IOWA CITY, Iowa -- Halloween decorations are coming down, but that does not mean your jack-o'-lantern has to be sent to the trash. To help the environment, a conservation group is encouraging Iowans to recycle them instead.

David Mizejewski, naturalist at the National Wildlife Federation, said carved pumpkins usually last a few days before they start to go bad. But you can help wildlife before then by cutting them open and leaving them in your yard for birds and squirrels.

He explained his group usually discourages folks from feeding wild animals, especially mammals, but this is a once-a-year treat.

"It's an OK thing to do, as long as you're not overdoing it or putting out 50 pumpkins in your backyard or bringing them to natural areas and dumping them," Mizejewski explained. "Don't do that; that's actually littering."

In Iowa City, officials say another option is to place the pumpkins into your yellow organics bin before the next pick-up day. For residents not enrolled in curbside service, they can bring their pumpkins, at no cost, to the city's compost facility. The city of Dubuque also has recycling options through its yard-waste collection program.

Mizejewski noted pumpkins are perfect for composting since they are 90% water and break down quickly after they are cut. Before adding to your compost pile, he advised removing the seeds to dry, then leaving them out for birds and small mammals such as chipmunks. Or you can collect the seeds and plant them to grow pumpkins for next season.

"Now, not only is that going to result in you having your own little private pumpkin patch, but the flowers that pumpkins put out, pumpkins are part of the squash family, and they actually can be an important source of nectar and pollen for some of our wild native bees," Mizejewski added.

There is one exception - he said if you've painted your pumpkin or sprayed it with anything to keep animals away, don't offer it to wildlife or put it in a compost bin. In those cases, it's best to just toss it out.

Greenpeace has been ordered to pay several hundred million dollars stemming from the Dakota Access Pipeline protests and some are saying the verdict leaves a chilling effect on free-speech matters.

Nearly a decade ago, protests in North Dakota captured worldwide attention as the oil pipeline project advanced, with Indigenous rights serving as a focal point. The events still reverberate today, including a civil trial where an affiliated energy company sued Greenpeace, accusing it of defamation and orchestrating illegal acts within the protests. The global nonprofit argued it had a limited presence.

James Wheaton, founder and senior counsel for the First Amendment Project, a public interest law firm, worries about the verdict's precedent.

"The problem is going to be that anybody who helps to organize a peaceful, lawful protest could face ruinous litigation," Wheaton pointed out.

He suggested activists might worry about being dragged into court versus expressing their First Amendment rights. Greenpeace said it will appeal and has warned a large civil penalty could force it to cease operating in the U.S.

The company behind the case, Energy Transfer, said the outcome is a win for Americans who "understand the difference between the right to free speech and breaking the law."

A broader aspect of the case is what's known as a SLAPP lawsuit, with experts noting these are sometimes brought by corporations against people or nonprofits speaking out on various issues. Even if the plaintiff does not win, the defendant is saddled with mounting legal costs.

Wheaton helped start the movement to usher in anti-SLAPP laws around the country. He explained how they work.

"The court can freeze the case in its tracks at the very beginning and test whether it has enough merit to be allowed to go forward or should be dismissed immediately," Wheaton outlined.

Dozens of states have such laws on the books, but North Dakota is not among them. Critics of anti-SLAPP laws said they make it too easy for a court to quickly dismiss a case. But Wheaton feels they do not prevent plaintiffs from having their day in court, and he would like to see more states adopt them.


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A local event that brings students face-to-face with outdoor habitats is serving to ignite a lifelong passion in some that go on to pursue "green jobs." The Wisconsin Envirothon is an environmental science competition for middle and high school students hosted by the Wisconsin Land and Water Conservation Association. The one-day event immerses participants in hands-on activities in wildlife, aquatic ecology, forestry, soils/land-use and a current environmental issue.

Gregor Willms, a past participant, said the event helped to change his mind about a topic he never would have imagined embracing.

"The first time I competed in the soils part, I absolutely despised soils and I didn't know anything about it, and I was so frustrated. So it is a little bit ironic that I would go on to graduate with a soil-science degree and now have a really deep appreciation for soil science," he explained.

Willms is a land-use and sanitation specialist for Dodge County, and added that Envirothon was a catalyst for him pursuing a career in environmental science and he's now a volunteer for the event.

Environmental specialists from across the state volunteer their time to advise and judge the competition. The winning high school team goes on to compete at the National Conservation Foundation Envirothon, the largest high school educational environmental program in North America. Kim Warkentin is the youth education director for the association and says the event helps students to understand the importance of taking care of their natural resources.

"They are the future. And so providing this opportunity for them to really gain a true understanding of our ecosystem across the state gives them a real opportunity to learn it and live it and experience it," she concluded.

Katie Schlicht, a science teacher at Cedarburg High School and an advisor for the competition, said her team competed in the state event for the first time last year and won. In many ways, she was learning alongside her students.

"I know one of my students last year graduated and she's in a college program now and is really saying, 'You know, this is stuff that I learned at Envirothon.' So, I feel like having this program has been crucial to having that leg up when they get to a secondary college or secondary program," she explained.

Twenty-four teams will compete in this year's state competition which takes place on April 11th at Lions Camp in Rosholt.

A new report highlighted efforts to restore Pennsylvania's wildlife habitats and called for stronger conservation to protect native species.

With Pennsylvania ranking among the top five states for animal-vehicle collisions, more than more than 1 million animals are killed on roads annually.

Stephanie Wein, clean water and conservation advocate at the PennEnvironment Research and Policy Center, said the report provided recommendations to enhance wildlife corridor projects and protect the state's diverse species, from bobcats and black bears to migrating songbirds. She added an infrastructure project along a Pennsylvania Interstate is keeping both wildlife and drivers safe.

"One example is in State College, Pennsylvania," Wein pointed out. "I-99 has a bunch of underpasses that allow black bear and deer and bobcat, geese and blue heron to get under that highway that was crossing through some of the biggest stretches of Pennsylvania wilderness."

Wein noted there is bipartisan support for wildlife corridors in Pennsylvania. House Resolution 87 passed with strong backing from both parties. At a Wednesday news conference, lawmakers will share goals of protecting wildlife, preserving nature and improving driver safety.

Wein emphasized wildlife corridor projects can be as simple as adding fencing along roads. She underscored a case study in the report about fencing on U.S. Route 522 near Mount Union, where the road was built over vital nesting grounds, helps female map turtles along the Juniata River to stay off the roadway.

"In that first season, over 50 nesting females of this threatened species were killed on that road," Wein reported. "Local conservationists working with PennDOT, they actually got a fence installed that stops them right at the road's edge."

The report recommended Pennsylvania agencies try to keep securing federal funds to address habitat fragmentation. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021 created a $350 million Wildlife Crossings Program for safer roads. PennDOT secured a 2023 planning grant and should continue seeking funding to protect wildlife and drivers.


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