Aug. 15 Early Registration Deadline for 2nd Annual Upper Mississippi River Conference

, with support from Western Illinois University, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Fish and Wildlife, U.S. Coast Guard, the Quad City Chamber of Commerce Federation and the City of Moline, among others, the conference targets an audience of engineers, city leaders, landscape architects, planners, developers, environmental groups and the public, who are stakeholders of the Mississippi River. Last year’s inaugural event drew 200 attendees from eight states, said Roger Viadero, director of WIU’s Institute for Environmental Studies (IES) and a professor of biological sciences, who is also on the conference planning committee.

This year’s conference will present best case studies in riverfront design, programs and projects, as well as provide resources to fund and implement them. The pre-conference workshop is “Raising Money in Today’s Tough Economy,” is scheduled from noon-4 p.m. Sept. 23. WIU will sponsor a welcome reception following the workshop from 5-7:30 p.m. in the conference center lobby.

On Thursday (Sept. 24) and Friday (Sept. 25) participants may choose to attend presentations from three concurrent tracks: “Clean Water Provides a Wealth of Opportunity,” “One River – Many Uses” and “Planning Matters.” Field trips are planned for Thursday afternoon to Big Sand Mound Nature Preserve near Muscatine (IA); and to Milan Bottom; Nahant Marsh, adjacent to the Mississippi River in Davenport (IA); and the Lafarge Company.

Early conference registration – - $150 for adults, $50 for students – - runs through Saturday, Aug. 15. Between Aug. 16 and Sept. 1, registration is $200 per person. After Sept. 1, registration is $250 per person. A partial refund, less a $40 service charge, will be honored before Sept. 1. No refunds will be made after Sept. 1.

To register, go to www.riveraction.org/umrc2009 and select “Registration,” call River Action, (563) 322-2969 or e-mail riveraction@riveraction.org.

Copy By: Bonnie Barker