Discover the hidden treasures of Iowa as we embark on “Discovering Iowa’s Public Lands: A Journey Along the Little Sioux River.” This talk weaves together over a century of stewardship, from early conservation efforts and New Deal achievements to today’s local partnerships, while tracing the river’s sinuous path through Loess Hills, tallgrass prairies, and historic river towns. You’ll be transported to the solitude of primitive campsites at Preparation Canyon State Park, glide through layered Indigenous and settler histories on the Inkpaduta Canoe Trail, and explore bird-rich refuges like Cayler Prairie and Santee Prairie Waterfowl Area.

Kevin Mason is a rural and environmental historian of the American Midwest. After earning his PhD at Iowa State University, he served as an Associate Professor of History at Waldorf University. Mason will join the University of Northern Iowa in fall 2025 as an Assistant Professor of History. Mason also runs the digital humanities project Notes on Iowa, serves on the Board of Directors for Humanities Iowa, and serves on the Board of Trustees for the State Historical Society of Iowa. An award-winning author, Mason's forthcoming book Fields of Change: The 1st United States Dragoons and Iowa's Environmental Transformation is due out on Michigan State University Press in 2026.

Dr. Mason