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Go FishIN

Go FishIN The Indiana State Fair Fish Pond was a huge success and Go FishIN thanks the masses of excited kids, the biting bluegill and catfish, and all volunteers. This year nearly 4,500 kids fished at the pond.

In the last newsletter, we welcomed Amy Hinshaw (Go FishIN and Hoosier Riverwatch staff support assistant) and Amy Vogelsinger (State Fair Fishing Pond volunteer coordinator). Now we say farewell to them both. Hinshaw has returned to full-time teaching and Vogelsinger, a Butler University student, is student teaching. GoFishIN appreciates their help and misses them already.

Go FishIN would like to recognize Pat Cooper. Cooper has retired as the Go FishIN Assistant, but continues to help Kowalik and the Go FishIN program through a transition.

Hoosier Riverwatch

Hoosier RiverwatchWorld Water Monitoring Day (WWMD) is an international education and outreach program designed to build public awareness about the importance of water resources around the world. WWMD is celebrated on September 18; however, participants can submit data collected from March 22 – December 31,2009. So grab your water monitoring equipment and head out to celebrate on September 18. Visit WWMD online for more information or to submit your data.

Learn to be a Leader in Watershed Management
If you’re interested in water quality and watersheds, consider applying for the 2009 Indiana Watershed Leadership Academy. The Academy, organized by Purdue University with support from the Indiana Department of Environmental Management and other Indiana conservation agencies and organizations, gives participants the chance to:

  • Engage in basic and advanced level watershed topics covering leadership principles, watershed science, organization and communication, technology and GIS, stakeholder involvement techniques and policy skills
  • Meet, learn from, and build a network of peers
  • Interact with topic experts
  • Gain strategies, skills, and resources for successful watershed management
  • Earn a professional certificate in watershed management

Enrollment deadline: November 2, 2009
Web site: Purdue Watershed (includes online application and academy information)
Academy Fee: $500, due on Dec. 10, 2009 (includes lodging, food, and course materials)
Format: Training includes three face-to-face group sessions and distance learning, online (approximately 3-4 hrs/week). The Academy runs from January to May 2010.

For more information and to fill out the application, please contact Laura Esman, lesman@purdue.edu, or see the Academy Web Page: Purdue Watershed.

Project Learning Tree

Project Learning TreeThe Indiana Urban Forest Council's 19th Annual Fall Conference "Widening the Circle: How to Broaden the Urban Forestry Community" in Indianapolis on October 14th. Hosted by Keep Indianapolis Beautiful, the agenda includes keynote speaker and widely-known urban forestry champion Pepper Provenzano of TreeLink and Executive Director Melinda Pruett-Jones of Chicago Wilderness, who will join several of Indiana's successful non-profits. Several urban foresters will discuss which tree species plant well in the fall and spring as well as how to assess canopy cover in your community. Keep Indianapolis Beautiful has recently been LEED (Leadership in Energy and Evironmental Design) certified and will be offering tours during the morning break. During a tour you will see their "green" building complete with cisterns, rain gardens, and wind turbines. Lunch will be catered by Judge's Barbeque, a local favorite, followed by the IUFC annual awards. Please join us for the events.

Check out PLT on Facebook!

Project WET

Project Wet After a busy summer full of workshops, professional development and the Indiana State Fair, Indiana Project WET is preparing for fall. Check out the attached training schedule for a list of upcoming workshops.

2010 River of Words Poetry and Art Contest
Sharpen your colored pencils, take pen in hand, and squirt some more paint on your palette! The 2010 River of Words Poetry and Art Contest is eager to present your creativity! Each year, River of Words draws out the best poetry and art in the world. This international contest is for grades K-12 and focuses on watersheds as a central theme. This opportunity is designed to help youth express themselves through the arts, while exploring their environment and developing a sense of place and appreciation for discovery. The deadline for the contest is December 1, 2009. Please note that this is an earlier deadline than year’s past. Entries must be sent directly to the River of Words National Office. Entry forms and contest guidelines can be found at the River of Words Web site. The National Office will return all Indiana entries in May to be judged on a state level. Winners will be announced by June 2010! The Indiana contest is sponsored by Indiana Project WET, the Environmental Education Association of Indiana (EEAI), and the Indiana Center for the Book. For more information, please contact Angie Tilton at projectwet@dnr.in.gov or 317-562-0788.

Project WILD

Project WildPlease welcome Leland Kinnett to the WILD assistant position. Kinnett previously worked for the NREC as the volunteer coordinator for the 2008 State Fair fishing pond. Welcome, Leland!

WILD coordinator Mary Hayes and Project WET coordinator Angie Tilton are helping coordinate the Hoosier Outdoor Experience Student Day on Friday, September 25. Student Day will educate about 900 third graders here at Ft. Harrison State Park about forest, grassland, stream, and pond habitats. The theme of the day will be “I am being a good citizen when I care about our natural resources.” Hayes is seeking volunteers for the day – location guides, presenters’ assistants, and logistics assistants. Please contact Mary Hayes to volunteer (317-549-0348 or at projectwild@dnr.in.gov).

Hoosier Outdoor Heritage

Check back for information about the success of the Hoosier Outdoor Experience.

The Hoosier Outdoor Experience is online! Check out the Hoosier Outdoor Experience website and Hoosier Outdoor Experience on Facebook. Become a Fan today.

News Beyond the Projects and Programs

The NREC staff is also involved in the following events that may interest you:

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