Through Nature’s Lens...Efforts to
Protect Iowa’s Water, Land and Wildlife
Dr. Neil Hamilton, Drake University
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The talk will draw lessons from Hamilton's three books – The Land Remains (2022), The River Knows (2023), and Through Nature’s Lens (2025) – and discuss the challenges Iowa faces in being honest about our lack of progress in protecting water quality and funding nature programs. The talk will put into context the current political discussions concerning the 2026 farm bill, the growing concern about cancer in Iowa, our failure to fund IWILL, and the growing public awareness of our water quality problems. The talk will focus on reasons Iowans should remain hopeful and discuss how we can all be friends of nature. The upcoming 2026 Iowa Nature Summit on Nov. 18-19th will also be discussed.
Professor Hamilton is also the director of the Agricultural Law Center at Drake University in Des Moines where he has taught for over 40 years. Raised on a small farm in Adams County, he has spent his lifetime working at the intersection of law, farming, and conservation. A passionate advocate for nature, he has spent 35 years on the board of the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation, the state’s leading land stewardship organization. In the last four years, he has written three books – The Land Remains (2022), The River Knows (2023) and Through Nature’s Lens (Nov. 2025) – all of which detail Iowa’s natural and political history and document the challenges we face in our relations with the land, water, and nature. All the books share an optimistic, hopeful perspective of what Iowans can do to enhance nature. Prof. Hamilton always offers a lively and thoughtful presentation!
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| Photo by Emma Goliff. Look for Cassiopeia in the upper left, part of Perseus below Cassiopeia, and Andromeda in the upper left. |
Read David Voigt's (PRAS Board Member & Conservation Chair) latest column.
Our 2026-27 programs have been set for your enjoyment and edification!
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