Connect the Heartland
A story from the Driftless Region
There are so many sounds that I had to learn in my Driftless valley. The first time I heard a Ruffed Grouse beating his wings on a log I thought there was someone in the woods with a small engine they were trying to start. The first time I heard a mother deer grunt like a mystical warthog behind the bush I was scared of what kind of animal was there and I quickly exited the area. The cry of a baby fawn can also make me think the world is ending. Usually, it has been my dogs trying to harvest a fawn. I have learned to not walk my dogs in those areas when the babies are young.
About twenty-five yards from my cabin I heard several coyotes take down a deer. I was reading a book when the scream pierced the silence. Seconds later another scream, then silence. Then coyotes. Howling, squealing, yipping coyotes sending out messages that they had made a kill.* My dogs, always ready for a barking dash outside at the sound of coyotes, wanted nothing to do with this scene. It was dark. The activity was behind a hedge by the driveway. There was a round of mad yipping and then the darkness quieted. In the morning the dogs pulled the deer legs cleaned of all meat, followed by the rest of the skeleton, mostly also cleaned. I found comfort in the fact of how fast the coyotes killed the deer. There was little suffering of the animal that was becoming a meal.
Coyotes surround my cabin where I live. They come down the ravine to cross the valley to the stream. They sing in the night and often at 2 am I let the dogs out to counter the coyotes’ cries with their barking. I stand on the porch and listen to the night sounds. I have heard coyote ‘meetings’ where one is definitely in charge and giving orders. The head coyote barks and the others become quiet as if they are listening to instructions. I listen as they move across the valley, then over the ridge, their voices diminishing in the distance.
I am not a steward of the land. I live with the wildlife on this land. I have not invested money to aid any wildlife but have left the twenty acres I inhabit to be natural. I do not have livestock so there is nothing for the wildlife to bother. There are eagles and hawks circling daily. Ducks, herons, and an ever-evolving bird population gather at the stream where the trout are swimming. The beavers are busy at night and I catch time to talk to them now and then. The deer are abundant and bears and cougars have been sighted here. I heard a cougar once, right outside my door, in the middle of the night. The sound froze me in my bed and the dogs cowered, their barking bravery lost to the size of this cat.
I am not a land steward. I live as quietly and respectfully as I can in harmony with the nature around me. On these twenty acres we seem to be a world away from human population. Tonight the coyotes will sing to a lunar eclipse. I feel so blessed to be a part of their world.
Author Bio-K O’Brien has lived in the Driftless Region for 30 years. Since 2010 she has been off-grid on twenty acres in a small cabin surrounded by wildlife.
*The extent to which coyotes can hunt adult deer as opposed to fawns is uncertain and debatable in the scientific literature. Due to energetic constraints (given their size/weight), only the largest coyotes would be able to hunt adult deer. They generally prey on fawns, but adult female deer survival remains high. Coyotes generally vocalize to signal their presence and communicate with each other.
What connects you to wild nature?
Is it a person, a place, a plant, an animal, or an idea? Humanity’s relationship with wild nature is complex, but each of us has our own story. Share with us what connects you and have your story featured as part of our Connect the Heartland campaign.
Register for our Connectivity Webinar Series
Heartland Rewilding is excited to announce an exciting new webinar series as part of our Connect the Heartland campaign!
If you are someone who loves nature and wants to learn more about how we can reconnect and rewild nature across the Midwest, then you won’t want to miss out on this exciting webinar series. This engaging series will offer a unique opportunity to explore different aspects of connectivity in nature, from the ingenious work of beavers to the mysterious paths mountain lions take across the continent. Each month, our expert presenters will share their knowledge and experiences, providing fascinating insights into what it means to reconnect and rewild the Mississippi River watershed. Whether you’re an avid hiker, a passionate advocate, or simply someone who appreciates the beauty of the outdoors, this webinar series is for you. So don’t hesitate, register today and join us for an unforgettable journey through the Midwest!
Months and Topics:
- April: Rewilding with Beavers presented by Superior Bio-Conservancy
- May: Midwest Mountain Lions presented by Will Stolzenburg, Wildlands Network, and Mountain Lion Foundation
- June: The Prairie Wolf presented by Project Coyote
- July: Bison and Connectivity
- August: Wolves of the Great Lakes
Francisco Santiago-Ávila
Science & Conservation Manager
Ask an Expert
Earlier this month we asked our social media followers to ask us their most pressing questions. One of those questions was “How does your program address the impact of civilization itself on the wild?” Our Science & Conservation Manager, Francisco Santiago-Ávila, shared this answer.
Heartland Rewilding addresses the impact of civilization on the wild by promoting the intrinsic value of non-human lives; that is, their value as ends in themselves, beyond their use for humans. We promote ethical coexistence that reduces harms to both human and non-human life, question human domination over wild lives, and respect non-human autonomy, agency, and wellbeing.
This philosophy is integrated into our core programs. Our Coexistence with Wildlife Program focuses on working with communities to educate, draft coexistence plans, and engage in policy processes (legislation and rule-making) to improve the protection and wellbeing of wild lives – especially those that have been maligned for centuries, such as coyotes, cougars, bears, and wolves. Our Reconnecting and Rewilding the Heartland program promotes respect and wellbeing through broader rewilding, meaning allowing for non-human nature to thrive in all its diversity without imposing a human will or value. We work to protect and reconnect large areas of non-human nature and balance human and non-human claims to the land.
Fran is an interdisciplinary researcher and nature advocate with over a decade’s experience in conservation and animal science, ethics, and policy issues. He is the Heartland Rewilding Science & Conservation Manager where he helps promote compassion and respect for wild carnivores and nature, their protection, and the rewilding of the Mississippi River watershed.
Ready to take the Connectivity Challenge?
This peer-to-peer fundraising game challenges you to grow a fictional landscape into a vast wilderness region. You can play as an individual or as a team as you raise funds to protect habitat patches and complete Rapid Recovery Bonuses.
Take Action
The 2023 State Legislative season in many states may be coming to a close, but your voice is more important than ever. We have included below just a few of the many ways you can speak up for wild nature in the Midwest.
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- Wisconsin Residents: Vote in the Wisconsin Conservation Congress’ 2023 Open House elections and Spring Hearing.
- Iowa Residents: Tell your legislators to vote no on SJR 12 and HJR 6 amending the state constitution and urge House members on the Environmental Protection Committee to vote no to SF516, which would erode public land protections.
- Illinois Residents: Let Gov. Pritzker and the IDNR know you support a ban on wildlife killing contests in your state by contacting them and writing letters to the editor of your local newspaper. Visit our campaign website for contact information, talking points, and writing tips.
- Minnesota Residents: Tell your legislators and the Governor to vote yes on SF2062 and HF2144, two new bills banning the hunting and trapping of wolves.
Kelly Borgmann
Programs & Outreach Manager
The Loess Hills
The Loess Hills stretch for over 200 miles along the Nebraska-Iowa border, next to the Missouri River. The unique hills of this region were formed when fine particles from the last glaciation were blown up by winds out of the west. The super fine particles traveled far, but the heavier ones dropped down closer to the Missouri River. Over thousands of years, these deposits built up, forming large hills. Notably, the Loess Hills represent the second largest type of this formation in the world, surpassed in size only by the Loess Plateau in north-central China.
Due to their steep slopes and high erodibility, the Loess Hills was one of the last places in the region to undergo land conversion. However, they are increasingly under threat of subdivision, home development, and conversion to farmland. The forests, prairies, and creeks of this unique landform are quickly disappearing.
The Loess Hills provide more than ecological reasons for conservation, they also provide socioeconomic ones. Although the Loess Hills are not well known outside the Midwest, it is a significant tourism draw. Due to its proximity to Omaha and Lincoln, NE, as well as Kansas City, KS/MO, and Des Moines, IA, it is the perfect place for a quick vacation.
This amazing area forms the core of one of Heartland Rewilding’s Focal Regions, and protecting this region is one of our top priorities. Land trusts and other conservation organizations are working tirelessly to protect high-priority sites in the Loess Hills, and the people who know of and live around the Loess Hills love this region and want to see it protected for future generations. Creating a connected network of conservation areas in this region will allow for carefully planned eco-tourism and outdoor recreational activities that can help provide economic security for the many small towns and communities nestled in the Loess Hills.
Heartland Rewilding is working with on-the-ground partners in the Loess Hills to coordinate efforts between groups in the large, multistate region. We are actively working to engage stakeholders, develop partnerships, and draft a landscape conservation plan that would boost conservation efforts in the Loess Hills and help this amazing region get the attention it deserves. Be on the lookout for further updates as we continue our work in this and all of our focal regions.
Kelly is a Midwesterner with a passion for connecting people to nature. She has traveled and lived in many places, having worked as a field guide in South Africa, a human-manatee interactions researcher for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Florida, a National Park Service cowgirl in Montana, and a conservation educator in Ohio. Through all her adventures the Midwest maintained a special place in her heart, leading her to return to work as the Programs & Outreach Manager for Heartland Rewilding.
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