Stewardship Stories

Welcome to Stewardship Stories, where inspiration meets action in tales of environmental guardianship and transformation. Dive into narratives that celebrate individuals and communities championing sustainability and conservation efforts worldwide. Explore how their stewardship journeys are shaping a brighter, greener future for our watershed!

Morgan Keeling 9/22/25 Morgan Keeling 9/22/25

What is Placemaking, Anyway?

Sarah Alvey 9/22/25 Sarah Alvey 9/22/25

Pastures with Purpose: Wet Prairie

Take an inside look at a farm in Lincoln!

Our group got an inside look at Coffey Farms, also known as “Wet Prairie” by locals, run by brothers Jim and John Coffey, with lots of help from John's wife, Mallory, and their two children, Stella and James. Together, along with a small collective of other local farmers, they raise pasture-raised livestock including cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, and chickens that they direct-market to local consumers through Ozark Pasture Meats.

Leif Kindberg 9/6/25 Leif Kindberg 9/6/25

Moving IRWP and Partners’ Resources into an Illinois River Watershed Geospatial Information System (GIS)

Sarah Alvey 6/9/25 Sarah Alvey 6/9/25

Water Quality Field Tour Summary

For anyone who missed out on this educational and engaging event, here is a summary for the IRWP Water Quality Field Tour that took place on Saturday, June 7th 2025! If you would like to be invited to the next field tour please reach out to contact@irwp.org to get involved.

Morgan Keeling 6/5/25 Morgan Keeling 6/5/25

Bats, Bluegrass, and 20 Years of Conservation

Sarah Alvey 5/9/25 Sarah Alvey 5/9/25

Fertile Fields = Cleaner Water

Testing your soil can be a transformative tool to improve your lands productivity, improve water quality, and take your operation to the next level.

Morgan Keeling 4/22/25 Morgan Keeling 4/22/25

Turn up the Heat! Benefits of Prescribed Burns

Sarah Alvey 4/7/25 Sarah Alvey 4/7/25

Septic Fails and Fixes

Read this story to learn about what a septic system really is, why they fail, and the programs that can help you cover the costs of repairing a failed system in our watershed.

Holly Wren 3/20/25 Holly Wren 3/20/25

Spring Cutbacks for Native Gardens

Leif Kindberg 3/17/25 Leif Kindberg 3/17/25

Riparian Restoration Program

Six years of water quality restoration partnerships in the Illinois River watershed

Holly Wren 2/27/25 Holly Wren 2/27/25

A Mulch Manifesto

Morgan Keeling 1/9/25 Morgan Keeling 1/9/25

Winter in Your Native Plant Landscape

Morgan Keeling 1/8/25 Morgan Keeling 1/8/25

Stewards of Septic and the Power of Partnerships

IRWP has been awarded $395,000 to continue this program for another year, and we are thrilled to carry on this vital work. We extend our gratitude to our partners at the Arkansas Department of Agriculture - Natural Resources Division and the Arkansas Department of Health, including both state and county offices. Read Stewards of Septic and the Power of Partnerships on Stewardship Stories.