Iowa State forestry researchers and students are involved in planting 20,000 trees, shrubs and perennials along Bear Creek in Story County this spring as part of a 9-year-old program started by an ISU professor.

Dick Schultz, professor of forestry, initiated the streamside project after being contacted by a local farmer who was looking for ways to keep cattle out of creek areas.

Schultz suggested that planting trees near creek beds would allow cattle to graze with less harmful impact.

The major goal of the program is to make Iowa’s landscape more sustainable by creating healthy streams and improved water quality. The project intends to establish wildlife habitats, to slow erosion and to improve the aesthetics of the land.

“Overall, the project diversifies and stabilizes the ecosystem of Iowa,” Schultz said.

Ten scientists, 11 graduate students, two research associates and five or six undergraduates are involved with the streamside project.

“The strength of the project lies in different areas of study such as geology, forestry and botany working together to piece together a story and feed off of each other,” said Rick Maiers, graduate student in forestry and project worker.

The streamside project uses many plants, trees and grasses native to Iowa.

Some species included in the project are red oak and walnut trees, dogwood, serviceberry, chokecherry and wild plum shrubs and numerous flowering plants.

The plants used in the streamside project come from the State Forest Nursery in Ames and nurseries located throughout Iowa and Minnesota.

The project is funded by the Leopold Center, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the National Research Initiative and the Environmental Protection Agency.