Quiet Water Symposium: March 6

The following is a press release from the College of Agricultural Resources at Michigan State University about the upcoming Quiet Water Symposium at MSU on Saturday, March 6. Chippewa Nature Center has exhibited at this wonderful event which promotes the "quiet sports" such as canoeing, kayaking, hiking and much more, but we're not able to make it this year. Especially if you love paddling, it's GREAT event and you just might want to attend! 

Quiet Water Symposium highlights outdoor recreation during ANR Week conference
EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Michigan is rife with lakes, rivers, trails and hills that are waiting for hikers, canoeists, fly fishers, snowshoers and campers. Learn more about these pursuits and the opportunities to enjoy them during the 15th annual Quiet Water Symposium, March 6, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Michigan State University (MSU) Pavilion for Agriculture and Livestock Education.

The symposium, part of Agriculture and Natural Resources (ANR) Week at MSU, offers participants the chance to learn about human-powered outdoor recreation equipment and activities. Other outdoor equipment related to bicycling, snowshoeing, fly fishing, hiking, diving, sailing, camping, canoeing, kayaking and dog sledding as well as hand-crafted outdoor tools will be on display.

The event will feature booths hosted by representatives from outdoor clubs, outfitters, guides and campgrounds. A number of watershed councils, conservation groups and other organizations will also be on hand. Presenters include Cliff Jacobson, an accomplished outdoor guide and author, who will share his wilderness and camping skills, and Gary and Joanie McGuffin, a Canadian couple, who will talk about their ecology-oriented outdoor experiences. Eric Hanson from the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary will offer a presentation on recreational diving.

The admission fee is $8; children under 12 are admitted free. To learn more, visit www.quietwatersymposium.org. For a complete list of ANR Week programs, conferences and educational opportunities, visit www.anrweek.canr.msu.edu or contact program coordinator Megghan Honke at 517-353-3175, ext. 229, or via e-mail at honkemeg@msu.edu.

Meandering down the River

Each year, Chippewa Nature Center offers a variety of programs designed for people to experience our local rivers. When you hop in a kayak or canoe and float down the current, you're quickly reminded how everything is literally connected to one another. Pollution upstream on the Pine River in the 1970s still affects all of us downstream today. Exotic species such as sea lamprey and carp have traveled up waterways and now live in our rivers. Plants such as Eurasian Water Milfoil grow in the river and Dame's Rocket, while beautiful, blankets the riverbanks and chokes out native vegetation. While it can be easy to focus on problems, riding the river gives us a chance to relax and experience nature at its own pace. Birds such as kingfishers, herons, ducks and eagles call our rivers home. Especially at dusk and dawn, mink and muskrat, deer and raccoons are commonly seen by quiet paddlers. Turtles and fish swim beneath you and insects, such as dragonflies and damselflies, alight with gossamer wings on your bow. If you see trash in the river, stop and scoop it up. CNC conducts a River Cleanup Workday each July, but you don't have to wait for us! While we'd love you to join us, every little act of kindness towards Mother Earth benefits all her creatures. Why not plan a river trip today and see how YOU can make a difference!