The Des Moines Chapter of the Izaak Walton League of America

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Izaak Walton League – A Century of Conservation Leadership

About the Des Moines Chapter of the Izaak Walton League of America
Founded in 1922, the Des Moines Chapter of the Izaak Walton League is one of the four oldest chapters still active in the nation. We’re part of one of America’s oldest and most respected conservation organizations. With a powerful grassroots network of more than 250 local chapters nationwide, the League takes a common-sense approach toward protecting our country’s natural heritage and improving outdoor recreation opportunities for all Americans. We invite you to learn about our work and to join us in supporting important conservation initiatives in your community.

Help us protect America’s outdoors. Join Online to Become a Member of the Des Moines Chapter of the League or Renew Your Membership!

Des Moines Chapter House
4343 George Flagg Parkway
Des Moines, Iowa, 50321
(515) 244-3773

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You’ll receive or chapter newsletter with news, stories, and events; Plus chapter updates as they happen!

Meetings are held every Tuesday beginning at 6 p.m. Dinner is served until 6:30 p.m., with programs starting at 6:45 p.m. There are lots of great programs and delicious meals coming up on Tuesdays at the Chapter House! Check out our Menus and Programs page to find out more! Note: Beginning January 2025 we will have only one main menu item on members nights, rather than offering alternatives. This is to save on costs and food waste, and to allow us to again offer desserts. Thank you for your understanding!

The Iowa DNR’s Kim Bogenschutz, Aquatic Invasive Species Program Coordinator, will visit the Des Moines Izaak Walton League to help us understand how we can prevent the spread of Aquatic Invasives in Iowa waters, Tuesday, April 15 at 6:45 pm. 4343 George Flagg Pkwy (Intersection Geo. Flagg & Park), Des Moines 50321. It’s good knowledge to have as we head into the spring fishing and boating season! Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) are animals and plants that are not native to Iowa and cause environmental, economic, and human harm. These species can be introduced and spread through a variety of activities including boating, fishing, aquarium ownership, and water gardening. It’s also illegal to do so! In Iowa, common aquatic invasive species include zebra and quagga mussels, bighead carp, black carp and various plants like brittle naiad and curly leaf pondweed. Learn what TO do, and what NOT to do to keep our waters clean and healthy! In addition to her work with IDNR, Kim is vice-chair of the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies Invasive Species Committee, past chair of the Mississippi River Basin Panel on Aquatic Nuisance Species, and is on the Board of Directors for the Midwest Invasive Plant Network. Admission to Kim’s talk is FREE and Open to the Public, with doors opening at 5:30 and dinner at 6 available for purchase.

Tim Wagner of Iowa’s Coldwater Conservancy (ICC) will visit the Des Moines Izaak Walton League Tuesday, April 29, 6:45 pm to talk about their work in collaboration with other groups and organizations committed to improving Iowa’s Coldwater resources and ensuring a legacy for future generations. 4343 George Flagg Pkwy (intersection of Geo. Flagg & Park), Des Moines, 50321. Collaborating organizations include the Iowa Environmental Council, Trees Forever, Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation, Iowa DNR, Trout Unlimited, Northeast Iowa RC&D, and the Trout and Salmon Foundation. In 2021, ICC awarded a grant to the ‘Save Bloody Run Committee’. ICC joined numerous conservation partners to help this grass roots group purchase equipment and test kits for water quality testing on multiple sites within the Bloody Run Creek Watershed. This timely, collaborative support was in response to the ongoing cattle operation sited near the headwaters of Bloody Run Creek. This popular coldwater trout stream and its tributaries, which flow through fragile, karst topography, has been designated by the Iowa DNR as one of only 32 Outstanding Iowa Waters. To quote Tim: “We must protect our beautiful landscape and our natural resources if we want healthful, clean water — for all of us and for our grandkids. These treasures are at risk: We dare not take them for granted.” Tim Wagner’s love of the outdoors and all its wonders is directly connected to his Iowa farm roots, where he first learned to appreciate the beauty of the Monarch and the tug on the lure in that deep pool. That awareness would eventually lead him to a full-time career in conservation and environmental protection. This included more than two decades in Utah working on climate protection and energy policy. Tim recently retired from the Izaak Walton League in his advocacy for regenerative agriculture practices and policies to protect Iowa’s precious soils and water. He lives in Decorah, Iowa with his wife, Shawna where he enjoys the coldwater streams of northeast Iowa, the local bike trails, and canoeing the rivers of the Driftless.

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