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PAIDMontezuma, IAPermit No. 30

Volume 3, Issue 4 | November/December/January 2013-14 A P U B L I C A T I O N O F R I V E R A C T I O N , I N C . w w w . r i v e r a c t i o n . o r g

C o n n e c t i n g p e o p l e t o t h e r i v e r

Inside:: : River Action Updates : : Summer Education Made Fun: : Riverway Stories on WVIK: : River Conference, and more...

Historian Douglas Brinkleyto Speak at the 2014 Henry Farnam Dinner

Learn More About His Background and Books — page 14

TUrTles!— page 10

Wading Into Wild Areas

Walking the Centennial and Arsenal bridges after work, as my husband and I like to do, and looking at the Mississippi River, it is

easy to comprehend the ever increasing role that the river plays as the lifeblood of the Quad Cities and the economic contribution it can and does make.

The water is teeming with activity including motor boats, excursion boats, (soon, hopefully, water taxis in the lower pool), barges, and these days even jet skis, not to mention fishermen. All along the riverfront there is an increase in development and activity as people embrace the river, and on a summer evening, you can barely get a seat at one of the many concerts or festivals.

The river’s time has come.Yet the Mississippi is not only in the Quad Cities, nor is it just a backdrop for the

people who live, visit, or work within its watershed. At 2,320 miles in length, it flows through ten states, past parks and preserves, and over many, many cities and towns north and south. Even in the densely populated parts, the river serves as critical habitat to all kinds of wildlife ranging from the familiar (beavers, muskrats, mussels, and snapping turtles) to the less so like river otter and mink. This role is as important as its more visible other.

To build awareness of this function, River Action has begun celebrating wildness. We want people to come to understand that the Mississippi is alive with all kinds of creatures, and that together we need to invest time and resources into its care. While 18 million people in 50 cities rely on the Mississippi for drinking water, millions of flora and fauna drink it, too. Once people begin to embrace this, can cleaner water be far away?

Quad City Wild Places was launched in 2011 with this goal in mind. Bio-Diversity Day advanced knowledge of what is present at Green Valley Nature Preserve, Moline. (See results in this issue.) Nahant Marsh provides unique wildlife experiences.

Choose from 63 sites all working in partnership to improve conservation, awareness, and access. They include among others: Loud Thunder Preserve, Black Hawk State Historic Site, Sunderbruch Park, Lost Grove Lake, and Wapsi River Environmental Center.

John Ruskey, UMRC Creative Collaborations speaker pronounced, “The wilderness is the window of our souls, and water our smoothest passage through.” Find a place to connect at www.qcwildplaces.com.

November/December/January 2013-14 Volume 3 Issue 4

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KATHY WINE, Publisher / Executive DirectorBETH CLARK, Managing Editor, Milepost Ventures, LLC JEFF VanECHAUTE/pi design, inc., DesignEILEEN SIPES, Calendar EditorContributing Writers

AMY BANDMAN, River Action StaffTIM GILLMAN, River Action StaffMICHAEL GooDYEAR, River Action StaffMIK HoLGERSSoNJIM KEENANCURTIS RoSEMANKATHY WINE, River Action Staff

Contributing Photographers/PhotographsRoBIN BAUERLYTIM GILLMANMIK HoLGERSSoNSToCK: 123RF.CoM

© eddy Magazine and River Action, Inc., all rights reserved, 2013. Reproduction in any form, in whole or in part, without express, written permission, is prohibited. The views expressed herein, whether expressed as fact, fiction, opinion, advice or otherwise are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the ownership or management of this magazine. This magazine is sold with the understanding that neither it, nor River Action, Inc., its owners or managers, are engaged in rendering legal, accounting, tax, medical, technical, or any other advice, professional or otherwise. The publication of any advertisement does not reflect the endorsement of any products or services by the ownership or management of this magazine unless it is specifically stated in such advertisement and there is written approval for such endorsement. Those submitting manuscripts, photographs, artwork or other material to eddy Magazine for consideration should not send originals. Unsolicited manuscripts, photographs and other submitted materials must be accompanied by a self addressed, postage paid envelope in return of materials is requested. Return of materials is not guaranteed. eddy Magazine is published quarterly by River Action, Inc., 822 E. River Drive, Davenport, IA 52803 and is direct mailed to approximately 6,000 area homes and businesses.

eddy MagazinePublished by River Action, Inc.822 E. River Drive, Davenport, IA 52803563-322-2969www.riveraction.org

To Advertise: Contact Beth Clark 309-269-3455 or contact Pam Nye, email: [email protected]. For rates, ad dimensions and deadline information email [email protected]

To Subscribe or become a member of River Action: call 563-322-2969 or visit www.riveraction.org

Kathy Wine

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November/December/January 2013-14 | eddy Magazine 3

Cover Photo: © 2013 Mik Holgersson

O u r M i s s i o n :River Action strives to foster the environmental, economic, and cultural vitality of the Mississippi River and its riverfront in the Quad City region.

InSIDe ThIS ISSue 4 River Action updates FLoATzILLA

— by Amy Bandman

GoLF CART ToUR — by Michael Goodyear

TAMING oF THE SLoUGH 2013 — by Kathy Wine

CREATIVE CoLLABoRATIoNS CoNFERENCE 2013 — by Kathy Wine

BIo-DIVERSITY DAY — by Amy Bandman

10 Turtles! (Nahant Marsh) — by Mik Holgersson

12 Summer education Made Fun — by Jim Keenan

14 Douglas Brinkley at henry Farnam Dinner

— by Curtis Roseman

18 Riverway Stories on WVIK — by Amy Bandman

20 eddy Calendar: november,

December, January 2013-14 — by Eileen Sipes

p u b l i s h e r ’ s l e t t e r

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4 eddy Magazine | www.riveraction.org

river Ac tion updAtes

Floatzilla 2013 Results

On the beautiful summer afternoon of August 17th, 1,369 paddlers from 15 states and 3 countries in over 1,000

canoes and kayaks took to the river to pose for the annual group photo and world record attempt at the world’s largest flotilla. While the world

record was not surpassed, Floatzilla still remains the largest gathering of canoes,

kayaks and paddleboards on the Mississippi river. Floatzilla remained successful despite the obstacle of

the closing of the sylvan island launch site. this led to additional launch sites at Marquette street and Main street and larger lock-throughs. come out and enjoy the Mississippi river and be a part of the

action at next year’s paddlesports celebration.

GOLF CART TOUR: A Record Turnout for RiverWay Tours

By Amy Bandman

By Michael Goodyear

September 5, 2013, marked the 14th Senior Riverway Golf Cart Tour, and it achieved record numbers with 725

participants, nearly doubling those of last year. Tour #1, the Davenport riverfront, Tour #2, Arsenal Island, Tour #3 Rock Island and Moline, Tour #4 East Moline to Hampton, and #5 Rapids City to Cordova offered updates on projects in the respective cities. Area churches and senior living centers sent members and residents to participate.

Next year, the 15th anniversary, a 6th tour will be offered to Nahant Marsh.

Following the tour, Tracy Dvorak, River Action Board Secretary/Treasurer, launched a direct mail membership campaign identifying and promoting benefits of affiliation. Learn more at www.riveraction.org, click on “Join the Journey” or call 563-322-2969.

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When the Sylvan Island bridge closed in April, two

things were known from the get-go: first a new look and site for Taming was in order, and second, the site should

continue the adventure experience of the past and

be not just a substitute.

For seven years, Taming has promoted the urban waterfront, outdoor recreation in the city, and the potential for outfitters to serve the many residents and visitors to Moline. It has been successful and fulfilling to see the market grow and to help new paddlers and mountain bikers become comfortable with Sylvan Island Slough and Sylvan Island trails.

However, a new, more suburban setting was in store for the 2013 event.

Friends of Off Road Cycling (FORC), long time organizers of the biking leg of the race, offered a 5.5 mile mountain bike course in Illiniwek Park. Next, the Village of Hampton welcomed and offered assistance with the IL DOT, additional sand on the beach, and police security. Following that, East Moline opened Empire Park, its bike trail and pavilions, and Dr. George McNeil opened his reserve for the run. We had an adventure race Campbell’s Is land style!

The event attracted 165 racers, the exact 2012 number, and with the new launch site from Hampton beach, the dock master had the ability to accommodate more waves of

boats at the same time. This, in particular, was an efficient, official start.

The course around Campbell’s Island Slough was longer, 3.8 miles as opposed to 3 miles in years past, but this proved to be a good challenge and not arduous. Many exclaimed that the views were of a beautiful, natural landscape.

The mountain bike portion was on a trail in Illiniwek Park, a one-way 4.5 mile course. While it has a steeper grade (elevation gain, 400 ft.) than Sylvan Island, the course was in excellent condition, and racers enjoyed this challenge, too. With the 3.8 miles of paved trail to Illiniwek Park from the starting line, the bike event was 8.3 miles start to finish.

Finally, the run offered a one mile off-road portion through Dr. George McNeil’s reserve in East Moline. FORC members spent many hours preparing the course by mowing, raking, and defining the track. The return to the finish line was a one-mile stretch along the East Moline riverfront bike path back to Empire Park where the winners were announced.

Because Taming of the Slough has always welcomed teams, the Corporate Challenge was added to offer, among other things, opportunities for team building and showing corporate support for healthy lifestyles and efforts to maintain water quality and access to the Mississippi River. Letters go out to human resources directors weeks in advance inviting employees to participate in the Corporate Challenge, this year sponsored by Live Uncommon, Russell Construction. It pits local businesses against one another for Quad Cities’ bragging rights, and the Corporate Adventure trophy, which is a traveling trophy, is awarded for a year to the winning corporate team. This year the teams came from Russell Construction (two teams), Crawford Company, US Army-Rock Island-1st Army, Bent River Brewing Company, and The Badlands Gym.

Taming of The sloUgh C a m p b e l l ’ s I s l a n d E d i t i o n

Prior to the race, Tune Up For Taming sessions were held for racers and the general public on August 22, 29, September 5, 5:30 to 7 p.m. at Empire Park, East Moline. They were opportunities for competitors to try the courses before the event. Canoes and kayaks were provided by River Action and Princeton Outdoor Adventures at no cost to participants.

Many thanks to our sponsors which were: Live Uncommon, Russell Construction, McLaughlin Subaru, Applestone Homes, Crawford Company, Townsend Engineering, Group O, Dispatch Argus Radish, Toltec Incorporated, Molyneaux Insurance, City of Moline, Bent River, FORC, ESI QC, King’s Material, Princeton Outdoor Adventures, and Saukenuk Paddlers.

Transformed and successful, the race received good reviews. Complete results are available on www.riveraction.org/taming. Many thanks to the volunteers, city officials, and a dedicated steering committee who made it happen!

2013 Taming of the Slough Winners:Male Individual: Nate Scott – Moline, ILFemale Individual: Michelle Mangelsdorf –

Moline, ILMale 2 Person Team: Matt & Daryl Davison

– Maquoketa, IACoed 2 Person Team: “Las Tortugas” Rachel

& Mark Squires – Eldridge, IAMale Relay: (Overall fastest time) “The

Dream Team” Paul Harrington, Russell Bardsley, and John Tinsman

Female Relay: “PMS Express” Kelly Anderson, Michelle Nordstrom, Becky Benard

Coed Relay: “Fifty Plus” Jeff Kranz, Doug McCollum, Jayne O’Brien

Corporate Challenge: “Team Badlands” The Badlands Gym in Orion, Illinois. Gregory Ford, Eric Ford, Matt McViety

By Kathy Wine


Creative Collaborations Conference Brings Global Awareness to the Mississippi River By Kathy Wine

September 25-28 marked a special collaboration between River Action and

Washington D.C.’s Waterfront Center. Both came together to host the 6th Annual Upper Mississippi River Conference and the 31st Urban Waterfronts under the theme Creative Collaborations. It signified this unique event and the importance of cooperative efforts dealing with the world’s waterways and waterfronts. It took place at the RiverCenter in Davenport.

Since 2008, River Action has brought together planners, elected officials, architects, engineers, floodplain managers, environmental groups, developers, educators, and students to create a meeting focused on the Upper Mississippi River. This year, presenters discussed topics such as frac sand mining, riverfront development, agriculture and water quality, flood insurance, and river recreation.

The UMRC kicked off with an opening reception sponsored by Western Illinois University with a welcome by Dr. Kenneth S. Hawkinson, Provost & Academic Vice President. He remarked on the dedication of the university to environmental sciences and the commitment it has made to sustainability on its Quad City riverfront campus.

The keynote speaker, John Ruskey, an outfitter on the Lower Mississippi, spoke of his Mighty Quapaws Apprenticeship Program for the youth of the Mississippi Delta, and with inspiring images of the river, the need to improve water quality for this and future generations.

Concurrent sessions followed on “Evolving Conservation and Water Quality Policies & Practices”, “Planning for Resiliency and Developing Results”, and “River Recreation—It’s Good for the Soul”. The latter featured Mayor Tom Thompson, City of Grafton, who

talked of the “The Mississippi River Cities & Towns Initiative: A Common Voice for River Communities”; Reggie McLeod, Editor and Publisher, Big River Magazine, on “How changes in the River are Affecting Recreation”, and Dr. Bob Schneider, University of Wisconsin Milwaukee, “Improving Pedestrian and Bicycle Connections Between Neighborhoods and Urban Waterfronts.”

Afternoon field trips included: a summer birding hike through a bottomland hardwood forest in Milan Bottoms led by Joe Lundh, Corps of Engineers; a Bicycle Tour of the riverfront trail led by Dean Mathias, Milan; and a Channel Cat Tour Through Lock & Dam 15 with Samantha Helig, Corps of Engineers.

Friday morning featured a Welcome and Water Ceremony from the Waterfront Center which has become a conference tradition. Individuals are asked to bring a small bottle of water from their local rivers, lakes or bays, and pour the water into a bowl to symbolize the waterfront community’s collective commitment to the health of the world’s waters and to sound waterfront planning and development practices. Water came from Aukland, New Zealand, Luanda, Angola; Mississauga, Canada; Halifax, Nova Scotia; Houston, Texas; Denver, Colorado; San Pedro, California; Memphis, Tennessee; and the Quad Cities.

Since 1987, the Waterfront Center has reviewed plans and projects from around the world for its Excellence on the Waterfront Awards. This year’s Top Honor Award for a Plan went to the Ocean Beach Master Plan, San Francisco, that tackles sea-level rising, an issue more plans of the future will have to address. Its suggested strategies are: retreat, nourishment, and coastal armoring.

St. Paul, Minnesota, received an Honor Award for the Great River Passage -- Mississippi

River Corridor Master Plan which calls for first, making the river more natural, including restoration of streams and improvement of storm water quality. Second, making the riverside more urban, including a balance of river recreation opportunities and maintenance of the working waterfront, and third, making the river more connected to citywide networks via trails, parkways, and river boulevards.

Project Honor Awards went to Luanda, Angola, for treating 600,000 tons of polluted silt and sand and construction of a new wastewater system as part of a waterfront makeover. Brooklyn Bridge Park received an award for water and shoreline access and the use of recycled materials in buildings in a great community gathering place. Curtis Hixon Park, Tampa, Florida, won for a catalytic public space that has spurred new investment in downtown Tampa (an estimated 60 new restaurants!), created a home to festivals and other programs, and linked trails along the river. In the process, a parking garage and art museum blocking access to the river were removed.

Ghost Fish 107 was the winning entry in the Artistic/Cultural/Educational category. In San Pedro, California, the simple, striking, and somewhat haunting piece of public art stands 35 feet tall on a Port of Los Angeles dock, and it tells an environmental story while celebrating the working waterfront. In the shape of a tuna, the stainless steel mesh sculpture recalls a major tuna industry.

The Glouscester Harbor Walk, Glouscester, Massachusetts, won an Honor Award for a board walk on an historic and still active working waterfront. It is an imaginative 1.2 mile interpretive walkway that connects to the active harbor and is punctuated by 42 granite posts, “story moments”, that recall area history. The posts have smartphone capability allowing

Participants enjoy the annual catfish fry on the RiverCenter’s South Lawn after Wednesday’s welcome reception. Center: Joe Lundh of the Army Corps of engineers introduces in transport features of Milan Bottoms. Right: Participants take a bird-watching hike through Milan Bottoms.



visitors to listen to stories, poems or sounds, and each has a symbol designed to allow for hand rubbings.

Smother’s Park, Owensboro, Kentucky, won for creating a pedestrian-friendly street that runs along the river, a signature fountain that reaches 45 feet, and a children’s outdoor museum and playground planned in part by local elementary children.

Wuxi, Jiangsu Province, China, won an Honor Award in the Mixed Use category for an Urban Renaissance and Restoration of the Wuxi Grand Canal Bridge and Conservation Area. Said to be 2,500 years old and the longest and oldest canal in the world, it underwent renewal beginning in 2001. Today, the restored canal district (abandoned factories have become museums) is a major tourist destination in the city and province.

Finally, The Clearwater Award that recognizes the work of grassroots organizations went to Esplanade 2020, Boston, Massachusetts. The vision for the future encompasses a key stretch of the Charles River in downtown Boston. The “friends group” put out a call to Boston’s design community to help, pro bono, prepare a plan, and the response

was overwhelming. After two years of work and more than 100 work sessions, the 100 page, large format, illustrated, forward thinking document was published.

All of the 2013 awards will be featured with photos on the Waterfront Center’s website at www.waterfrontcenter.org.

In all, participants in this unique conference shared successes, lessons learned, and concerns. Exchanges of plans, brochures, business cards, and maps were made during receptions, coffee breaks and networking luncheons. Almost all undertakings—no matter how large or small—require some degree of people and organizations working together, and most initiatives involve no small amount of compromise as those involved seek common ground where conflict arises. Conference panelists and speakers paid special tribute to these efforts throughout the four days. However, all participants were collaborators during this lively meeting because merely sharing ideas is in itself a form of creative collaboration. Eyes were opened as we were charged with bringing about more collaboration on our waterways and waterfronts.

Panelists Denny Canneff, Wisconsin River Alliance, Lynette Seigley, Iowa DnR, and Mike Clare, City of Davenport answer questions on conservation and water quality practices after giving presentations.

networking was an important feature of the September conference.


BIO-DIVeRSITY DAY In addition to studying and identifying

the living things in other natural areas, experts will revisit the Green Valley site to do a follow up study that looks at the distribution of the different species identified. From this, site managers can benefit by having further insight for site management. Instead of a comprehensive species list, this follow-up study will turn out a report of species abundance and dominance, as well as the distribution of invasive species.

Get involved in next year’s Bio-Diversity Day! Come out and see what wildlife you can discover!

Biodiversity can be defined as the variety of life in a given area. On August 31, 2013,

River Action and Augustana College’s Upper Mississippi Studies Center joined forces to discover and document all of the living things at Green Valley Nature Preserve in Moline, IL. During this first Bio-Diversity Day event, members of the public spent a beautiful summer day working alongside scientific experts to identify all of the site’s living things.

The program was started as an effort to document the biodiversity of the natural areas that are found throughout the Quad Cities. Being aware of the biodiversity in any given area has many benefits for the community. One benefit is that it helps with conservation measures of the site. Another is its opportunity to teach the public about local natural areas.

This first Bio-Diversity Day was a great success. Twenty-five local scientific experts from area colleges, universities and naturalist organizations led groups of three to five members of the public through the 250 acre property to collect species data. During morning and afternoon shifts, inventorying teams found and identified 429 different species! With nets and clipboards in tow, members of the public found and identified 189 plant, 123 insect, 97 bird, 8 mammal, 6 amphibian, 4 reptile and even 2 worm species!

Results of this biodiversity study have been sent to the Green Valley Nature Preserve Site Manager, Rodd Schick, of the City of Moline to aid in conservation planning and educational efforts.

River Action and the Upper Mississippi Studies Center announced this as the first of many biodiversity studies to take place in the area. The hope is to hold future Bio-Diversity events at other wild places in the Quad Cities and to get the public out to enjoy and learn about nature. The combination of past and future Bio-Diversity Days will capture a good picture of the biodiversity throughout the Quad Cities’ region so the community can celebrate the abundance of life that resides in local natural areas.

entomologist Chris Dietrich of the Illinois natural history Survey examines and identifies insect specimens after a morning of data collection.

Augustana College Biology Professor Bohdan Dziadyk leads members of the public into Green Valley nature preserve to identify and educate the public about plant species.

experts and community members worked together to identify 189 species of plants during Bio-Diversity Day.

By Amy Bandman



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During this first Bio-Diversity Day event, members of the public spent a beautiful summer

day working alongside scientific experts to identify

all of the site’s living things.

A Black Swallowtail caterpillar is found during Bio-Diversity Day emitting an unpleasant smell from its forked gland to repel predators.


Rarity typically walks hand in hand with value. However, perception is everything. Prior to the arrival of the pioneers, Iowa

was covered by vast expanses of prairie and an abundance of scattered wetlands. The soil that underlays these ecosystems was among the richest on the planet, and this became the focal point for settlers. Within a period of approximately 40 years following the invention of John Deere’s steel plow in 1837, the frontier had moved West of Iowa and farmers had settled across the state. The decline of the prairie and wetlands went unnoticed, or at least unappreciated, and eventually more than 99% of Iowa’s original prairies and wetlands were replaced with farmland. A similar story played out in Illinois and several other Midwestern states.

We now have the historical and ecological knowledge to comprehend the rarity and value of the remaining prairies and wetlands, but this abstract information (which is plentiful and compelling) has not been sufficient to fully penetrate the American culture. Wetlands, in particular, continue to be viewed as nuisances, as mosquito breeding ponds, as dump sites, and as obstacles in the way of development. Changing this attitude, however, cannot be sufficiently overcome by offering information to the contrary, but rather requires building relationships between people and the resource. To that end, connecting people to the organisms that call a wetland (or prairie) home can be an enlightening experience that personalizes conservation of these resources.

Turtles are among the best ambassadors for wetland conservation. Though science saw fit to create the term “chelonaphobia” to describe the “fear of turtles and tortoises,” it is much more likely to hear a person say “snakes, spiders, leeches, oh my!” At Nahant Marsh, an urban wetland complex and education center located along the Mississippi River in Davenport, Iowa, a turtle monitoring program was instituted in 2010 to collect demographic data on the different turtle species residing in the marsh. The results of this research have since been used to introduce hundreds of people to these likeable organisms through public outreach presentations.

After four years of research, nearly 800 painted turtles (Chrysemys picta), 90 snapping turtles (Chelydra serpentina), 36 red-eared sliders (Trachemys scripta), 2 spiny

nahant MarshT u r t l e P r o g r a m

Story and Photos By Mik Holgersson

nAhAnt updAte

Mik holgersson, principal investigator of the nahant Marsh Turtle Monitoring Program, explains the identifying differences between a painted turtle and red-eared slider during a Riverine Walk outreach presentation. Photo by: Megan holgersson

Painted turtles each exhibit a unique abstract inkblot pattern on their plastrons (lower shell).

Mik holgersson, principal investigator of the nahant Marsh Turtle Monitoring Program, presents a juvenile snapping turtle.


soft-shell turtles (Apalone spinifera), and 20 Blanding’s turtles (Emydoidea blandingii), have been individually identified at Nahant Marsh, and new individuals continue to be commonplace. Public discussion of the sheer number of these turtles living within Nahant Marsh is often met with surprise and alone sparks new appreciation for the importance of wetlands - not as abstract habitats, but as home to hundreds of individual turtles. Public opportunities to observe and even handle these organisms have helped further personalize the learning experience: handling a painted turtle enables careful scrutiny of the beautiful inkblot-like patterns on the lower surface of its shell; showing a rare Blanding’s turtle is usually the first time an audience has ever seen or heard of these secretive semi-aquatic turtles; presenting a snapping turtle allows for the dispelling of the many myths that exaggerate their bite.

The combination of research and public outreach has allowed the Nahant Marsh Turtle Monitoring Program to make wetland conservation about more than protecting a landscape that is viewed from

afar, but about protecting communities of individual organisms that a person can create relationships with through sight and touch. This relationship can plant the seed necessary for developing an accurate appraisal of the value of wetland ecosystems as the rare, vulnerable relicts of a historical landscape that has all but disappeared.

The Nahant Marsh Turtle Monitoring Program will continue as funding allows. To date, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Eastern Iowa Community College, and River Action Inc. have been major financial contributors. Mik Holgersson, President of

Vildmark Inc., is the principal investigator of this research. For more information and/or to offer your support, please contact River Action Inc. or Mik Holgersson ([email protected]).

Painted turtles have striking yellow facial markings that overlay an olive to black background.

On the cover: In 2013, a year-old Blanding’s turtle, a species that is state threatened in Iowa and endangered in Illinois, was discovered at the marsh by a resource management employee. This was the first young Blanding’s turtle observed at the marsh since 2002, offering hope that the population remains viable and affirming the ecological significance of nahant Marsh.


explore the RiverBy Jim Keenan

s u M M e r e d u c At i o n

ellis Kell, Director of Programming and Community Outreach, River Music experience, pickin’ and grinnin’ at a sell-out Channel Cat Talk on Music of the Mississippi River

If You Miss the Channel Cat Talks, You Miss the Boat!

I am reluctant to reveal how much I enjoyed serving as the River Action host for some of the Channel Cat Talks and Riverine Walks in the 2013 Explore the River Education Series. I didn’t know how little I knew, and I didn’t know how much fun I’d have learning about our current and historical links to the Mighty Mississippi. The classes got me out, on, or along the river on some beautiful Tuesday and Thursday mornings and evenings – for Channel Cat Talks – and on some equally beautiful Wednesday evenings and Saturday mornings – for Riverine Walks. These classes on the water or on the banks of the river were led by some of the QCA’s best-known naturalists, historians, musicologists, and other raconteurs, and they were attended by a congenial crowd of curious fellow travelers – ranging in age from pre-school to senior citizens senior even to me – some of whom signed up for all or many of both series.


If You Miss the Riverine Walks, You Miss the Connection!

Individually, the presenters of Channel Cat Talks and Riverine Walks provide context for the plants, animals, Native Americans, early settlers, musicians, and lumbermen who grew and roamed and peopled the banks of the Mississippi, leading our relatives to follow. Channel Cat Talks included: Mississippi Landscape, Mussels, Birds, Bridges, Sawmills, Locks & Dams, Music, and more. Riverine Walks included Credit Island, Sylvan Island, the Hennepin Canal, the Rock River Trail, Railroad History, Macrophotography, and more. The presenters are experts; they brought attendees into their presentations – to touch the birds (stuffed), and the fish, reptiles, and amphibians (live), to imagine the history, and to capture the photographs that capture the character of the river. Individually, the Channel Cat Talks and Riverine Walks are fascinating, fun, and focused on specific aspects of The River. But collectively, they provide a sense of the timeless sway the Mississippi holds over plants, animals, and humans today and has held since time immemorial. This should explain why I’m reluctant to reveal how much fun it is to host or attend the Channel Cat Talks and Riverine Walks. There could be a stampede for tickets, in which case I might miss the boat, or worse, I might miss the connection to the greatest of American Rivers.

See you all next summer. — Jim Keenan

River Action Member & Volunteer.

s u M M e r e d u c At i o n

A Riverine Walk through the prairie at nahant Marsh.


The Quad Cities Henry Farnam Dinner will feature a presentation by historian Douglas Brinkley at its

eleventh annual event on March 21, 2014. Previous Farnam Dinner speakers have informed and entertained us by focusing on interesting people, places, and events in the Upper Mississippi River region. In recent years our featured speakers have included a steamboat captain, the CEO of a railroad corporation, a descendent of lumber magnate Frederick Weyerhaeuser, and an Abraham Lincoln scholar.

This year we add to the list Dr. Brinkley, who is a distinguished professor of history at Rice University in Houston, Texas, and a fellow at the James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy. He is one of the most prolific and honored historians of our time and an engaging speaker. Brinkley frequently appears on television, commenting on major events and influential people of the past and how they relate to current events. The New York Times has selected six of his books as “Notable Books of the Year.”

His books cover an impressive range of topics, including American leaders, military campaigns, Catholicism, and environmental disasters and successes. He has written influential biographies of presidents Theodore Roosevelt, Ronald Reagan and Jimmy Carter, along with Henry Ford, Rosa Parks, and others. In his latest biography, a 2012 book on Walter Cronkite, Brinkley chronicles the life of this American broadcasting icon.

In his 2011 New York Times best-seller, The Quiet World: Saving Alaska’s Wilderness Kingdom, 1879-1960, Brinkley traces the wilderness movement in Alaska, from John Muir to Theodore Roosevelt to Aldo Leopold to Dwight D. Eisenhower, which led to the creation of the Arctic

Brinkley, Continued on page 17

F e At u r e s to r y

2014 Henr y Farnam Dinner Welcomes

Douglas Brinkley


Works, continued on page 16

The Great Deluge: Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans, and the Mississippi Gulf Coast, 2006

brinkley’s unique viewpoint of hurricane Katrina, the storm-surge flooding, and government mismanagement is informed by his roles as historian, journalist, and resi-dent of new orleans. he details this natural and human disaster that ravaged the entire Gulf coast from August 27 through september 3, 2005, using the multiple perspectives of Katrina survivors, including coast Guard officer Jimmy duckworth and photojournalist tony Zumbado.

The Mississippi and the Making of a Nation, 2002

Filled with contemporary and historic pho-tos, maps, and illustrations, brinkley teams up with fellow historian stephen Ambrose and national Geographic photographer sam Abell to present a broad overview of the Mississippi river starting in 1803 with the louisiana purchase. they explore the river’s entire 2,353 mile length from its mouth at delacroix island, louisiana, to its source at lake itasca, Minnesota.

B r i n k l e y ’ s W o r k sb y H e d y H u s t e d d e


F e At u r e s to r y

The Wilderness Warrior: Theodore Roosevelt and the Crusade for America, 2009

Wilderness was extremely important to our 26th president, and he had a hand in pre-serving over 230 million acres of it for the American public. that is surely his greatest legacy. in this epic biography of roosevelt’s life and achievements, brinkley touches on such influences as John James Audubon and charles darwin and includes stories of wild-pig hunt-ing in texas and grouse flushing in iowa.

Cronkite, 2012

Missouri-born cronkite was known as “the most trusted man in America”, most famously anchoring cbs evening news from 1962 until he retired in 1981. With unprecedented access to cronkite’s papers and interviews of family and friends, brinkley combines the public with the private man especially when encountering such iconic moments as the assassination of John F. Kennedy, Apollos 11 and 13, Watergate, and the iran hostage crisis.


National Wildlife Refuge in 1960. In 2004 Brinkley was a resident of New Orleans when Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast of the United States. Soon thereafter he was writing The Great Deluge: Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans, and the Mississippi Gulf Coast, a detailed account of the disaster which draws on his own personal experience and interviews with scores of other people who directly experienced the disaster. The Great Deluge, published in 2006, won the Robert F. Kennedy Book Award. In preparation for the 2002 book, The Mississippi and the Making of a Nation: from the Louisiana Purchase to Today, Brinkley travelled the Upper Mississippi with his coauthor Stephen Ambrose. Together they visited numerous places along the river and interviewed people in the Quad Cities and other communities.

At the 2014 Henry Farnam Dinner, Professor Brinkley will share his perspectives on the Upper Mississippi, drawing on his rich and varied background as a historian. In addition to the Brinkley presentation, the evening will feature displays by various organizations that share interest in our river and region. As it has in the past, River Action will be a sponsor of the dinner and be a partner with the Farnam Committee in its organization. Additional support for the 2014 dinner is provided by St. Ambrose University and Greg Schermer, Vice President, Lee Enterprises. The dinner will be held at the Rogalski Center on the St. Ambrose campus. Save the date, March 21, 2014!

Brinkley, continued from page 14


A conversat ion with

Jay Piercei n t e r v i e W

By Amy Bandman

Providing the upper Mississippi River valley with in-depth news, arts and cultural information, and classical music,

WVIK Augustana Public Radio has added RiverWay Stories, underwritten by the Singh Group, every Saturday morning, 8:34 a.m. following Morning Edition.

Patterned after the award-winning stories of our region, “Rock Island Lines” with Roald Tweet, Jay Pearce asked River Action to provide three-minute essays on river related news and culture. The series kicked off March 2, 2013, and has covered among other topics: The Value of Wetlands, Storm Drains and Pollution, American White Pelicans, Applying Environmental Ethics to our Lives, Levees: A Tale of Five Cities. We had an opportunity to interview Jay following a recording session.

I understand you have always been involved with creating new features where you’ve worked. What have they been?

At a previous job, “we had a feature called Environmental Almanac. It was a piece very similar to RiverWay Stories. It was three minutes long, and it was anything from planting a natural garden at your house, to bird counts, to other things about the environment that we live in that were important to know. So these were all things that I thought would be interesting things for people, three minutes at a time, to be able to sit down, listen to and learn something they didn’t know, think about something in a different way, or learn a new appreciation for something.”


how we use it, how we enjoy it, and relate into that the importance of taking care of the river itself and everything that feeds into it, I think we’re doing some really important work.”

What prompts your creativity?“I’m interested in so many different things.

Things of substance, things of beauty, things that matter. How do you get someone to listen to your message? You have to get their attention, and then you have to keep their attention…And in a world where the number of media outlets have increased, I guess just naturally it has required greater creativity… to get that message across.”

how has public radio changed since you became involved?

“(Public radio) has become much more focused. I became involved in it in the 1970’s, and public radio at that time had a mission of being all things to all people that weren’t done by somebody else. We were the alternative. It’s become more defined… and it’s grown in importance. It serves a much larger audience than it ever did, and it’s become an essential

What is your main focus at WVIK?“WVIK is here to be a community resource.

The two major areas we focus on are news and arts. News because it’s important for all of us who live in a democracy to know what’s happening and why it’s happening. If you listen to WVIK you’ll find out, it’s as simple as that…Arts adds that quality of life that we are all looking for.”

What are RiverWay Stories, and what do you hope to accomplish with them?

“The importance of the (Mississippi) River probably hasn’t changed, but the reason it’s important may have over the years, and we probably used to think about it more as a transportation source, but now it’s so much more. It’s recreational, it’s tourism, it’s just enjoyable to look at. Learning things about taking care of the watershed that feeds into it….are important, and if we can bring out the importance of the river through talking about

part of our media landscape. But it’s never lost the fact that it’s an independent media.”

What is your vision for WVIK?“Sense of place is a very important thing.

WVIK is a local station that’s independent; it’s responsive to the folks that live here. My vision for WVIK and public radio is to continue to evolve, so that as you listen to WVIK, what you hear back is yourself and your community. So that when you listen to it, is sounds like the Quad Cities, like Muscatine and Dubuque, it sounds like the things that we all share up and down the river.”

What incident affected the direction of your career?

“I was a business major and I guess it was the tedium of accounting class. That was it…And the frustration that I am completely unable to play a musical instrument or sing on key but love music, love musicians, have admired them all my life. I thought…if I can’t make the music myself, I want to make the music available.”

“I’m interested in so many different things. Things

of substance, things of beauty, things that

matter. How do you get someone to listen to your

message? You have to get their attention, and then you have to keep

their attention…

Jay Pearce and Dave Garner of WVIK offer their guidance and expertise to Amy Bandman, River Action, during a recording session of a RiverWay Stories essay.


NovemberBreakfast with BirdsFriday, November 1, 8-9am, Nahant Marsh Education Center, 563-323-5196Join us for an informative breakfast about our feather friends. The class will meet the first Friday of every month continuing until spring. Each session will cover a group of birds from dabbling ducks to raptors to songbirds. Depending on weather, there may also be a short hike to our bird blind. The trail to the bird blind is ADA accessible. Breakfast is a $5 donation and will include a hot meal, coffee, and juice. Please register if you would like breakfast by going to www.nahantmarsh.org.

Mississippi River Distilling Company Food and Spirit TastingsFriday, November 1, 5:30-8pm, Downtown Le Claire, IAOn the first Friday of every month, we’ll host an open house social hour. Many of the shops stay open late and the area bars and restaurants gear up for crowds. Don’t miss it on the first Friday of the month, 12 months a year.

Nahant Marsh - Marsh Madness Trivia Night Saturday, November 2, 5-10pm, Knights of Columbus, 1111 W 35th St, Davenport, IA Test your trivia knowledge at our first annual Marsh Madness Trivia Night! Profits from the event will go to support environmental education and conservation at Nahant Marsh. Mister Trivia will be our host. Please register your team by October 18th! You may register online or call 563-323-5196

• $80 per team (teams of 8 max.)• Doors open at 6pm ~ Questions start at 7pm• Bring your own snacks ~ Drinks available at bar• 50/50 and Silent Auction ~ There will be a TON

of amazing gift baskets, so be sure to bid early and often!

International Food and Wine ExperienceFriday, November 8, 6-9pm (food/wine) & 9-11pm (concert), River Music Experience, Davenport, 563-326-1333 or 563-349-1870

The 3rd Annual International Food and Wine Experience is back by popular demand. Space is limited. Tickets are $65 each or $105 per couple. Enjoy music by

Tony Sconyers for a very special evening.

River Action’s Environmental Book ClubTuesday, November 26, 7pm, River Action office, 822 E River Dr, Davenport, 563-322-2969Discuss Good Food Revolution, by Will Allen. River Action is dedicated to fostering the environmental, economic, & cultural vitality of the Mississippi River and its riverfront. The book discussions are free and open to the public.

DecemberBasic Woodcarving December 3, 6-8pm, Nahant Marsh Education Center, 563-323-5196The course will be instructed by Dennis Carlson from DC Carvings and the Mississippi Valley Wood Carvers Association. Participants will learn basic carving skills and produce handcrafted wood Christmas decora-tions. A spiral tree will be the first project. Additional projects of an icicle ornament and a Santa ornament will be available depending on the skills of the student

and time available. A

quality carv-ing knife, safety

gloves and thumb guards are provided. This class is a two-week,

four series course beginning on Tuesday, December 3, 2013. The class will continue on December 5th, 10th & 12th. Class size is limited. Ages: 18 & up. Cost: $135 and includes all materials. Payment due upon registration; registration required by going to www.nahantmarsh.org.

Breakfast with Birds December 6, 8-9am, Nahant Marsh Education Center, 563-323-5196 Join us for an informative breakfast about our feather friends. The class will meet in the first Friday of every month continuing until spring. Each session will cover a group of birds from dabbling ducks to raptors to songbirds. Depending on weather, there may also be a short hike to our bird blind. The trail to the bird blind is ADA accessible. Breakfast is a $5 donation and will include a hot meal, coffee, and juice. Please register if

you would like breakfast by going to www.nahantmarsh.org.

Gallery Hop!Friday, December 6th, The District, Downtown Rock IslandAn arts tour downtown Rock Island where galleries, shops, clubs and restaurants offer a variety of music visual and performing arts. This event is presented in conjunction with MidCoast Fine Arts. Free Admission. www.RIDistrict.com.

Toddler Tales: Squirrels Tuesday, November 12, 10-11am & 2-3 pm, Nahant Marsh Education Center, 563-323-5196It is time to prepare for winter! Learn about the ways squirrels and other animals store food for the winter! Cost: $3 per youth. Registration is required by going to www.nahantmarsh.org.

Scrappy Scarves Thursday, November 14, 6-9 pm, Nahant Marsh

Education Center, 563-323-5196 The class will be instructed by Cathy Lafrenz from Miss Effie’s Country Flowers and Garden Stuff. Participants will learn how to make a scarf out

of leftover yarn and ribbon scraps. Only basic knitting skills needed, cast on, knit stitch, and bind off. Students need to bring a 29” circular knitting needle size from 9 to 15 and leftover yarn and ribbon. Knitting needles will be

provided by instructor for an additional $5 the night of the class. Class size limited, registration required by going to www.

nahantmarsh.org. Cost: $15. Ages:

14 and older. Deadline to register: November 11th.

Friends of Nahant Meeting Wednesday, November 20, 6-7pmAre you looking to get more involved at Nahant? Then join us at our monthly Friends meeting! www.nahantmarsh.org.

Homeschool: Earth Caching Friday, November 22, 2:30-4pm, Nahant Marsh Education Center, 563-323-5196Students will learn how to use GPS and they will go Earth Caching at Nahant and enter their findings at http://www.earthcache.org/. Grades: K-8th. Cost: $6. Registration is required by going to www.nahantmarsh.org.

Holiday Pops featuring Debby BooneSaturday, November 23rd, 7:30pm, i wireless Center, MolineLet Debby Boone light up your holiday season at this year’s Holiday Pops! This annual Quad Cities’ tradition includes not just a GRAMMY Award winning solo-ist, but also the Sanctuary Choir of First Presbyterian Church, Davenport, led by Steve Jobman, and our own Quad City Symphony Youth Choir led by Mary Tallitsch. One dollar from every ticket will benefit the Genesis Music Therapy Programs.

Quad City Arts Festival of TreesNovember 23-December 1, RiverCenter, DavenportUsher in the season at the area’s most popular holi-day event. Festival of Trees has raised over $4 million in support of local arts over a 26 year period. Featuring many attractions including original holiday décor designed by local designers and available for purchase, continual dance and musical performances, holiday Helium Balloon Parade, holiday gift shop, chil-dren’s activity center, Gingerbread Village, raffle prizes and more! For information, visit www.quadcityarts.com/festoftrees.asp or call 563-324-3378.

e v e n t s c A l e n d A r


Christmas at Augustana Friday, December 6, 8 pm, Saturday, December 7, 4pm, Centennial Hall, 3703 7th Ave, Rock Island Christmas at Augustana has thrilled, inspired and touched audiences in nearly sold-out performances over the past five years. Three hundred student musicians share their talents in what has become a highlight of the Augustana and Quad City holiday season. Featuring per-formances by the Augustana Brass Ensemble, Augustana Symphony Orchestra, Augustana Choir, Cantilena Augustana, Jenny Lind Vocal Ensemble and the Wennerberg Men’s Chorus, this moving holiday concert is not to be missed!

Christmas in the VillageFriday & Saturday, December 6 & 7, 6-9pm, Village of East DavenportEnjoy family time with Santa Claus, Scrooge, living win-dows, carolers and musicians throughout the Village of East Davenport. There will be horse drawn wagon rides on Saturday and live music in various shops. Live nativity – Friday and Saturday nights. “Winter Sparkle” fireworks will be on Saturday on the riverfront at 9pm. In-store specials throughout the weekend. www.vil-lageofeastdavenport.com.

Toddler Tales: Hibernation Tuesday, December 10, 10-11am & 2-3pm, Nahant Marsh Education Center, 563-323-5196 Winter is officially here! We will learn how animals live and survive in the freezing weather! Cost: $3 per youth. Registration is required by going to www.nahantmarsh.org

Trans-Siberian Orchestra – i-Wireless CenterThursday, December 12, 7:30pm, i-Wireless Center, MolineTrans-Siberian Orchestra presents, “The Lost Christmas Eve”. Don’t miss this electrifying holiday tradition! For more information call 877-686-5366.

Friends of Nahant Meeting Wednesday December 18, 6-7pm

Are you looking to get more involved at Nahant? Then join us at our monthly Friends meeting! Call 563-323-5196.

Homeschool: Mastodon Matrix December 20, 2:30-4pm, Nahant Marsh Education Center, 563-323-5196 Students will learn about the mastodon project in New York. They will sift through a bag of soil that was taken from the excavation site and record any of their findings including, bone fragments, plant material, hair, and rock. Grades: K-8th. Cost: $6. Registration is required by going to www.nahantmarsh.org.


River Action’s Environmental Book Club - No book club meeting in DecemberBe sure to check on-line this month and vote for which

books you would like to read and discuss at River Action’s Environmental Book Club! The Book club is open to the pub-lic and meets on the fourth Tuesday of each month, January through November at 7pm at the River Action office. For more information, visit www.riveraction.org or call 563-322-2969.


Historic Clock Tower/Eagle Watch TourMississippi River Visitor Center, Arsenal Island, 309-794-5338, www.missriver.org This tour is seasonal, usually December through February, and combines a historic clock tower tour with eagle watching! Rangers provide spotting scopes for eagle viewing, but feel free to bring your own binoculars. A short educational film is part of this program and topics discussed are: eagle biology, eagle migration, eagle etiquette, and popula-tion.

JanuaryBreakfast with Birds

January 3, 8-9am, Nahant Marsh Education Center, 563-323-5196 Join us for an informative breakfast about our feather friends. The class

will meet in the first Friday of every month continuing until spring. Each session will cover a group of birds

from dabbling ducks to raptors to songbirds. Depending on weather, there may also be a short hike to our bird blind. The trail to the bird blind is ADA accessible. Breakfast is a $5 donation and will include a hot meal, coffee, and juice. Please pre-register if you would like breakfast by

going to www.nahantmarsh.org

Wildlife Paper Mache January 7, 6-8pm, Nahant Marsh

Education Center, 563-323-5196 Instructed by Julie Malake of Blue Sky

Imagery, participants will learn to make inter-esting creations from wire, paper and adhesive.

If you’ve seen Herman the Heron watching over the Nahant Marsh Education Center turtle habi-tat, you’ve seen what creatures made this way can look like. You are limited only by your imagi-nation, and much of the material can come right

out of your recycling bin. This is a four week course beginning on January 8th and

continuing on January 14th, 21st,

& 28th. Age: 14 & up. Class size is limited. Registration is required by going to www.nahantmarsh.org.

Bald Eagle DaysFriday, Saturday & Sunday, January 10-12, QCCA Expo Center, Rock Island, 309-788-5912Shows include Birds of Prey, Niabi Zoo Exotic Animals, Pella Wildlife Company, 20-ft climbing tower, and over 100 display booths, and more. Look for the River Action and Nahant Marsh booths. Adults $5, kids $1, kids under 6 free. www.qccaexpocenter.com. Friends of Nahant Meeting Wednesday, January 15, 6-7pmAre you looking to get more involved at Nahant? Then join us at our monthly Friends meeting! Call 563-323-5196.

River Action’s Environmental Book ClubTuesday, January 28, 7pm, River Action office, 822 E River Dr, Davenport, 563-322-2969Book to be announced. River Action is dedicated to fostering the environmental, economic, & cultural vital-ity of the Mississippi River and its riverfront. The book discussions are free and open to the public.

Homeschool: Eagle Counts Friday, January 31, 2:30-4pm, Nahant Marsh Education Center, 563-323-5196Students will learn about Bald Eagles and the wintering habits. We will conduct our own Bald Eagle Survey. More information is available at http://corpslakes.usace.army.mil/employees/bird/midwinter.cfm. Grades: K-8th. Registration is required by going to www.nah-antmarsh.org.


eddy magazine nov 2013

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