Byways of Iowa Coalition annual meeting held at Driftless Area Education and Visitor Center


BIC annual meeting held at Driftless Center ... Allamakee County Conservation Director Jim Janett welcomes attendees of the Byways of Iowa Coalition (BIC) annual meeting. The Driftless Area Education and Visitor Center in Lansing hosted this year’s annual meeting of the Byways of Iowa Coaltion October 18. Submitted photo.

The Byways of Iowa Coalition held its annual meeting Thursday, October 18 at the Driftless Area Education and Visitor Center in Lansing. At the meeting, attendees representing Iowa’s 14 byways spent time learning  the history of the Iowa Byways™ program and listened to updates and successes from byway coordinators across the state.

Representatives and coordinators from 10 state scenic byways, two national scenic byways and two heritage byways across Iowa make up the Byways of Iowa Coalition (BIC). BIC works together to promote Iowa’s Byways and develop and lead projects that improve and expand upon the intrinsic qualities and resources in the byway corridors throughout the state. BIC works collaboratively with the Byways of Iowa Foundation, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, to protect, enhance and promote cultural, natural and scenic resources along Iowa’s byways, fostering authentic experiences with byway partners and communities to increase visitor-related economic development.

At the October 18 meeting, BIC members discussed some of the initiatives they are working on with the Byways of Iowa Foundation, including exploring project-based grant opportunities for byway boards, Iowa Group Travel Association membership, byway board member training opportunities and statewide marketing.

Attendees also received an update and information from Mary Stahlhut, Iowa Department of Transportation Byway Program Manager, and from Rod Marlatt, Byways of Iowa Foundation Chair.

Attendees spent the afternoon in a facilitated work session with Katie Mills Giorgio, freelance writer and editor. Giorgio has been writing for a variety of newspapers, magazines and websites for the past 20 years, including the Cedar Rapids Gazette, BHG.com, the National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library and The Key of Kappa Kappa Gamma, and works on various editing projects throughout the year.

For more information about Iowa’s Byways, visit www.iowabyways.org or contact local byway coordinator Mallory Hanson of Northeast Iowa Resource Conservation & Development at 563-864-7112 or mallory@northeastiowarcd.org.