River Action is bringing Mississippi River stakeholders together again on Oct. 18 and 19 for its 17th Upper Mississippi River Conference centered around the theme “Building Community Around the River.”
The Wednesday through Thursday event at the Holiday Inn Rock Island, 226 17th St., will focus on collaboration and achieving balance between the river’s environmental, economic and social frameworks. That includes clean water challenges, partnerships that lead to change, engineering with nature and transformative urban redevelopment, River Action said in a news release.
The organization works each year in collaboration with experts, policymakers, nonprofits, cities, educators, students, media and scientists to present the two-day event.
Featured speakers include
This year’s keynote speaker will be Colin Wellenkamp, executive director of the Mississippi River Cities and Towns Initiative. His extensive career has been dedicated to assisting organizations and people to transition to a sustainable way of life.
Other stakeholders featured over the two days include Wednesday night dinner speaker Chris Jones, author and retired research engineer at IIHR Hydroscience & Engineering, a world-renowned center at the University of Iowa. Additional presenters include Reggie McLeod, editor and publisher, Big River Magazine; and Lewis Kuhlman, environmental planner, City of LaCrosse Climate Action Project.
Organizations and agencies that also will be on hand to share expertise include: the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, UpStream, Riverside Global, University of Iowa, American Cruise Lines and Master Naturalist Programs.
Students will play role
Attendees also can hear from students designing solutions to neighborhood stormwater runoff in LeClaire. The session is led by Jim Patchett, Solutions in the Land, and will be followed by a presentation of students’ designs.
Local field trip opportunities are again available including:
- A two-hour walking tour of Schwiebert Park, Rock Island, and the Davenport riverfront. It will be led by former Rock Island Mayor Mark Schwiebert and Kyle Carter, executive director of the Downtown Davenport Partnership. They will share RiverVision plans past and future.
- A boat tour on the vessel Augustana Stewardship with Augustana College professor Ruben Heine who will share a history of the river and talk about its geography.
- A narrated bus trip and walk on Muscatine’s Riverfront.
For more information or to register for the conference, hosted by River Action, Inc., visit www.RiverAction.org/UMRC.
If you go
- WHAT: Upper Mississippi River Conference – Building Community Around the River
- WHERE: Rock Island Holiday Inn.
- WHEN: Wednesday-Thursday, Oct. 18-19.
- COST: Varies from $25 for dinner guest tickets to $150-$220 for one- or two-day registration. Reduced student rates are available.
