As a senior in high school, Maggie began working at the von Maur department store in Moline. Upon graduating from college, Maggie became department manager for the Iowa City von Maur store. She then worked at several other Midwestern von Maur stores earning acclaim for her sparkling personality and commitment to customer service.

Maggie's life tragically ended in December, 2007 with the mass shooting at a Omaha Nebraska mall. Maggie had recently moved to Omaha to serve as von Maur Store Manager when she was killed along with five other employees and two customers.

Founded in 1953, The Moline Foundation is a community-based, non-profit organization which provides grants to health, human services, education, community development, the arts, and other charitable organizations which benefit the citizens of the Quad City region. The Moline Foundation receives and administers charitable gifts and assists donors in making their charitable dreams a reality. For more information contact Executive Director Joy Boruff at (309) 736-3800 or visit The Moline Foundation Web site at www.molinefoundation.org.

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A Moline High School student has been chosen to receive a scholarship from the Dolores A. Hulse-DiIulio Scholarship Fund administered through The Moline Foundation.

Arianna Bauer, Moline, recently graduated from Moline High School. She plans to attend Black Hawk College, Moline, Illinois this fall to major in Pre-Engineering.

Arianna was chosen by a local scholarship selection committee through The Moline Foundation to receive a scholarship of $1,000.

The Dolores A Hulse-DiIulio Scholarship Fund is intended to provide funds to deserving female students graduating from Moline High School pursing a bachelor's degree on a full time basis with studies in the fields of chemistry, physics, engineering or pre-medicine.

Dolores A. Hulse-DiIulio was a chemistry teacher at Moline High School for 36 years. She retired in 1994.

A 1958 graduate of Eastern Illinois University with a major in Chemistry and minors in Math and Physics, Dolores began teaching at Moline when the new high school opened on 23rd Avenue. She has always wanted females to believe that the field of science was for them not just for men. Her hope is that this scholarship may help female students and encourage them in their goals.

Founded in 1953, The Moline Foundation is a community foundation which provides grants to health, human services, education, community development, the arts, and other charitable organizations which benefit the citizens of the Quad City region. The Moline Foundation receives and administers charitable gifts and endowments, assisting donors in making their charitable dreams a reality. For more information contact Executive Director Joy Boruff at (309) 736-3800 or visit The Moline Foundation web site at www.molinefoundation.org.

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Drop-off recycling containers in Rock Island County area have been hit hard by residents dumping non-recyclable materials. Unwanted yard waste, large kids toys, bags of garbage, and home repair debris have been tossed into the recycling bins. The six-year old program recycles roughly 200 tons per month of paper products and mixed materials, such as plastics, metal and glass.  Of this amount, there have been spikes of over 20% being residue or garbage.  Residue is landfilled and these costs paid by Rock Island County Waste Agency (RICWMA) at rates higher than the cost of recycling.  "Education is the key to cleaning up the drop-off recyclables problem" says Gena McCullough, RICWMA staff coordinator.

The drop-off program began in 2003 to reduce landfilling of recyclable products, promote recycling, encourage reuse and purchasing recycled content materials, and improve the quality of the environment in the Rock Island County. The communities of East Moline, Milan, Moline and Rock Island continue hosting regional drop-off recycling collection sites as part of the program sponsored by RICWMA, a consortium of local governments in Rock Island County.  The program has been an excellent example of intergovernmental cooperation and cost effectiveness.

City Carton Recycling is contracted by RICWMA to process and recycle plastics, glass, metal and paper products including cardboard and box board.  RICWMA administers the program and pays the cost of recycling through its solid waste fee assessed at the landfills in Rock Island County. To retain a viable recycling program, clean, recyclable material is needed and highly valued.  With the downturn in the economy, marketing the best and cleanest recyclables helps retain jobs and allows the recycling industry to thrive.

The regional collection sites include :

• • East Moline - 901 42^nd Avenue at Fire Station and 1200 13^th Avenue at City Engineering and Maintenance Services Facility
  • Milan - 451 W. 4^th Street
  • Moline - 3635 4^th Avenue at Public Works Department
  • Rock Island - 16^th Avenue and 24^th Street at Water Treatment Plant

All residents living in Rock Island County can use any one of five regional drop-off recycling sites within Rock Island County.  Recyclable materials are collected from each site through a two-stream process.

Separate containers are provided for a mixture of washed and clean:

• • Plastics #1-7 (milk jugs, detergent, shampoo & liter bottles, food containers, etc.)
  • Tin cans and aluminum cans
  • Glass of green, brown and clear colors

Separate containers will be provided for a mixture of fiber, including:

• • Corrugated cardboard
  • Chipboard or boxboard
  • Newspapers
  • Magazines
  • Mixed office paper
  • Phonebooks/Textbooks
  • Brown paper bags

Unacceptable items or garbage include aerosol cans, any liquids, appliances, ashes, building materials or scraps, ceramic plates and cups, clothing, electronics, furniture, garbage, paint cans, plastic bags, styrofoam, tires, toys, windows and mirrors, and yard waste, such as leaves, grass clippings, sticks and brush.  A full description of what not to toss in the recycling is outlined in the 2008 Waste Resource Directory mailed to all residents in December or on the agency website.

The regional drop-off recycling program in Rock Island County and has helped reach the 25% reduction goal set by the State of Illinois.  The 2008 recycling rate is estimated at 30.9%.

For more information, Rock Island County residents can contact RICMWA at (309) 788-8925 or visit the website at www.ricwma.org.