2018 Speaker Series: Iowa Watersheds a Lasting Legacy
Hitchcock Nature Center, Pottawattamie County
Saturday, August 11, 2018
Join us for the fourth installment of the 2018 Speaker Series on August 11th at 4:00 p.m. Join us in welcoming Dr. Peter Levi, Assistant Professor of Environmental Science & Sustainability at Drake University & get ready to discover the importance of watersheds & the purposes they serve in Iowa.
Healthy watersheds impart many ecosystem
services to humans, providing water filtration, flood protection, and
recreation among other benefits. The state of
Iowa is dominated by agricultural and urban land-use, which can degrade streams
and, therefore, limit the ability of these freshwater ecosystems to deliver the
same services as streams flowing through more natural land-use, such as
prairies or forests. Our recent research has sought to understand the drivers of water
quality at the landscape scale and how conservation land can improve ecosystem
function. In my presentation, we'll explore the ecological value of county
conservation land on stream health and seasonal patterns in water quality of
the Raccoon River, an ecologically and socially important river in Central
Iowa.
The 2018 Speaker Series is a programming series designed for teens and adults to provide them with an opportunity to learn from and interact with various authorities in the fields of conservation and environmental science. Programs are free with paid park admission and will be held at Hitchcock Nature Center on the second Saturday of the month, May through October. Each program will begin at 4:00 p.m. and will last approximately 1 hour. After the presentation attendees may enjoy conversation with the presenter, a book signing, and refreshments provided by local vendors.
Space is limited to pre-registration is recommended for these events. Please register online in advance for this and all Speaker Series programs. This program is being presented as part of our adult educational programming, we ask that all participants be age 14 & over please. For more information please call 712-545-3283. 2018
Speaker Series Dates:
- May 12th: "Uncommon Facts about Common Birds" by Stan Tekiela
- June 9th: "Herbal Medicines: Facts & Fiction" by Dr. Eric Scholar
- July 14th: "Nature as our Teacher: Learning How to Save our Relationship to the Loess Hills" by Dr. Bud Grant
- August 11th: "Iowa Watersheds: A Lasting Legacy" by Dr. Peter Levi
- September 8th: "Monarchs & Regals: Butterfly Royalty of Midwestern Prairies" by Dr. Ted Burke
- October 13th: "The Literary Prairie" by Dr. John Price
Attendees must purchase a $3.00 per vehicle daily entrance pass or have a membership to the Pottawattamie Conservation Foundation to attend these programs. Daily entrance passes may be purchased at the front gate with exact change or check and may be purchased the day of the event. Pottawattamie Conservation Foundation memberships may be purchased for $20.00 from staff at any of our parks or at the Loess Hills Lodge at Hitchcock Nature Center during regular business hours. Memberships may also be purchased in advance online at www.pottawattamieconservationfoundation.com. There is no additional fee to attend these programs, free will donations are encouraged and will support continued programming opportunities in Pottawattamie County.
About Our Speaker:
Dr. Levi earned a B.A. degree in Biology from Lawrence University & a PhD. in Biological Sciences from the University of Notre Dame in 2012. He is currently Assistant Professor of Environmental Science & Sustainability at Drake University with an avid interest in the function of streams, rivers, and reservoirs from both a theoretical and applied perspective.This event is not pet friendly, please leave your canine friends at home. Service animals are always welcome
Weather Permitting
2018 Speaker Series sponsored by the Pottawattamie Conservation Foundation
