Wednesday, April 8

Earth Day meeting at SIU April 22 (rain date April 27)



Wednesday, April 22 at 4 pm – Rain Date April 27 at 4 pm.
Professor Karen Midden of SIU organized the project to install a green roof on a section of the Agriculture Building. Over 150 students, professional volunteers, plant services laborers and faculty installed the green roof system in 2010.

Green roofs are similar to rooftop gardens and are becoming increasingly popular in urban settings because they help control storm water runoff and resulting water pollution. The roof reduces heating and cooling costs for the Agriculture building while acting as a research tool for graduate and undergraduate students.  Participants will tour the green roof and view the rain garden, permeable pavers, and the vertical garden.

Karen currently is the Associate Dean for the College of Agricultural Sciences. Karen continues teaching in the Plant, Soil and Agricultural Systems Department and oversees the college's green roof, vertical garden and other sustainable projects installed by her classes and other students. She also organized an online master program entitled Ecological Urban Landscapes.

The program will be held on Wednesday, April 22 at 4 pm.  Location is Room 209 in the Agricultural Building at SIU (the Ag Seminar Room).  Enter the north section (to the left) of the building and take the elevator or the stairs to the second floor.  RAIN DATE IS MONDAY, APRIL 27 AT 4 PM.

Parking is available in lot 39 (off Lincoln Drive between Life Science III and the Ag Building).  Visitors can park on campus after 4 pm. 

April 9 Sierra Club meeting



April 9 Program:  Canebrakes make a comeback
 
Giant cane is a native bamboo species that once occupied hundreds of thousands of acres throughout the southeastern and south central United States, including southern Illinois. However, due to agricultural land clearing, altered fire regimes, overgrazing by domestic livestock and flood control projects, giant cane currently occupies only 2% of its historic range.

The US Fish and Wildlife Service is trying to restore giant cane riparian buffers in the Cache River basin to mitigate disturbances including agricultural runoff.. Giant cane may soon see a resurgence with help from researchers at Southern Illinois University.

Presenter Amanda Nelson recently earned her Phd in forest hydrology at SIU.  She currently works as a research scientist at Little River Research and Design in Carbondale.  She has a strong background in limnology, stream ecology, and aquatic entomology.

Free and open to the public!  Thursday, April 9 at 7 pm
216 East Monroe (Green door off the alley), across from Rockhill Baptist Church
Ample free parking off Monroe Street between Washington and Marion.