2024 Roadside Conference

Roadside managers and other attendees of the Roadside Conference watching a presenter.

Seed, Spray, and Stable Soil

October 2–4, 2024

Stoney Creek Hotel and Event Center

Johnston, Iowa

To reserve a room, call the hotel at  515-334-9000 and give the group code 2410UONI. The conference rate is $80/night.

Other nearby hotels include the AmericInn by Wyndham, 515-270-1111, and the Hilton Garden Inn, 515-270-8890.

Register for Conference

This year’s conference will include speakers on a variety of management topics such as seeding, spraying,
soil erosion, and hydroseeding. 

All events are in the Stoney Creek Events Center unless otherwise noted

Wednesday, October 2nd

Noon-4:15PM Possible Preconference Event(s) - TBD
5:00 PM AFIRM Fall Business Meeting
6:00 PM Dinner on your own

Thursday, October 3rd

8:00 AM Registration / Morning Refreshments / Exhibits
9:15 AM Welcome and Introductions
9:30 AM Morning Keynote, IRVM – It’s impact Inside and Outside the Roadside – DougSheeley, Polk County Conservation
10:15 AM Break and Exhibits
10:30 AM Microbial Augmentation for Vegetation Establishment – Aaron Sane, Ecological Labs
11:25 AM Erosion control and vegetation establishment of a slope with no topsoil
(Summary of a 2011 LRTF project) – Jim Uthe, Dallas County
11:40 AM Lunch and Exhibits
12:30 PM Board bus for afternoon field trip to equipment display and tour of Allendan Seed Company
1:00 PM Dallas County Equipment Display, 24419 288 th Trail, Adel
2:00 PM Load Bus and Depart to Allendan Seed (short detour to visit 2011 LRTF slope stabilization project)
3:00 PM Arrive at Allendan Seed Company
4:00 PM Depart Allendan back to Stoney Creek
5:00 PM Social Hour at Stoney Creek

Friday, October 4th

6:30 AM Breakfast Available
8:00 AM LRTF Updates, Tara Van Waus, Iowa DOT
8:15 AM Roadside Program Updates, Kristine Nemec, UNI Tallgrass Prairie Center
8:30 AM Roadside Erosion Control – Mark Moore, Coleman Moore Company
9:00 AM County herbicide spraying programs – strategies and equipment, Roadside Manager Panel
9:40 AM Ecological renovation of a sedge meadow remnant in Madison County - Dr. Thomas Rosburg, Drake University
10:25 AM Break and Exhibits
10:40 AM Native Habitat Reconstruction: from seed mix design to establishment and everything in between – Lael Neal, Polk County Conservation
11:10 AM Real-time Data Collection for herbicide spraying – Jeremy Zerr, SpraySync
11:50 AM Luncheon and Door PrizesOn the Thursday afternoon field trip, attendees can view equipment and
visit Allendan Seed Company. 

Registration information will be available in July 2024. To ensure you are on the mailing list to receive registration information, email kristine.nemec@uni.edu.