AUSTIN CHAPTER 10
IZAAK WALTON LEAGUE OF AMERICA
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Projects:

Purple Martin Project Takes Flight
 
With Bob Goetz's enthusiam and passion, Austin had more purple martins in 2006.  Bob, Chapter 10 Vice-President, gave a presentation about the plight of the purple martins in Austin at our April 2006 chapter meeting.  Chapter 10, along with Austin Audubon, Dave Crandall, Kyle Klaehn, Terry Dorsey, and the Austin Park & Rec provided financial support, manpower, housing, and location assistance.  The houses are located at East Side Lake and Horace Austin Park near downtown Austin and the Cedar River.  For more information on this project, contact Bob Goetz at 437-4608.
 
 
Shoreland Restoration Project
 
Chapter 10 donated $1,000 to assist the Austin Park & Rec Department in restoring the shoreland along the Cedar River and Whittier Park.  The Mower County Soil and Water Department was the lead agency in the development and restoration efforts.
 
 
High School Environmental Classes
 
Chapter 10 has supported the Austin High School Environmental Studies classes by funding field trips to the Hormel Nature Center, providing stream study supervision and scientific water quality equipment. This meshes well with the Ike's environmental and water management philosophy.
Sixth Grade Education Projects
 

Each fall, Chapter 10 funds a 6th grade program called Wet Bugs. The students learn about the various water insects in a general presentation at school, then students go to the Hormel Nature Center to wade in Dobbins Creek and collect insects they've learned about in the classroom. In addition, students perform water quality analysis of Dobbins Creek.Chapter 10 funds this combined project.

Non-Point Source Pollution

 

Leo Reding, legislator and Chapter 10 member, helped pass legislation to have water pollution fines returned to Mower County. This funding was used by Chapter 10 to create a Non-Point Source Pollution Pilot Project. With the guidance of several Ike's members, an education program was developed in the 4th grades in Mower County. Nine learning station models consisting of plexiglass cubes, each showing an aspect of non-point pollution were used in the 4th grades. Storytellers illustrated aspects of non-point pollution. These cubes could be placed next to each other to show a larger countryside view of these pollution problems. This program generated continued interest in the project and other cities later commissioned development of similar learning stations. They continue to be used throughout the Austin school system. In 1991, the NPSP Learning Stations and hands-on program were on display and demonstrated at the 20th Annual Conference of the North American Association for Environmental Education held in St. Paul.

Mower County Fair

Chapter 10 has been involved with the Game and Fish Building displays at the Mower County Fair since the late 1920's.  The Ikes provide supervision, technical support, and educational materials during the fair.

In 1999, Chapter 10 spearheaded a $13,000 project that replaced all fish display tanks and electrical service and wiring at the Game and Fish Building.