The Iowa Wetland Management District includes 75 waterfowl production areas encompassing more than 25,000 acres scattered throughout 18 counties in north-central Iowa. The goal of the district is to restore and protect enough wetland and grassland habitat to meet the needs of prairie wildlife, particularly breeding waterfowl, as well as provide places for public recreation. Iowa Wetland Management District is very different from other wetland management districts in that the Iowa Department of Natural Resources manages many of the waterfowl productions areas. Together, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service have been able to develop large complexes of habitat for waterfowl and other wildlife species within the predominantly agricultural landscape in north-central Iowa.
Photo of an Oxbow Restoration with Darrick Weissenfluh
Partners for Fish and Wildlife

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has a program called Partners for Fish and Wildlife that provides free technical and financial assistance to landowners, managers, tribes, corporations, schools and nonprofits interested in improving wildlife habitat on their land.

If you're interested in prairie, wetland, and/or oxbow restoration, please contact our Private Lands Biologist: Darrick Weissenfluh, darrick_weissenfluh@fws.gov, Cell 515-320-5636

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A ground view of a prairie with purple and yellow flowers
Wildlife Management
Waterfowl Production Areas
Small wetlands/grassland units conserve more than 3 million acres of habitat. Waterfowl production areas are administratively organized into 38 wetland management districts with individual districts often spanning many counties.
A small pond surrounded by leafy green vegetation, a few standing dead trees and verdant forest
Wildlife Management
Trapping
The U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service carefully manages trapping activities on national wildlife refuges to ensure that safe, effective practices are used, to ensure the sustainability of wildlife populations, and to protect refuge infrastructure. Trapping may be used as a wildlife management tool...
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National wildlife refuges offer the outdoor enthusiast an opportunity to escape from the stresses of daily life and reconnect with nature. Be it the rich call of trumpeter swans, the vivid waves of windswept wildflowers or the wingbeat of mallards over decoys, a variety of outdoor experiences await visitors to waterfowl production areas within Iowa Wetland Management District.

Location and Contact Information

      Our Species

      Drake blue-winged teal on a pond
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      The district supports 14 species of breeding waterfowl including blue-winged teal, mallards, wood ducks and trumpeter swans. In all, more than 270 species of birds are known to occur within the district boundary. A variety of state and federally listed species may be found within the district boundary. The district is home to a variety of resident wildlife including river otters, American badgers, white-tailed deer, wild turkey, ring-necked pheasants and coyotes.