Sunday, April 12
11:30 a.m.
Young Main Lounge, Memorial Center
A service will be followed by a reception for family and friends. McGowan died March 7 after a brief illness. Read her obituary.
Award Renamed in Honor of Anne McGowan ’76
The Ecology Action Center has renamed its annual Making a Difference Award to recognize its former director, 1976 IWU alumna Anne McGowan, who died earlier this month.
Renewable Fashion Challenge
The Ecology Action Center is looking for creative shoppers to participate in this year’s Renewable Fashion Challenge, which will take place at the Illinois Sustainable Living and Wellness Expo on April 11 at the Shirk Center.
Challenge co-sponsors Ecology Action Center and Home Sweet Home Mission Mart will launch the 2015 Renewable Fashion Challenge at a kick-off event onThursday, March 19, at 6 p.m. at the Mission Mart, 301 E. Oakland, Bloomington. Designers will receive discounts at the Mission Mart, have opportunities to win prizes and learn more about the challenge.
Pre-registration is not required for the kick-off event, and attendance is not required to participate in the challenge. The deadline for submitting final entries is April 2.
The Nature Conservancy’s Emiquon Project: Restoring Functional Floodplain for Nature and People
Tuesday, March 17
7 p.m.
7 p.m.
C101, CNS
The 6,600-acre Emiquon preserve was once among the biologically richest wetlands in North America. In the 20th century, the lakes and wetlands were converted into farmland, isolating the area from the Illinois River. In spring 2007, after 7 years of science-based planning, The Nature Conservancy turned off the pumps that had dried out the land since the 1920s. Within months water reappeared in the historic lakebeds and native plants returned from their seeds that had lain dormant for years. Emiquon is the premiere demonstration site for The Nature Conservancy’s work within the Upper Mississippi River system, and will help guide large floodplain river restoration efforts around the world. The next phase of restoration at Emiquon will be the installation of a water management structure that will provide a connection between the wetland and the Illinois River, facilitating the water control needed to sustain these high-quality habitats long term.
Doug Blodgett, director of river conservation for the Illinois Chapter of the Nature Conservancy, will give a presentation on the Emiquon Preserve and discuss the science behind the planned reconnection of the Illinois River.
Sponsored by the John Wesley Powell Audubon, IWU Environmental Studies Program, and IWU Biology Department.
Nature Photographer Tom Ulrich
Tuesday, March 24
7 p.m.
C101, CNS
Nature photographer Tom Ulrich will present a photographic journey in the life of a wildlife photographer. This year’s focus will include the birds of Ecuador, bird migration in Texas, and the spectacular wildlife and landscapes of Glacier National Park in Montana.
He dazzles his audiences with amazing photographs, tips for photographers and humorous narration. Ulrich’s work has been featured in National Geographic, National Wildlife, Time, Audubon, and many other publications.
Admission is free for IWU students with their University ID card. Sponsored by the John Wesley Powell Audubon, IWU Environmental Studies Program and IWU Biology Department. See details on admission fees for other attendees.
Join Us
This semester the GREENetwork will meet at 12:15 p.m. on the third Tuesdays: March 17 and April 21 in the Titan Room, Memorial Center.
Interested students, faculty or staff are welcome to join us! Contact one of our co-chairs for more information.
Hear from Alumni About Environmental Careers
Tuesday, Feb. 10
7 p.m.
Welcome Center Auditorium
As part of the Hart Career Center’s Alumni Speaker Series, professionals will share insights and advice about their work in environmental and conservation areas:
– Greenhouse manager & curator at ISU, Bethany Evans ’01
– Digital advocacy specialist at Environmental Law & Policy Center, J. Katie Coleman ’04
– Grants manager/development associate at The Wetlands Initiative, Vera Leopold ’05
– Environmental program coordinator at American Lung Association, Ellen Cornelius ’14.
Tellin’ it on Tumblr
Check out the informative and fascinating posts from Sustainability at Illinois Wesleyan on Tumblr.
“Foot Stamping and Booming! Prairie Chickens in Illinois”
Monday, Feb. 2
7 p.m.
Center for Natural Sciences (CNS) C101
The Greater Prairie Chicken is an iconic bird of the tallgrass prairies that once covered much of Illinois. Their population in Illinois once numbered in the millions but they are now found only in the Prairie Ridge State Natural Area. Over the past several years their population had declined to about 60 birds. The Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR), the Illinois Natural History Survey and the Audubon Society have embarked on a multi-year project to revitalize the Illinois Prairie Chicken population by translocating 300 birds from Kansas. Bob Gillespie, who is coordinating the current recovery project for the IDNR, will talk about the restoration efforts for this fascinating grassland bird. Sponsored by the John Wesley Powell Audubon, IWU Environmental Studies Program, and IWU Biology Department.
Environmentally Friendly Snow and Ice Removal
The salt products used for ice and snow removal on campus property are coated with a corn-based product. This increases the residual effectiveness of the product, resulting in a reduced need to reapply and, therefore, less product use. Salt is bought in bulk, resulting in the reduction of packaging waste to be disposed of, and a smaller environmental footprint.
Read more campus efforts in the Report on Sustainability at Illinois Wesleyan University.