River Action

Historian Douglas Brinkley to speak at 2014 Henry Farnam Dinner March 21 Latest

The 11th Annual Henry Farnam Dinner will be held Friday, March 21 with a presentation by noted historian and author Dr. Douglas Brinkley on “Wilderness Warriors: the Roosevelts and Iowans Who Changed America.”

Make your reservation today.

Online registration ends at 4 p.m., Tues., March 18.

CLICK HERE to purchase Henry Farnam dinner tickets online.
The speech will feature environmental themes relative to the Mississippi River, the Great Flood of 1927 (which led to creation of the Mississippi River Wildlife and Fish Refuge), and Iowa environmentalists who changed the world (including but not limited to Ding Darling, Henry Wallace and Aldo Leopold).

Brinkley is a distinguished professor of history at Rice University in Houston. He is a fellow at the James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy and frequently provides commentary on how past events and influential people shaped today's world.

He has written biographies of presidents Theodore Roosevelt, Ronald Reagan and Jimmy Carter, and penned the official biography of Rosa Parks. His latest biography in 2012 was on Walter Cronkite, the legendary CBS broadcaster for more than half a century.

Brinkley also wrote a 2011 New York Times bestseller, "The Quiet World: Saving Alaska's Wilderness Kingdom, 1879-1960." In the book, Brinkley traces the wilderness movement in Alaska from John Muir to Theodore Roosevelt to Aldo Leopold and Dwight D. Eisenhower which led to the creation of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in 1960.

Volunteer to help keep trails clean Latest

Adopt-a-Path is growing to meet the demands of an expanding trail network in the Quad Cities. This past year, two miles of the Mississippi River Trail was completed through downtown Bettendorf to Riverdale and in Davenport a new bridge was constructed, connecting Credit Island to South Concord Street.

Above photo, Andy Lenaghan and his helper, grandson Dax Leone, keep the bike path near Credit Island clean.

River Action’s Adopt-a-Path program is working to keep the Quad Cities’ recreational trails clean. The volunteer program is an informal agreement whereby citizens, organizations, local businesses and student groups help by picking up trails throughout the year. Volunteers or “Trail Keepers” adopt ½-mile sections of the Mississippi River Trail (IA and IL) and the Duck Creek Recreational Trail. (IA)

12th Annual Fish and Fire friendraiser and Eddy Awards coming April 25 Latest

Fish & Fire – River Action's annual friendraiser and fundraiser – will be held Friday, April 25 at Black Hawk State Historic Site, Watchtower Lodge, 1510 46th Ave, Rock Island, IL.

Celebrate Arbor Day with River Action. Receive a FREE tree, wildflower seed mix and fertilizer to jump-start your spring garden.

Adult tickets are $40 each. Tickets for River Action members are $32 each. Tickets for children ages 8 to 16 are $12. A table for 8 is $300.

CLICK HERE to register online for Fish & Fire.
CLICK HERE to become a member of River Action and qualify for a member discount on your Fish & Fire ticket.

Save these dates for upcoming 2014 River Action events Latest

River Action has a full slate of Mississippi River fun planned for 2014. Mark these dates on your calender and keep up to date with us on our Google+ or Facebook pages.

Henry Farnam Dinner March 21
Fish & Fire Friendraiser/Fundraiser April 25
Channel Cat Talks & Riverine Walks - Memorial Day to Labor Day
Ride the River: Father's Day Bicycle Ride June 15
Floatzilla: Canoe and Kayak floatilla August 16
Senior Citizen Riverfront Golf Cart Tour September 4
Taming of the Slough: Mississippi River Adventure Race September 20
Upper MIssissippi River Conference October 15-17

Interested in volunteering for any of these events? Let us know!

Register now for Sr. Citizen Riverfront Golf Cart Tours Latest

Come join the fun Thursday, September 4 and sign up for the 15th Annual Senior Citizens Riverfront Golf Cart Tours. Reservations are required and space is limited. The deadline for reservations is September 2!

The tours Thursday, Sept. 4 will use existing riverfront trails and offer participants an opportunity to see and hear all that the riverfront has to offer from the front seat of a golf cart. This is a great opportunity to gain some knowledge on the past, present and future of many of our riverfront amenities in the Quad Cities. Tours fill up fast and carts are limited, so don't delay.

There are five different tours from which to choose. All tours are $12.50 per person and last approximately two hours. Tour times for each of the tours are 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., and 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.

CLICK HERE to register online.

Consider adding $30, or 30 percent to your contribution, to help secure River Action’s future and another 30 years of riverfront stewardship with a year-end donation.

CLICK HERE to make a tax deductible donation.

In 2014, we’ll celebrate River Action’s 30th anniversary of giving voice and support to ideas and actions which enhance our Mississippi RiverWay in the Quad Cities region.

Our past achievements are the result of people like you who value the river and share the vision to be good stewards of our river environment.

CLICK HERE to download a list of RiverWay improvements over the past 30 years and a member form that can be printed and mailed with your contribution.

429 species found during first Biodiversity Day held at Green Valley Nature Preserve in Moline

A total of 429 species – plants, insects, birds, amphibians, mammals, reptiles and worms – were found during Biodiversity Day at Green Valley Nature Preserve, Moline.

River Action and Augustana College’s Upper Mississippi Studies Center joined forces to discover and document all of the living things at the nature preserve August 31. During the event, members of the public spent the day working alongside scientific experts to identify all of the site’s living things.

With nets and clipboards in tow, members of the public found and identified 189 plant, 123 insect, 97 bird, eight mammal, six amphibian, four reptile and even two worm species.

CLICK HERE to download a complete report of the biodiversity day and a listing of all 429 species identified by participants.

RiverWayStories now airing on WVIK 90.3 FM

River Action and WVIK 90.3 FM Augustana Public Radio are partnering to offer a new program – "RiverWayStories" – which airs each Saturday at 8:34 a.m. during the station's “Weekend Edition."

The three-minute on-air essays will cover a broad range of river-related topics, including environmental concerns, conservation efforts, history and recreation.

RiverWayStories is a collaboration between River Action and WVIK and is underwritten by the Singh Group of Merrill Lynch Wealth Management.

March 1: Wapsipinicon River by Lisa Cleave
March 8: Henry Farnam Dinner by Curtis Roseman
March 15: Finding Partners in the Wilderness by Amy Bandman
March 22: Lawn Care by Robbin Dunn
March 29: Explore the River by Amy Bandman

QC Wild Places receives foundation grant

River Action's QC Wild Places program has received a $20,000 grant each year for the next five years from the Community Foundation of the Great River Bend to help fund site improvements, conservation efforts, community outreach and awareness of Wild places in Rock Island County.

This year's funds will be used toward updating the QC Wild Places map and brochure, developing an eco-tourism plan, and site improvements and conservation efforts at Black Hawk State Historic Site and Green Valley Nature Preserve.

QC Wild Places was established in 2011 with the support of the Community Foundation as a way to combine the efforts of local natural areas and their managing organizations in collaboration with River Action and area funders.

Because wilderness areas are run by various organizations with staff and budgets of varying sizes, it is often difficult for them to receive the funding and publicity they need to increase awareness and make improvements. QC Wild Places is a program dedicated to preserving natural areas around the Quad Cities through service, funding, and awareness.

QC RiverWay Walking Guide available

The third edition of River Action’s Walking Guide is now available. (Click on above image to download a PDF of the walking guide)

The 44-page pocket-sized guide is a wonderful way to explore the Quad Cities, its neighborhoods, have fun, relax, and spend quality time by yourself or with those you enjoy. River Action invites Quad Citians and out-of-town visitors to experience the simple pleasures and significant benefits of walking and the RiverWay Walking Guide makes it easy to find a scenic walk along the the Mississippi River trails and the Duck Creek Recreational Trail.

QC Wild Places - Fostering ecotourism in the region

River Action and 27 partners have launched a website and program called QC Wild Places that describes 63 natural areas within an hour's drive of the Quad-Cities and how to find them.

At its heart, QC Wild Places highlights that nature thrives in the Midwest and the Quad Cities region is no exception. From the Mississippi River and its tributaries, to their floodplain wetlands and backwaters, to the wooded bluffs and upland plains, more than 103,000 acres of publicly accessible natural areas lie within an hour's drive of the Quad Cities metro area. River Action funds projects that improve access, conservation, and education on these Wild Places.

Ready? Set? Search!!

Geocaching is a fun and interactive outdoor sporting activity in which the participants use a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver or mobile device and other navigational techniques to hide and seek containers, called "geocaches" or "caches", anywhere in the world. Not a Geocacher yet? No problem. You can sign up for free and start the fun today! River Action has hidden a number of caches along the RiverWay for you to locate. River Action has partnered with local geocaher Joshua Swanson to maintain and continue to add geocaches along the RiverWay.

Become a member of River Action

Purchase today and get a free one year subscription to Big River Magazine.

For the past 30 years, River Action members have worked to improve our common RiverWay, encouraging greater access to the riverfront, helping build and expand riverfront recreation trails, protecting endangered habitat and cleaning up the river and RiverWay. Your membership supports the mission of a healthier Mississippi River and more vibrant Quad Cities.

CLICK HERE to choose a membership level.

Student membership includes: membership card, eddy Magazine and free admission to Riverine Walks.
Individual membership includes: membership card, eddy Magazine and free admission to Riverine Walks.
Household membership includes: membership card, eddy Magazine and free admission for all household members to Riverine Walks.
Business membership includes: business membership card and eddy Magazine.
Action membership includes: membership card, eddy Magazine, free admission for all household members to Riverine Walks, plus two free admissions to a River Action event (choose one event from Ride the River, Taming of the Slough, Floatzilla or Golf Cart Tour).

Gear Up for Taming 2014 - Sept. 20th

Join River Action for our annual Adventure Triathlon! Paddle, mountain bike and run your way to the top. Race individually or as a team, and celebrate at the finish at the post-race party with pizza and Beer.

CLICK HERE for complete race results from Taming of the Slough 2013. Thanks to all who participated and everyone who volunteered to make Taming a success.

Click on image to view larger map

CLICK HERE to download the 2013 Taming of the Slough – Campbell's Island Slough Edition brochure and registration form.

Online Registration coming soon!

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