Policy Priorities in Iowa

Q&A with Amber Markham

Amber Markham, TNC’s director of external affairs in Iowa, reflects on TNC’s policy work and why it matters for conservation.

How did you get started in government relations and policy work?

This is my 18th year doing policy work, and I started my career at the Iowa Farm Bureau. I actually grew up on a farm, here in Iowa. Both of my grandfathers had century farms—row crops of corn and soybeans. So I know how important conservation work is for our farmers and our wild spaces.

So what are your policy priorities with TNC right now?

Here in Iowa, most people know about “IWILL.” It’s the bipartisan-created Iowa’s Water and Land Legacy, a constitutional amendment that passed in 2010 with 63% support from Iowa voters. It creates a Natural Resources and Outdoor Recreation Trust Fund for permanently protecting natural resources and outdoor recreation. Its impact could be enormous for Iowa. Sadly, the funding structure for it has not been implemented, and the fund has been sitting there, empty. We have a lot of policy goals, but this work remains a priority. We continue to defend and advocate for what Iowans voiced that they wanted, and we work to make sure it doesn’t take a step backward, either.

What happened with the funding for IWILL?

The amendment stipulated that the funding comes from an increase in sales tax, which hasn’t happened yet. Not everyone is a fan of tax increases, which I get. This is the original funding vehicle that the voters approved, though, so I think we all need to think about the benefits that a sales tax increase can bring and how to get that done so we can all benefit. Without it, we lack the funding to get conservation work done at a scale that matters. At the end of the day, the one thing we can all agree on is the importance of our land. IWILL benefits our state’s water quality, farmers, recreation opportunities and the rural economy.

What can folks in Iowa do to help?

We all have to say something. We, as Iowans, have not forgotten how much this matters. Based on the well-attended committee hearing turnout over the last several years, it’s abundantly clear that Iowans want protected natural resources, places to recreate, protection from flooding, water quality and more. Politics are hard and scary, and it’s easy to step back and let others handle it. Now, more than ever, we all need to lean in. You need to call your legislator and talk to them about what’s important to you, your legacy and how the natural world matters to your family. You need to go to coffee with your local legislator and tell them about conservation work on your farm and fishing with your family or a bike ride with your kids on a local trail and how the IWILL work is still important to you and is still a top priority for all of us.

What does it all mean to you, personally?

Good question. I think about my own legacy with this work. I came from a family of farmers, and I have my own kids now. I’m fighting for our environment, our rural economy and our farms. Funding IWILL benefits all of these. I’m fighting for my past, our present and our future.