Prairie Rivers Network is the Illinois Affiliate of the National Wildlife Federation
Support Prairie Rivers Network through Workplace Giving
Our Annual Dinner will again be at the I Hotel in Champaign on Friday, October 29, 2010.
The reception will begin at 6pm, and dinner will be served at 7pm.
The Rivers Corps of Discovery will bring the
beauty of our rivers to life with their presentation:
Impressions, Discoveries and Adventures.
Read an article on the founding of the Corps of Discovery here (pdf).
What do people do when drastic change demands action? Climate change, budget crisis, and time capsules spin a Midwest community through multiple possible futures in the quest for a relationship to water, energy, and food that can survive into future generations. None of them are easy. And all of them could happen.
Don’t miss the world premiere of AquaTown: a future hydrohistory
When: June 10-12, 2010 at 8:00 pm and June 13, 2010 at 7:00 pm
Where: Independent Media Center (Post Office Building), 202 S. Broadway Urbana, IL
Tickets:
$12 adult, $6 youth under 19.
$2 discount for seniors and arriving-not-by-car
Thursday: free admission
Call (217) 689-0111 for reservations.
Time spent squishing your boots in mud is time well spent. That is the consensus of participants who attended last Saturday’s River Discovery Program at Kickapoo State Park. Presented by Prairie Rivers Network and the Illinois Natural History Survey, the day’s activities ranged from touring the new Traveling Science Center to sampling for and identifying aquatic insects along the edge of the Middle Fork River. For Saturday’s program, INHS scientists collected turtles, fish, mussels, and crayfish from the river and its tributaries. Displayed in fish tanks, participants got a close-up view of a variety of Middle Fork River residents: the varied shapes and sometimes vibrant colors of fish, including a Rainbow darter and state-endangered Bluebreast darter; mussels burrowed into the sand, filtering the water for food; crayfish scuttling along the edges of their tank, their large claws up as if preparing for battle.
The 40-foot Traveling Science Center was a hit with kids and adults alike. Full of eye-catching information panels and a number of interactive games, the TSC provides basic, but critical, information on Illinois’ biodiversity, river ecosystems and negative impacts to these natural systems from pollution and other activities.
Designated a National Scenic River in 1989, the Middle Fork River is the premier jewel among Illinois’ rivers. The Middle Fork’s clean waters and healthy river habitat support an incredibly diverse number of wildlife, including more than 57 types of fish and 190 different birds. For more information on the Middle Fork River visit http://dnr.state.il.us/lands/landmgt/parks/r3/Natlriv.htm.
Future River Discovery Programs will be scheduled during the summer, additional information on these will be posted on our website.
WHAT:
Learn helpful hints on 319 grant writing from Illinois EPA, U.S. EPA, and the Lake County Stormwater Management Commission.WHEN: Wednesday, June 23rd 1:00 – 5:00 pm
WHERE: Parke Hotel & Conference Center, Bloomington, IL {Continue Reading »}
The event will feature some of Chicago’s most innovative designers and artists who recycle, reimagine and reinvent one-of-a-kind pieces made of recycled and vintage clothing, found objects and raw materials. In addition to the fashion show, art performances will be featured throughout the evening. Admission is $35.00 general admission ($45.00 at the door) and $75.00 VIP (VIP seating at the runway and admission to the VIP Green Lounge) which includes a hosted bar and light hors d’œuvres.
For more information about EarthShare, please visit their website at: http://www.earthshare-illinois.org/.
You can support Prairie Rivers Network through EarthShare Illinois workplace giving.
Join Prairie Rivers Network, Friends of Bell Smith Springs and Heartwood for a hike at Bell Smith Springs.
When: Sunday, May 30 from 2:30 to 5:30
Devil's Backbone Bell Smith Springs
Where: Bell Smith Springs Recreation Area, Shawnee National Forest, Southern Illinois
Click here for flyer with information, map, and driving directions.
This is a great opportunity to explore Southern Illinois with interesting people and a guide who knows Bell Smith Springs like no other, Sam Stearns of Friends of Bell Smith Springs.
For more information about Shawnee National Forest and Bell Smith Springs, see the US Forest Service website http://www.fs.fed.us/
Questions? Please call 217-344-2371 or email info@prairierivers.org
Be aware of poison ivy, ticks, and your need for sunblock. Drink water. There are cliffs, steep trails, and narrow stone steps. Not recommended for small children.
Check out the Heartwood Forest Council meeting being held at nearby Camp Ondessonk. If you attend the Council Meeting, you can stay in dorms or cabins. For more information: www.heartwood.org