Conference Schedule
Thursday, August 21, 2008
12:00-3:00 PM | Conference Center Lobby
Registration / Exhibit booth setup
5:00-7:00 | Conference Center Lobby
Welcoming Reception sponsored by Western Illinois University
Honored Guests:
U.S. Congressman Phil Hare, Illinois 17th District (tentatively)
U.S. Congressman Kenny C. Hulshof, Missouri 9th District (tentatively)
Illinois Lt. Governor Pat Quinn (tentatively)
Exhibits will be displayed throughout the entire conference on the concourse of the i wireless Center.
A casual Get-Acquainted Catfish Fry follows on the Moline riverfront sponsored by Heart of America Restaurants and other area restaurants.Enjoy fantastic viewswhile meeting other conference attendees.
Friday, August 22, 2008
8:45-9:30 | Opening Keynote | Conference Room D, E, F
Welcome and Introductions:
Colonel Robert Sinkler
District Commander, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Featured Presentation:
Creating a Wildlife Habitat
Marcia Maslonek, Wildlife Habitat Council
Ms. Maslonek is the Vice President of Programs for the Wildlife Habitat Council. The Wildlife Council helps landowners, particularly corporations, manage their unused lands in an ecologically sensitive manner for the benefit of wildlife. Ms. Maslonek will share several success stories and explain how corporations can develop a wildlife habitat of their own.
9:45-11:45 | Concurrent Sessions
Track 1: Natural Resources and Environmental Planning | Conference Room A
Ecology & Management Roles
Moderator: Dr. Roger Viadero, Western Illinois University
• Our Place in River History
John Afinson, Historian, National Park Service
• Corps of Engineers: Our role on the Upper Mississippi River
Roger Perk, Chief of Planning and Policy Branch, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
• U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service: Refuge Management
Don Hultman, Refuge Manager, Upper Mississippi River Wildlife & Fish Refuge
• Role of states in Managing the Upper Mississippi River
Mike Griffin, Wildlife Management Biologist, Iowa Department of Natural Resources
Track 2: River Recreation Opportunities and How They Are Realized | Conference Room B
Trails: Connecting, Designing and Funding
Moderator: Jeff Cornelius, River Action
• Coursing Through 3,000 miles of Trails
Mark Ackelson, Executive Director, Natural Heritage Foundation
• Tailoring Trails For All Users: ADA Issues
Nichole Montembeault, Accessibilty Specialist, National Center on Accessibility, Indiana University
• Designing Trails, Wayfinding and Amenities
John LaMotte, AICP, Principal, The Lakota Group
Track 3: Urban Waterfront Needs in the Ecological City | Conference Room C
Urban Waterfront Needs on the Working Waterfront – Do you build attractions to lure tourists or create opportunities for your community’s own enrichment?
Moderator: Dr. Norm Moline, Augustana College
• Nature in the City: Case studies from St. Paul, St. Louis, and Vicksburg.
Dan McGuiness, Director, Upper Mississippi River Campaign and Conservation Policy, Audubon Minnesota and Upper Mississippi River Campaign
• Getting the Right Mix
Larry Kirch, Director of Planning and Development, City of LaCrosse, WI
• So You Want a Water Taxi?
Jeff Nelson, General Manager, MetroLink, and Lt. John Martin, Supervisor, U.S. Coast Guard
12:00-1:30 | Lunch | Conference Rooms D, E, F
Featured Presentation:
Upper Mississippi River and the 110th Congress Congressman
U.S. Congressman Bruce Braley, Iowa 1st District
Recent Public Opinion Research on protecting the Mississippi River
Jeffrey Potter, Director of Communications, Biodiversity Group
Mr. Potter will share information from focus groups and a survey taken in 2007 on the Upper Mississippi River. These findings inform and instruct those wanting to market to and educate the nation about the Mississippi River.
1:45-3:15 | Concurrent Sessions
Track 1: Natural Resources and Environmental Planning | Conference Room A
Project Approval and Construction
Moderator: Jerry Paulsen, Natural Land Institute
• Good Planning Makes a Project Happen
Bob Clevenstine, Biologist, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
• Obtaining Grants and Funding
Teri Goodman, Asst. City Manager, City of Dubuque, IA
• Navigating Through the Permit Process
Dan Johnson, P.E., Chief of Regulatory Branch, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Track 2: River Recreation Opportunities and How They Are Realized | Conference Room B
Water Trails
Moderator: Gary Swenson, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
• New Trends and Users: The Water Trail Movement
Nate Hoogeveen, Iowa Water Trails Coordinator, Iowa Department of Natural Resources
• Paddling: A Stealth Approach to Exploring Wildlife Areas
Julie Ohde, Executive Director, Louisa County Conservation Board
• Creating a Water Trail on America’s River
Charlie Deutsch, Natural Resource Specialist, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers - St. Louis District Rivers Project
Track 3: Urban Waterfront Needs in the Ecological City | Conference Room C
Working Waterfronts: Making Everything Work
Moderator: Dr. Norm Moline, Augustana College
• Making Connections: Dealing with Barriers
Kevin Graham, Principal Landscape Architect, Planning Resources, Inc., Wheaton, IL
• Design with Both the Public and Private Sectors in Mind
Marshall Guth, Vice President of Operations, RiverStone Group, Moline, IL
• Charting a Course for the Future in the Historic Ice Harbor
Jerry Enzler, Executive Director, America’s River Museum, Dubuque, IA
3:45-7:15 | Field Trips
Land and Water Adventure
The field trip will be divided between a water segment on the Channel Cat water taxi and a land segment by bus. Participants will learn not only about site details, but also about development and management practices which could be applicable to sites in their own communities. The sites will include:
-Sylvan Island, a conversion of an old industrial site to an historic, nature and fishing park
-Sylvan Slough Natural Area, another conversion of an industrial site into an educational “Retain the Rain” park
-City of Rock Island bioretention ravine and rain garden program, two components of an exemplary stormwater management program
-Lock and Dam 15, with special focus on the issues of the dam system as it manages flow and water levels for different purposes
-Lateral and wing dams in the river channel, implications for river flow including some new findings
-Waterfront uses, examples of issues in redeveloping quality waterfronts and marinas as economies change
-Campbell’s Island, an example of floodproofing strategies in an area without levees
Nahant Marsh Educational Field Trip
Visit a former superfund site and the largest urban wetland on the Upper Mississippi River. This field trip will take conference participants to the Nahant Marsh Educational Center and various nature trails.
Saturday, August 23, 2008
8:30-10:30 | Concurrent Sessions
Track 1: Natural Resources and Environmental Planning | 2nd floor Arena Concourse
Community & Industry as Partners
Moderator: Hank DeHaan, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
• Navigation Industry: Partners protecting the River
Larry Daily, President, Alter Barge Lines
Paul Rhode, Vice President, Waterways Council, Inc.
• Improving the River Environment
Jeremiah Haas, Principal Aquatic Biologist, Exelon Nuclear
• Helping Communities Achieve their Goals
Mike Knott, Senior Environmental Analyst, Stanley Consultants
• The Role of Education
John Dunkhase, Clinical Assoc. Professor, Natural Sciences and Science Education, University of Iowa
Track 2: River Recreation Opportunities and How They Are Realized | 2nd floor Arena Concourse
River Recreation & Eco-Tourism
Moderator: John Knoble, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
• Connecting River Conservation and Communities: Real life examples in the McGregor and Prairie du Chien area
Jon Stravers, Research and Field Trip Coordinator, National Audubon Society Mississippi River Initiative
• Connecting People and Communities with Nature
Cindy Samples, Chief of Visitor Services and Communications at Upper Mississippi River Museum, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
• Eco-tourism Center: Rock Creek Co. Park
Walt Wickham, Executive Director, Clinton County Conservation Board
Track 3: Urban Waterfront Needs in the Ecological City | 2nd floor Arena Concourse
To Flood or Not to Flood?
Moderator: Dr. Reuben Heine, Augustana College, Rock Island
• Urban Floodplain Strategies
Paul Osman, Community Floodplain Manager, State of Illinois
• Tale of Two Cities
Alan Carmen, Planning and Redevelopment Director, City of Rock Island, IL
Pam Miner, Director of Community and Economic Development, City of Davenport, IA
• Rural Floodplain Strategies
Dave McMurray, Chairman of the Board, Upper Mississippi, Illinois, and Missouri Rivers Association
11:00-12:00 | Conference Center Arena
Closing Ceremony
Saving Our Children From Nature-Deficit Disorder
Richard Louv, author 'Last Child in the Woods'
NOTE: This session is open to the public as well as conference attendees.
For the Richard Louv lecture, Illinois Teachers can receive continuing professional development units through the Rock Island County Regional Office of Education by calling (309) 736-1111. Iowa Teachers can receive relicensure credits through the Mississippi Bend Area Education Agency’s Learning Center by calling (563) 344-6487.
Post-Conference MRT Bike Ride
Saturday, August 23rd at 1 p.m. through Sunday, August 24th. Mississippi River Trail, Inc. will host a bike ride along the MRT from Davenport to Muscatine, IA after the conference. Riders will leave on Saturday traveling south along the Mississippi’s banks to Muscatine [40 miles] for an overnight stay. Vans will transport luggage to the overnight location. Camping or hotel accommodations will be available. The ride would then travel north on the Illinois side and finish Sunday evening. To register go to www.inhf.org. Cost of the ride is $25.
