FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Story County Conservation (SCC) is excited to publicize Dean Biechler as the 2024 recipient of the Olav Smedal Conservation Award.
The Olav Smedal Conservation Award is presented annually to a member of the community “who has displayed excellence in the conservation of our natural resources and outdoor pursuits representing the highest standards of ethics and sportsmanship.” This award is given in honor of Olav Smedal, who spent 22 years as an outdoor writer for the Ames Tribune, as well as serving as a “founding father” and charter member of the Ames Chapter of the Izaak Walton League (Ames Ikes).
Biechler was recently presented with this award by the Ames Ikes and the SCC Board. He has been active in the conservation community in Story County and across Iowa for more than 50 years. Letters of nomination for this award describe him as “a wonderful farmer, gifted educator, talented artist, historian, conservationist, visionary and loyal friend to many.”
Biechler and his wife, Denise, have undertaken considerable conservation action over the decades on their private haven of land, self-named Chichaqua Bend, along the Skunk River Greenbelt north of Ames. What was once purchased as row crop and overgrazed pasture has been transformed into mixed grass/legume pasture and fenced into paddocks for rotational grazing of grass-fed beef. Alfalfa is bordered by prairie strips to reduce runoff into the river. Their multiple plots of land now form a biological ecosystem of woodlands, restored native grass prairies and even a geologically unique pothole wetland.
Biechler adds finishing touches to a Baltimore oriole within the hand-painted mural located inside the lobby at the Story County Conservation Center. To see the mural in person, visit the Conservation Center at McFarland Park Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. -4:30 p.m.
Biechler is known as a champion of conservation, as well as young people. He’s been a lifelong educator, engaging fertile minds, teaching, and inspiring. He was a biological illustrator for the ISU Veterinary College where he later became the Director of the Biological and Premedical Illustration (BPMI) Department. Now retired, Biechler created and taught a unique class for many years called BPMI 395 Field Illustration. The class culminated with a week-long trip to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. Students were to complete two finished art works from the sketch books they created on the trip. An extensive variety of nature-themed student art was featured in several well-received shows at Ely and Duluth, MN, as well as in Ames.
Outside of BPMI, the Biechlers have extended invitations to countless ISU classes and research projects to study the land over the years. Students have learned about and conducted biological surveys and used prescribed fire to manage prairies. Research has documented unusually high plant diversity in the mixed woodlands and prairie plots, also providing home to game like deer, turkeys, pheasants, and wood ducks.
Biechler has a special interest in songbirds, and they too are plentiful. He has built and maintained a 50-house bluebird trail in scenic areas along the river for the past 30 years, fledging approximately 1,000 baby bluebirds in all. His extensive trail system throughout the farm is used by student field trips, guests to the Biechlers’ business Loya’s Little House Bed and Breakfast, and more.
Hungry bluebird hatchlings are ready for their next meal, nestled inside their nesting box along Biechler's bluebird trail.
Biechler was a charter member of the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation (INHF) and served as a longstanding valuable resource, especially in the organization’s early years. He generously offered his artistic talents to, providing graphic design services for INHF’s quarterly magazine for some 15 years. He advanced the publication’s design and style professionally to keep supporters informed and engaged with INHF’s mission to protect and restore Iowa’s land, water and wildlife.
His art didn’t stop there. Biechler also provided art for SCC and its original Heart of Iowa Nature Trail logo, as well as painting murals at nature centers in Buchanan and Linn Counties and of course the Story County Conservation Center at McFarland Park with help from his BPMI students – this mural remains today. Other works include promotional INHF coffee mugs and t-shirts, the current Outdoor Alliance of Story County logo and more.
Biechler was nominated for the award by Steve Lekwa, retired Story County Conservation director; Mark Ackelson, retired INHF president; Todd Burras, owner of Wild Birds Unlimited; Jim Colbert, Director of Undergraduate Biology Program at ISU; Joe McGovern, INHF president; and Ted Tedesco, retired Ames Mayor and past SCC Board member.
Dean Biechler and Steve Lekwa
lead an educational trip to the Boundary Waters with BPMI students.
Follow us on