Rejuvenating the Relationship with the People and the Rivers

River Conference 

April 05-07, 2002

Our recent River Conference 2002 was a success in many dimensions.  Friday night’s presentation from Bill Lambrecht and the local art exhibit was highlighted with incredible table “centerpieces” that mirrored our local river islands. We enjoyed strong attendance Friday evening and hope to have such success at next year’s presentation – speaker confirmation pending.

 Saturday's workshops and presentations’ contents were spectacular successes.  Local and St. Louis attendees were enriched by new understandings of wetland habitat and restoration as well as the larger cooperative efforts nationwide to ‘restore our rivers'.  A number of new faces, expressing strong interest in the Sierra Club and river issues, will hopefully find a place to strengthen their interest and join our efforts.  The technical facility at Lewis & Clark, as well as the friendly table arrangements, made a wonderful place to learn and enjoy meeting new people.  Although we had a relatively small attendance Saturday and the Sunday fieldtrip interest was minimal, we look forward to working on next year’s conference and including more of what our members desire.

 Special thanks to:

Bill Lambrecht - who waived any fee and traveled from Washington DC to share his work and revisit his Alton "experience." We want to encourage our members to watch his byline coverage continuing in the Post, most currently on the Doe Run lead issue.

Lewis & Clark Community College and Wayne Politsch  - for providing a spectacular place and the support to use it. LCCC’s Gene Ursprung for letting us use artistic equipment.

Bob Gill - for the excellent video displays during the "6:30 hour" and the technical support during the entire conference.

Marc Miller of Prairie Rivers Network – for his two great presentations and native mussel display.

Bill Redding of the Midwest Sierra Club – for his inspiring lunch presentation that brought the human aspect into sharp focus

Mark Beorkrem of the Mississippi River Basin Alliance – for his great presentations, displays, and continuing advise in the management of the Rivers

Alley Ringhausen of the Great Rivers Land Trust – for his presentation on the local efforts to work on sedimentation and effluents of the Piasa Creek Watershed.

Marvin Mondy, Lewis & Clark Community College Ecological Study Director for the attention and information about the monitoring of Piasa Creek and PCWET

Sheri Droste of the Nature Institute for leading a wetlands walk and children’s activities.

Larry Tucker for leading a canoe trip at Calhoun Point.

Sandy Wood for helping with organizing, details, leading a walk at the Mississippi Sanctuary and moral support.

Dycie Madson - for donating artwork used in the brochure and other handouts.

Bonnie Douglas - for the wonderful "islands" on each table and the main stage. These consisted of river rocks and driftwood, carefully gathered, spectacularly arranged, and then faithfully returned to their habitats

Edna Alexander for leading a bird walk at the wetlands.

Christine Favilla - super organizer of the event with great workshop topics and a well-crafted and moving introduction on Saturday to the workshops.