It took two organizations, many people, and four years to produce Iowa's Natural Heritage. The idea for this volume was born in 1978 when Dr. Robert W.Hanson, executive director of the Iowa Academy of Science, suggested that the project be undertaken as the most ambitious publishing effort in the Academy's 103-year history. The Ohio Academy of Science had successfully published Ohio's Natural Heritage; the Iowa board gave the go-ahead for this project, to be patterned after the Ohio experience. Under Dr. Hanson's direction, several committees of Academy members were formed during the next two years to locate authors and an editor, outline the book's content, and seek funding. I A new Iowa organization, the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation, appeared almost simultaneously. After several meetings, the Academy and the Foundation formed a partnership to share the copyright and to be co-publishers. The Academy took responsibility for developing the content; the sundation took over...