Sunday, September 23rd, 12:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m., 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.

Come celebrate the 80th birthday of Black Hawk State Historic Site (1927-2007) when this Site was preserved as an Illinois state park. Activities include: museum tours, prairie, forest and geology walks, children's activities, bird watching, vintage car exhibit, plus cake, ice cream and music provided by the QC Banjoliers. Attendees turning 80 in 2007 will be recognized. At 7 p.m. Bob Motz will present "The Good Old Days", a slide show about the early amusement park, including the roller coast and the Shoot the Chutes.

Thursday, September 29th, 6:00 p.m.

Come enjoy bluegrass music around a campfire at the fire circle east of Singing Bird Nature Center, located north of Blackhawk Road (46th Ave.) at 15th St. Citizens to Preserve Black Hawk Park Foundation will provide s'mores and those attending are encouraged to bring their own lawn chairs and food to cook over the open fire.

Thursday, October 4th, 7:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.

Ornithologist Cliff Stewart will present a program about the feeding of winter birds, Singing Bird Nature Center. He will discuss feeder types, seed varieties and the birds they attract.

Saturday, October 6th, 9:30 a.m. -11:30 a.m.

Join photographer Jim Frink on for an indoor program showing fungi of Black Hawk followed by a walk to observe fungi in the forest. The Black Hawk forest is a Nature Preserve and no plants or fungi can be collected, only viewed and appreciated. Meet at Singing Bird Nature Center

Friday, October 19th, 6:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

Black Hawk State Historic Site will celebrate Halloween with a short walk to meet some of the site's less appreciated residents. Primarily aimed at children and those who are young at heart. Story telling and refreshments are included. The event will be held in and around Singing Bird Nature Center.

Saturday, November 10th, 8:30 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.

Naturalist Bob Motz will identify and discuss the natural history of birds seen at Singing Bird Nature Center. Identification books will be used, as well as one-page sheets that can be purchased for home viewing. Seed types will be shown and their use for attracting a variety of winter birds will be discussed. Binoculars will be provided for viewing birds during the program.

Thursday, November 15th, 7:30–9:00 p.m.

Using audiovisual materials and humor Bob Motz and Janet Moline will describe the nesting and feeding habits of eagles, eagle trivia and the best places to view eagles as they return for the winter. Aimed at children and adults.

Friday, November 23rd. 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 a.m.

We invite you to join us at the Singing Bird Nature Center as an alternative to joining the flocks of people at stores on one of the busiest shopping days of the year–the day after Thanksgiving. Site naturalist Chuck Wester will present a program on wildlife especially aimed at children. All participants will complete a craft project to take home.

The first-ever Quad City Earth Charter Summit, "Give Earth A Chance: The Choice is Yours," will be held October 13, 2007, at the Putnam Museum and IMAX Theatre from 8:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. Utilizing music, arts, enlightened speakers, panel and discussion groups, and a marketplace of information, the summit is intended to raise awareness, provide education and encourage action. Cost to attend is just $20 per person. Seating is limited so early registration is suggested.

Please plan to attend! Additional details about the summit and its participants can be found at www.quadcityearthchartersummit.org where brochures and posters can be downloaded. I will be happy to send you brochures by mail per your request.

The Earth Charter is a declaration of four fundamental principles which include 1) respect and care for the community of life, 2) ecological integrity, 3) social and economic justice and 4) democracy, nonviolence and peace. These principles are intrinsic to building a just, sustainable, and peaceful global society in the 21st century. The Earth Charter seeks to inspire a sense of global interdependence and shared responsibility for the well being of the human family and the larger living world. It is not aligned with or owned by a particular political party, religion or socio-economic group, the major consideration is quality of life for all.

The Summit is presented by the Congregation of the Humility of Mary whose mission statement reads, "Like our founders, we strive to be attentive to the call of the Spirit in the signs of our times, especially the needs of the poor and the powerless. We commit ourselves as individuals and as a congregation to work for justice within the human family and to care for the earth itself." Please contact Lisa Bellomy, CHM Communications Director, at 563-336-8404 or Lbellomy@chmiowa.org if you have any questions.

The next NAGs meeting will be held at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, September 19th at Nahant Marsh. Come on out and find out the plans for the fall schedule of burns, two projects underway at Nahant and Black Hawk State Historic Site, and some potential native seed collection opportunities, as those prairies are ripe for the picking!

Kenny Salwey will be returning to Putnam Museum this month to sign books and tell stories. His documentary Mississippi: Tales of the Last River Rat will be playing again at 3, 5, and 7 p.m. The event will be held Wednesday, September 26th, tickets are $5. Order tickets ahead to reserve your seat.

At The Putnam, Sunday, November 4, 2007, 1:30-3:30 p.m.

Diggin' The Past

Enroll your child in Archaeology 101. Hands-on activities engage children in a journey to discover the past. They learn how archaeologists excavate a site as they dig at our

"dig site." Actual artifacts set the stage for active learning with spear-throwing games and experiments with paint pigments made from rock. Registration deadline: November 2.

A Retain the Rain workshop on permeable paving that reduces stormwater runoff will be held October 3, 2007 at the LeClaire Levee parking lot, 100 South Front Street, LeClaire, Iowa. It is open to the general public and will feature Wayne Peterson, Urban Resources Conservationist, NRCS, Iowa City, IA; Rob Wolfe, RJ Wolfe and Sons, contractor on the project; and River Action, Retain the Rain sponsor.

The solution to reducing the Quad Cities' stormwater runoff, and thus lowering flood levels and improving the quality of water in rivers and streams, lies in increasing the permeability of home, business, and industrial properties. One of the best ways to achieve this is by designing and installing simple, cost-effective projects like permeable parking lots.

Quad City communities are assessing stormwater utility fees based on the amount of impervious surfaces on properties, and three cities offer monetary credits for projects that reduce runoff. It will be increasingly advantageous for residents and professionals to know about the range of available projects that retain the rain and how to install them.

The workshop is free. Please register by calling River Action at (563) 322-2969 or e-mail riveraction.org. before October 1, 2007, to assure receiving an information packet.