Justin Roberts uses rock influences to craft clever music for kids and their parents

For more than 25 years the Iowa native and now Illinois resident has been delighting kids and parents with his catchy tunes and inventive lyrics, with five Grammy nominations to prove it. Justin Roberts is coming back to the state to teach songwriting at the Okoboji Writer's Retreat this September.

Later in the episode, John Pearson and Rebecca Kauten share about a recent development at Neppl Fen , north of Estherville. A fen is a rare type of wetland that relies on groundwater and cannot be easily restored once destroyed.

John and Rebecca have been monitoring this fen, which was previously used for crop production before the USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service acquired an easement to restore the wetland in 2020.

Guests:

• Justin Roberts , Grammy-nominated children's musician, Des Moines native
• John Pearson , state ecologist, Iowa Department of Natural Resources
• Rebecca Kauten , instructor of geographical and sustainability sciences, University of Iowa