Be introduced to the wildlife of the Little Sioux. Jim Pease has paddled over 2200 miles of Iowa's rivers for the Iowa Water Trails Program. The Little Sioux is one of his favorites. The prairies, savannas, and woodlands provide paddlers with opportunities to see a wide variety of wildlife. Come learn about the wildlife in your lives!

A native of Burlington, Iowa, Jim has over 5 decades of experience as a front-line interpreter, professor of interpretation, and writer and consultant on many interpretive and environmental education projects. He has taught thousands, from youth through senior citizens, in formal and non-formal settings, written dozens of publications for professionals and lay people alike, and communicated by a regular statewide radio program, TV segments, podcasts, and websites. His experience includes teaching interpretation to undergraduate and graduate students for 24 years, research on impact of interpretive and education strategies, over two decades as an Extension Wildlife Specialist, director of Iowa’s NatureMapping and Master Conservationist programs, and fifteen years in youth development and natural resources. He has taught and conducted projects internationally in Costa Rica, Brazil, Panama, Russia, and Taiwan. He has received numerous awards for his work, including the prestigious Master Interpreter from the National Association for Interpretation, the Distinguished Science Teacher Award from the Iowa Academy of Science, and the Leopold Award for Lifetime Achievement. In 2022 he received the Hagie Award from the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation for his volunteer work. Drake University named him one of the 2023 Nature Champions at the Iowa Nature Summit. He is now retired from Iowa State University, has emeritus status in the Natural Resource Ecology and Management Department at ISU and is active speaking, writing, consulting, and leading international wildlife trips to Central and South America and Africa. He helped design and conduct the Master River Stewards Program for Iowa Rivers Revival and has paddled over 2200 miles of Iowa rivers, conducting biological and interpretive surveys for the Iowa Water Trails program. Jim holds leadership positions with Story County Conservation Board and Friends of Ada Hayden Heritage Park, and he can still be heard occasionally on Iowa Public Radio in his wildlife program on “Talk of Iowa”.