Watershed Event

   Four organizations are teaming up to present an informational tour regarding wetlands, water management, climate change and waste management. This educational tour, “Watershed Event” begins at the Indian Creek Nature Center with Meteorologist Kaj O’Mara from KCRG-TV speaking about climate change, weather patterns, and how the winter of 2007 and wet spring of 2008 contributed to the June floods. Then, Naturalist Jan Aiels will discuss the importance of wetlands, water management, and how the Nature Center has hardened their historic barn against future floods. 
  Tour participants will then travel by motor coach and listen to Educator Jason Evans of Linn County Solid Waste Management. He will discuss the 2008 decision to reopen the landfill, waste management, and how adaptive reuse of buildings could have offset the amount of landfill debris. Upon arrival in Czech Village, participants receive a guided tour of the exhibition, Rising Above: The Story of a People and the Flood, from Jan Stoffer, NCSML director of education and visitor services, followed by a guided tour of Czech Village. Her presentation will give tour participants information about disaster preparedness and recovery. She will also discuss urban flooding and mitigation as it relates to historic neighborhoods, and the museum’s recovery process and possible LEED certification.