Winter Adventures
Inevitably, January is a time to think about the year to come and the year past. Memories flash through our minds, and for many of us they include sunsets, seeing our first whooping crane, or perhaps that day we went fishing with the family when the breeze was perfect and our child had the thrill of catching her first fish. These River memories inspire us to make plans for this year’s River adventures.
What’s your Present?
In the midst of reminiscing about the past and thinking about the future, we often forget to think about today. As the saying goes, today is a gift that is why it’s called the present! What can we do today to make a difference? Even in the cold winter days there are ways to connect and enjoy the River. Click on one of these options and set your intention for the one new thing you are going to do this month to connect with the River.
• Learn about the Mysteries of the Driftless Area along the River in this fantastic Emmy award winning documentary. Travel the River with a team of explorers and scientists through tributary valleys, flying in an ultralight plane and climbing rocky bluffs to understand the unique topography and biological diversity of the Driftless area. River Citizens are invited to attend a special screening and meet the producers!
• Take a winter drive to see eagles along the River or visit the National Eagle Center in Wabasha, MN. Look for great concentrations of American bald eagles near the open waters at the locks and dams on the Mississippi River. From Red Wing, MN, to Reelfoot Lake, TN, organized public eagle watches are celebrating one of our nation’s brightest environmental come-backs.
• Go to one of the many River destinations on the Great River Road. There are a great variety of stops like the National Mississippi River and Aquarium in Dubuque, IA, the Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site in across the River from St. Louis in Collinsville, IL or the Delta Blues Museum in Clarksdale, MS.
• Paint or sketch your favorite place on the River, or visit an art gallery along the River.
• Participate in the Clean Water campaign on Twitter. #4cleanwater is a social media campaign to amplify and bring the voices together that support clarifying the Clean Water Act so it once again includes streams and wetlands, especially now that a new report clearly links the Connectivity of Streams and Wetlands to Downstream Waters.
Maybe you have an even better idea for winter adventures on the River?
Share your thoughts with us and your fellow River Citizens on Facebook, Twitter or through our Contact page.
Looking forward to hearing all about your new experiences!
Annette Anderson
1 Mississippi Campaign Manager
Trivia Question:
1 Mississippi encourages River Citizens to protect wetlands and floodplains from harmful development. What is not one of the amazing functions of wetlands?
a. They filter run-off pollution from farm fields and city streets.
b. They are home to some of the nation’s most notorious ghosts.
c. They provide critical habitat for plants and animals.
d. They absorb 1-1.5 million gallons of floodwater in just one acre.