Wednesday, September 18, 2013
The RiverMobile and YSI work together to serve Mills Lawn Elementary School in Yellow Springs.
Thursday, September 12, 2013
National Protect Your Groundwater Day on UD's campus; we heart our buried valley aquifer!
Great work, River Stewards! Keep spreading your love, passion and enthusiasm for our local water resources. We have so far but still have a lot to accomplish in our region to help our community see our rivers/water as our greatest asset!
Thursday, August 22, 2013
Coming Full Circle
This week marks the first week of my last year
as a "UD" River Steward. Of course once a Stew, always a Stew, so I
look forward to continuing my Stewardship for the rest of my life—in Dayton or
elsewhere.
Today, as I sat in my CEE 403 (Transportation
Engineering) class, the professor asked the class “which mode of transportation
was the first to be utilized”? Not including walking or riding animals, he
explained that water-ways were the first mode of transportation. He explained
that our Major cities are built around bodies of water (namely rivers) for that
very reason. This statement triggered a flood of memories from my first
orientation as a River Steward. I recalled a lecture by Dr. Pair about the
formation of the Great Miami Valley Buried Aquifer, lessons about river life
and general words of wisdom from Bro. Don Geiger, observing macro
invertebrates, learning how to hold a kayak paddle with Amy and Eric, Leslie
showing me how rivers are analogous to life, and much more.
In an unsuspecting way, things briefly came full
circle for me. I was able to see how the learn, lead, serve theme has played
out over the years. And now, as I embark upon my senior year, I’m excited to
serve alongside the 2014 cohort. It has been a pleasant ride thus far, and I
anticipate that the journey ahead will be fun, challenging, and filled with
growth.
Here is to one more year!
Alexander
Tuesday, July 23, 2013
One Quick Summer!
Hello Readers, and happy end of July!
I would like to take a minute to say that I CANNOT BELIEVE
MY SUMMER IS ALMOST OVER! Where did it go?!
I am sure that many other River Stewards are thinking the same
thing. I am also sure that I am not the
only one who is really pumped for the upcoming paddle with the ‘baby’
stews!
There are some good reasons that my summer has been such a whirlwind. I started off the summer planning on staying
home in Pittsburgh for the summer, but then I ended up with an internship in
Dayton, living on Wright State University’s campus and going back home most
weekends to spend time with my family and animals (animals being 4 dogs, 2 cats, and 2 horses... not to mention the 2 pigs!).
So, what does one do with their free time when living in an
apartment at WSU? Visit Huffman Dam! Huffman
Dam is really beautiful, especially at sunset ,and is only a few miles from
where I have lived this summer. It is a
great place to go on a run to, and stop and take a moment to enjoy the trees
bending softly into the Mad River as you stand on top of Huffman Dam. Don’t forget about Huffman Lake, a truly hidden gem tucked above the Dam just around the river bend (the Pocahontas pun
was intended!). Also, a new section of the bike trail was just completed at Huffman Dam, check it out!
Huffman Dam is not the only Five Rivers MetroPark that I
have been able to explore! I have climbed
the tree tower at Cox Arboretum, explored small paths at Wegerzyn Gardens,
gazed at the city of Dayton from Deeds Point, seen children enjoying the water
feature at Island MetroPark, and of course been involved in the sights and sounds
of Dayton at RiverScape! I would highly
recommend taking a bike or jogging shoes from RiverScape (or campus!) and head
along the Mad River Bikeway where you can pass through Deeds Point, Island
MetroPark, and stop at Wergerzyn Gardens to enjoy a breather and some beautiful
plant life!
It is an awesome way to
enjoy several MetroParks in one day!
As the summer is coming to a close I am getting ready for my
junior year. My books should be
arriving soon and before I know it I will be back at UD sitting in KL. The
only problem is that I am beginning to have the reoccurring dream that I missed
my first class and I was not prepared at all for school…
River Love,
Rachel
Electrical Engineering Major
2015 Cohort
Monday, May 27, 2013
Ciao da bella Firenze!
I am just about a week into my study
abroad experience and I am loving every second of it. Leaving this beautiful
city will be very hard, although I am excited to get back to Dayton and join my
fellow stews as a River’s Institute Intern!
Running through Florence is the Arno river, which I am
fortunate to be staying only a block away from. Each morning I cross a bridge
to get to my classes, and through my classes I have learned a lot of the
significance of the Arno River in Florence’s history. Unlike many of the other
Tuscan towns which are located on hilltops, Florence is in a valley. Florence
was never troubled with water shortages, the sanitation and hygienic practices
were historically superior than other cities, fish was a staple product, and
mills along the river allowed for manufacturing. Despite all the benefits, the
river still is prone to flooding, and there are chronicles dating back to the
medieval times of the devastation caused by the floods at least once or twice
each century. The most recent massive flood occurred on November 4th,
1966, and was considered to be the worst flood since 1557. The floodwaters reached over 6.7 meters (22
feet) at some places. This flood had a lasting impact on the city, and
restoration work is still being done to this day.
While walking around the city, I found one of the high water markers from the flood. Looks very similar to what we have in downtown Dayton!
While walking around the city, I found one of the high water markers from the flood. Looks very similar to what we have in downtown Dayton!
Another cool thing about Florence is all the parks and
gardens available for the citizens and tourists. I happened to pick up a
newspaper in Florence that was written in English, and there was a short
article about the green space in the city. Here is quote from the mayor of Florence:
“There are 376 gardens and 25 parks in
Florence, totaling more than 3.5 million square meters of public green space…
we have also approved a ‘zero volume’ structural plan, which means putting a
stop to land consumption, and ensuring there is a park or garden no more than
10 minutes away from the house of every Florentine.” Awesome!
Arno at sunset
The Ponte Vecchio ("Old Bridge")
The low dam
River Love,
Stephanie
Wednesday, May 15, 2013
From Dayton to Bloomington to California to India
Happy summer everyone! I can't believe I'm not a baby stew anymore this year as a river steward has flown by and I must say it was spectacular. I learned so so much about the the waters that surround us at UD and how they can impact a campus and a city by increasing the feel of ownership and community for everyone. I can't wait to keep learning next year, and even though I am cooping in Cincinnati next semester, I am going to be as involved as possible and I hope. I hope I get a chance to work with the RiverMobile giving tours and such because I had a blast the last time during Stander.
So this past year I've learned a lot about the aquifer and how lucky we are to have such clean water, and it's been really interesting to apply that knowledge to other places I go. When I go home to Bloomington, water isn't something that gets talked about a lot. B-town is pretty hippy to start with, so there is a lot of environmental awareness in the community. However, we always talk about the trees and the air when we talk about environmental issues, and it's very rare that I ever hear about water. I am pretty sure we don't have any kind of clean water scarcity issues, so I think that people just don't even consider how lucky we are.
I just went to Redlands California for about a week to visit one of my best friends that goes to school there. In Redlands they get a lot of pollution from LA, so they have a lot of clean air and water issues. Everyone makes sure to use water purifiers and drinking tap water is just asking to get sick, according to the students I talked to. It was yet another wake up call for me when I was chastised for filling my glass up in the sink like I would do in Dayton. The idea that tap water isn't drinkable was so alien to me, and it's so sad that so many people can't just drink water from their sink. I told everyone about our aquifer and how lucky we are to have such awesome clean water and everyone decided the next time I visit I need to bring some Dayton tap water so they can taste it for themselves.
In a couple days I leave for my 10 week ETHOS immersion to India. I'm excited and a little nervous for this new adventure and I'm interested to see what I will learn and experience water wise while I am there. I am not supposed to drink any local water or eat anything that was soaked or made in local water because of the diseases that travel in the water there. In the class I took preparing us for this trip, I was taught that in many places in the world people get sick and die from dirty infected water every single day. I knew that many places don't have clean water, but that was the first time I really thought about the fact that some people's only source of drinking water, which everyone needs to survive, is also the cause of serious sickness and death. It's unbelievable to think about and yet again makes me realize how lucky we are and that we need to appreciate it to the fullest.
Another thing I got the chance to experience this semester was the love that so many people have for the city of Dayton. One of my favorite volunteering experiences this semester was at OctoberFest, watching the bikes people could leave while they wandered around listening to the awesome live music, seeing the cool art in the tents, and sampling the beer. The lady we worked with was part of BikeDayton and she was just so excited about the Dayton community and everything it has to offer. The other people volunteering with us were the same way and everyone surrounding us at the event was friendly and wanted to talk about all the great things Dayton has to offer, many of which are hidden and not widely known. It was great to be around such a great community full of love and respect for their city and everything it has to offer, and I hope that I continue to become part of that great community serving and giving back to Dayton and UD.
RiverLove,
Saehan
Mechanical Engineering
So this past year I've learned a lot about the aquifer and how lucky we are to have such clean water, and it's been really interesting to apply that knowledge to other places I go. When I go home to Bloomington, water isn't something that gets talked about a lot. B-town is pretty hippy to start with, so there is a lot of environmental awareness in the community. However, we always talk about the trees and the air when we talk about environmental issues, and it's very rare that I ever hear about water. I am pretty sure we don't have any kind of clean water scarcity issues, so I think that people just don't even consider how lucky we are.
I just went to Redlands California for about a week to visit one of my best friends that goes to school there. In Redlands they get a lot of pollution from LA, so they have a lot of clean air and water issues. Everyone makes sure to use water purifiers and drinking tap water is just asking to get sick, according to the students I talked to. It was yet another wake up call for me when I was chastised for filling my glass up in the sink like I would do in Dayton. The idea that tap water isn't drinkable was so alien to me, and it's so sad that so many people can't just drink water from their sink. I told everyone about our aquifer and how lucky we are to have such awesome clean water and everyone decided the next time I visit I need to bring some Dayton tap water so they can taste it for themselves.
In a couple days I leave for my 10 week ETHOS immersion to India. I'm excited and a little nervous for this new adventure and I'm interested to see what I will learn and experience water wise while I am there. I am not supposed to drink any local water or eat anything that was soaked or made in local water because of the diseases that travel in the water there. In the class I took preparing us for this trip, I was taught that in many places in the world people get sick and die from dirty infected water every single day. I knew that many places don't have clean water, but that was the first time I really thought about the fact that some people's only source of drinking water, which everyone needs to survive, is also the cause of serious sickness and death. It's unbelievable to think about and yet again makes me realize how lucky we are and that we need to appreciate it to the fullest.
Another thing I got the chance to experience this semester was the love that so many people have for the city of Dayton. One of my favorite volunteering experiences this semester was at OctoberFest, watching the bikes people could leave while they wandered around listening to the awesome live music, seeing the cool art in the tents, and sampling the beer. The lady we worked with was part of BikeDayton and she was just so excited about the Dayton community and everything it has to offer. The other people volunteering with us were the same way and everyone surrounding us at the event was friendly and wanted to talk about all the great things Dayton has to offer, many of which are hidden and not widely known. It was great to be around such a great community full of love and respect for their city and everything it has to offer, and I hope that I continue to become part of that great community serving and giving back to Dayton and UD.
RiverLove,
Saehan
Mechanical Engineering
Thursday, May 2, 2013
Le Jardin Botanique
Greetings from mainland Europe! I feel very fortunate to be in such a beautiful place.
While friends back home are wrapping up the Spring semester I am obliged to continue with my studies in Geneva, Switzerland. In cahoots with the other students in my program, I decided to opt out of attending my one remaining French language class and even though I enjoyed the professor's quirky sense of fashion and sometimes equally far out teaching methods, the thought of no exam has lighted the study burden considerably. In any event I still manage to meet twice weekly to practice French with my tandem language partner, an African man studying for his master's degree in environmental science.
Now I want to talk about my newest intrigue: garden hopping. As an alternative to reading in my flat and also in face of a few cloudy and windy days, I have been regularly riding my bike to Le Jardin Botanique. Le Jardin Botanique is a beautiful conservatory and trail park on the left bank of Lake Geneva. Specifically, the garden is connected to at least 5 other parks bordering the lake.
Below, see some photos of various flora and plant life invading the greenhouse.
The garden features plenty of eco-friendly practices. For example, stashed near the entrance stand several compost bins and independent garden plots, presumably meant for locals to harvest produce of their own.
After passing through the bulk of the garden, one runs into Lake Geneva which sports a 100m jet fountain as well as nude spa goers when the weather happens to turn for the better. Given the Alpine origins of its water, the lake is the bluest of blues. I'm told that it's pleasant for a swim (nude or non-nude) in the summertime.
But despite the lake's popularity, my most desperate wish is to float down a portion of one of the two rivers that empty into its banks. When I brought up the idea of planning a trip to swim in the river at some point, one of my flatmates, a sunny Salvadoran named Carolina, told me that the water is probably far too cold for this.
"But, it looks too good to resist!" I replied. She only laughed.
happy Springtime (and belatedly Earth Day!),
Ashley Niemeier
While friends back home are wrapping up the Spring semester I am obliged to continue with my studies in Geneva, Switzerland. In cahoots with the other students in my program, I decided to opt out of attending my one remaining French language class and even though I enjoyed the professor's quirky sense of fashion and sometimes equally far out teaching methods, the thought of no exam has lighted the study burden considerably. In any event I still manage to meet twice weekly to practice French with my tandem language partner, an African man studying for his master's degree in environmental science.
Now I want to talk about my newest intrigue: garden hopping. As an alternative to reading in my flat and also in face of a few cloudy and windy days, I have been regularly riding my bike to Le Jardin Botanique. Le Jardin Botanique is a beautiful conservatory and trail park on the left bank of Lake Geneva. Specifically, the garden is connected to at least 5 other parks bordering the lake.
Below, see some photos of various flora and plant life invading the greenhouse.
The garden features plenty of eco-friendly practices. For example, stashed near the entrance stand several compost bins and independent garden plots, presumably meant for locals to harvest produce of their own.
After passing through the bulk of the garden, one runs into Lake Geneva which sports a 100m jet fountain as well as nude spa goers when the weather happens to turn for the better. Given the Alpine origins of its water, the lake is the bluest of blues. I'm told that it's pleasant for a swim (nude or non-nude) in the summertime.
But despite the lake's popularity, my most desperate wish is to float down a portion of one of the two rivers that empty into its banks. When I brought up the idea of planning a trip to swim in the river at some point, one of my flatmates, a sunny Salvadoran named Carolina, told me that the water is probably far too cold for this.
"But, it looks too good to resist!" I replied. She only laughed.
happy Springtime (and belatedly Earth Day!),
Ashley Niemeier
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