The Van Buren County Conservation Board
Iowa State voted in a Conservation program in 1955. Van Buren County developed a Conservation program in 1965.
Board Agenda
- Consists of 5 members, along with an Executive Director and Bentonsport Buildings/Conservation Office Manager. The board is appointed by the Van Buren County Supervisors and are volunteers who are interested in preserving and maintaining public conservation lands and historic areas.
- The board is the public medium between the elected supervisors and the conservation director.
- Board meetings generally are held the second Tuesday of each month at 6:30 p.m. in the Van Buren County Conservation Board office. In the summer months the board will meet in different county properties.
- The date, time and place of each meeting is posted on the door of the board office and also posted in advance in the calendar in the Van Buren County Register.
- Public forums are available at the beginning of each meeting for the public to share information, request assistance or voice concerns.
- Anyone wishing to be on the public forum or agenda may contact the conservation office at 319-293-3589
Board Agenda
Board Members
Duane Clubb
Board Chairman
Loves to fish, trap shoot and member of Farmington Rod and Gun Club.
He enjoys taking his niece and nephews hunting whether deer, squirrel, pheasant or other animals.
Strongly supports getting youth involved in outdoor activities and Conservation type activities. The youth is our future and it is important to keep them involved.
Van Buren County has been his home all his life.
Served 224th Engineer Battallion for 10 years and traveled to Europe different times. Has worked at Dexter and farming.
Board Chairman
Loves to fish, trap shoot and member of Farmington Rod and Gun Club.
He enjoys taking his niece and nephews hunting whether deer, squirrel, pheasant or other animals.
Strongly supports getting youth involved in outdoor activities and Conservation type activities. The youth is our future and it is important to keep them involved.
Van Buren County has been his home all his life.
Served 224th Engineer Battallion for 10 years and traveled to Europe different times. Has worked at Dexter and farming.
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Mark Meek
Board Member/Supervisor
I was raised on the banks of the Des Moines River in Van Buren CO, Iowa. My family settled Bonaparte in 1836 before Van Buren was a county or Iowa was a state. I enjoyed hunting, fishing, swimming, waterskiing cruising the river, and just being a river rat.
I graduated from Harmony High School in 1969 and spent 1970 through 1972 aboard the sub-tender USS Proteus in the South-Pacific. I then attended SE Iowa and Indian Hills Community Colleges. I was married to my wife Ellen in 1978 and we have five children, fifteen grandchildren and one great-grandchild. I retired from the US Postal Service with 30 years of service in 2007. I currently own and operate an over-the-road trucking company (Tugboat Transportation) and am currently serving as chairman of the VBC Board of Supervisors. I am the VBC Board’s representative on the County Conservation Board.
Board Member/Supervisor
I was raised on the banks of the Des Moines River in Van Buren CO, Iowa. My family settled Bonaparte in 1836 before Van Buren was a county or Iowa was a state. I enjoyed hunting, fishing, swimming, waterskiing cruising the river, and just being a river rat.
I graduated from Harmony High School in 1969 and spent 1970 through 1972 aboard the sub-tender USS Proteus in the South-Pacific. I then attended SE Iowa and Indian Hills Community Colleges. I was married to my wife Ellen in 1978 and we have five children, fifteen grandchildren and one great-grandchild. I retired from the US Postal Service with 30 years of service in 2007. I currently own and operate an over-the-road trucking company (Tugboat Transportation) and am currently serving as chairman of the VBC Board of Supervisors. I am the VBC Board’s representative on the County Conservation Board.
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Justina Scott
Board Secretary She currently lives in Douds and grew up just south of Douds. She has lived in Van Buren County her whole life. Justina has been married for 13 years and has three children. Her family raises cattle, corn, beans, and hay. Justina has been on the Van Buren County Conservation Board for three years and enjoys seeing the hard work put into all of the parks. Justina hopes you will enjoy the parks as much as she and her family do. |
Staff
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Richard Daugherty
Director He was born and raised in Van Buren County. He currently lives and operates their family farm with his wife Melissa and their two children. He obtained an Associates of Science degree in Bioprocessing technology then received a Bachelor of Science degree in Natural Resource and Ecology Management from Iowa State University. He has worked as a forester in southeast Iowa where he got the opportunity to work with landowners to manage and establish forests. He also has a side business of dozing ponds, clearing trails, and building terraces. An avid outdoors person, he enjoys hunting, fishing, camping and exploring nature. He looks forward to using his experience of farming, building ponds and trails, and working with various people and businesses, to help improve the natural resources our great state and county has to offer. |
Chloe Proffitt
Naturalist/Conservation Technician
She is from Crawfordsville, IA from a family of 3 sisters. She obtained an Associates of Science in Conservation from Muscatine Community College and then received a Bachelor’s of Science in Forestry from Iowa State University. She enjoys kayaking/canoeing, fishing, hunting and hiking in her free time. She looks forward to using her experience from previous internships and Iowa State University to educate and conserve our natural resources.
Naturalist/Conservation Technician
She is from Crawfordsville, IA from a family of 3 sisters. She obtained an Associates of Science in Conservation from Muscatine Community College and then received a Bachelor’s of Science in Forestry from Iowa State University. She enjoys kayaking/canoeing, fishing, hunting and hiking in her free time. She looks forward to using her experience from previous internships and Iowa State University to educate and conserve our natural resources.
Frank Boyer
Buildings Manager
Frank grew up near Shimek State Forest and spent most of his childhood enjoying the great outdoors. The love for the outdoors led him to pursue a bachelors degree in Forestry from Iowa State University. He worked for Wapello County for 10 years, (9 years as the natural resource manager and 1 year as the roadside manager/ county weed commissioner). He sold his small Davis County farm and moved back to where he grew up with his wife and two daughters. Before coming to Van Buren County, Frank was the watershed coordinator for Big Hollow Lake in Des Moines County. He hopes to use the variety of experiences that he has accumulated throughout his career to benefit Van Buren County so more people can enjoy the great outdoors as much as he has.
Buildings Manager
Frank grew up near Shimek State Forest and spent most of his childhood enjoying the great outdoors. The love for the outdoors led him to pursue a bachelors degree in Forestry from Iowa State University. He worked for Wapello County for 10 years, (9 years as the natural resource manager and 1 year as the roadside manager/ county weed commissioner). He sold his small Davis County farm and moved back to where he grew up with his wife and two daughters. Before coming to Van Buren County, Frank was the watershed coordinator for Big Hollow Lake in Des Moines County. He hopes to use the variety of experiences that he has accumulated throughout his career to benefit Van Buren County so more people can enjoy the great outdoors as much as he has.
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Joe Bryant
Part Time Natural Resources Technician |
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Dorothy Gilbert
Thank you to Dorothy for being a board member for the Conservation for 12 years. It is with regret that we see her leave but wish her the best!
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IN MEMORY OF
Bob Steingreaber He served as a member of the Van Buren County Conservation Board for 30 years, and served as the Board chairman for 20 years. Bob had a life-long interest in conservation and education. After receiving a degree from Iowa State University in Fisheries and Wildlife Biology, Bob embarked on a 40 year career in teaching, coaching, and Educational Administration. He retired and Bob lived in Keosauqua with his wife Kristin, and spent a lot of time in the outdoors, fly fishing and following his bird dog across the hills and hollows of scenic Van Buren County. Bob passed away during Memorial Weekend 2023. He was dedicated as a board member and respected by the community. 
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