Iowans are coming together this fall to talk about what they want for outdoor amenities in their state. The biennial Resource Enhancement and Protection (REAP) assemblies give all Iowans an opportunity to discuss their vision of Iowa’s outdoor recreation, soil and water enhancement, historical resources, land management and more.

Upcoming REAP meetings include Nov. 3rd in Clarinda at Lied Center (for residents of Fremont, Mills, Montgomery and Page Counties), Nov. 4th in Neola at Breezy Lodge (for residents of Pottawattamie, Harrison, Shelby and Cass Counties), and Nov. 5th in Bondurant at the public library (for residents of Boone, Dallas, Jasper, Marion, Polk, Story and Warren counties).

REAP assemblies are locally led meetings where issues can be brought forth and voted upon. Meetings begin with an open house at 6 p.m., followed by the assembly from 6:30 – 8. Each assembly represents a region of counties and participants are required to attend the region for the county in which they reside.

Each year, REAP provides funding for local projects through a grant process and each year, the requests for city and county grants exceed the amount available by two or three times. Since the program debuted in 1989, more than $300 million has been awarded to more than 14,500 projects.