Clingan starts as Mahaska County conservation director
Jan. 31—OSKALOOSA — Mahaska County welcomes its new conservation director, Chris Clingan, who began the job on Jan. 3.
Clingan says growing up in rural Iowa with family members who incorporated Iowa's natural habitat into their agricultural operation was part of what inspired him to pursue a career in conservation.
"I grew up in What Cheer, Iowa, and my family, we've always had bison and white tail deer on our ranch, my grandma and my grandpa always had them, so ever since I was little, growing up, that was always something really cool and it kind of piqued my interest . ..I think that's kind of where I got interested in natural resources and natural resource work," Clingan says.
Clingan graduated from Upper Iowa University with a degree in conservation management. He's made a career of working in natural resource management, serving as the game warden for the Meskwaki Settlement, located in Tama County; a park ranger in Dubuque and Polk counties; and now as the conservation director for Mahaska County.
"Always, in the back of my mind, I was thinking 'You know, it'd be kind of nice to move closer to home and be the director of Mahaska County,'" Clingan says.
The move has allowed Clingan to return to his roots and settle closer to his family's farm.
So far, Clingan says the transition has been marked by overwhelming support from the local staff and community as he works to familiarize himself with the conservation work being done in the county.
"I've been overwhelmed with the support, not only from the staff, but other county departments, people in the community ... pretty much everyone, for the most part, that I've run into has been very, very supportive and very eager to help me out, and to show me things and to share information. It's made it a lot easier. I feel like I'm being welcomed with open arms," Clingan says.
Clingan wants to first focus on learning the ropes in Mahaska County and executing a smooth transition as he takes the helm of county conservation.
"My big focus this first year is to just learn the history of the place, where they were going, and just identify what needs to be changed and then do that in such a way, where it's going to be a smooth transition for everyone. I have a lot to learn," Clingan says.
Clingan has already identified a need for more conservation staff, which could potentially mean more seasonal and permanent part-time positions. He also wants to begin working with the National Civilian Community Corps to bring in people from all over the nation to work on conservation in Mahaska County.
Clingan says conservation in Iowa can pose some unique challenges due to the state's identity as a top agricultural producer in the nation.
"We're an agricultural state, so a lot of the crop fields that you see in pastures and stuff like that, at one point in time, was native prairie. The State of Iowa is the most altered state in the Union when it comes to land use ... You'd think it was New York city or something like that, but almost every acre of ground [here] has been tilled, or there's been terraces built, or there's been roads, or railroad, or developed in some way, affected by human settlements," Clingan says.
Clingan says that swatches of prairie in its original state are hard to come by in Iowa, and the shortage makes the Eddyville Dunes Sand Prairie a very precious place to him.
"[Prairies are] very few and far between, that are still the way they were before we settled. The sand prairie, being one of those areas, is very unique and very special to me because it's so rare," Clingan says.
According to Clingan, remnant prairie in Iowa account for only one tenth of a percent of the state's land.
"It's like taking a penny cut into 10 different pieces ... This is the whole dollar, and then this is what we've got now," Clingan says.
"I realize Iowa will never be one hundred percent prairie again as long as humans exist, but I think every year we're gaining a little bit more, and I think a big part of it is all the work that people in county conservation boards ... have done to educate people," he says. "There's so much more of this world out here that a lot of people don't even know ... It's right out our back door. They've just got to go looking for it, so that's what we're here for."
Clingan wants Mahaska County residents to know that he has an "open door policy."
"If they ever have any questions, concerns, want to just say hello, stop on in. If I'm here, I'd be more than happy to talk to anyone who stopped by, about anything."
Channing Rucks can be reached at crucks@oskyherald.com.
