In the Know with ROW

In 2018, Reconnecting to Our Waterways (ROW) began its In the Know with ROW program, a series of educational events to bring together ROW’s collective experts with community members to talk about issues and efforts that can increase knowledge and care of our waterways. To date, ROW has held six ITKWR events on a wide variety of subjects, first in person, and more recently in virtual platforms. Learn more on the events coming up, and the events held to date below. 

Past In the Know with ROW Events

On June 6, ROW and community clubs and outfitters held a virtual In the Know with ROW about all things water safety and recreation. We covered water recreation safety basics, where to connect with fellow paddlers and river people, and how to have fun on your own along our Indy waterways.

Thanks to the following partners who provide valuable expertise and information:

If you didn’t have a chance to attend (or did, and want to rewatch it), you can see the entire event at the Facebook Live recording. You can see the presentation here. Also, check out the July Urban Times article which provides some of helpful hints for having fun and staying safe here. 

As a followup to this event, ROW and FOWR led a community float with storytelling on June 20. Many of the participants to the webinar got to put their new found knowledge to good use at that float from Lake Indy in Riverside Park to Belmont Beach. 

Do Citizen Science: Identify Backyard Plant, Animal and Insects

On April 27, ROW hosted this virtual In the Know with ROW event bringing together the groups organizing the 2021 City Nature Challenge. For the fifth year, Indiana Sciences and a coalition of partners are challenging Indianapolis residents and surrounding communities to stay connected with the urban wildlife around them by becoming citizen scientists.
People of all ages are encouraged to participate in the “social distancing edition” of the 2021 global City Nature Challenge from April 30 – May 3, 2021. Joining Indiana Sciences to engage Hoosiers across the state include Reconnecting to Our Waterways (ROW), Keep Indianapolis Beautiful (KIB), Indiana Forest Alliance (IFA), Indianapolis Land Stewardship, V3 Companies, Indy Parks and Recreation, and Marian University. These organizations are planning the upcoming Indy City Nature Challenge and Indy Backyard Bioblitz provided guidance during the event on:
  • Using the iNaturalist.org app;
  • Taking great photos for species identification; and
  • Becoming a a citizen scientist through observations!

This session helped participants learn more about the challenge, prizes, and the different ways to observe nature in your backyard, in a park nearby, along a waterway or greenway. 

The event recording will be posted here soon. 

This event was made possible by the generosity of the Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust.

Thanks to Indiana Sciences for live-streaming the event through Facebook live.

Here are some resources provided during the event:

Recommended readings:

Cleaning Up Our Community: Addressing Litter & Illegal Dumping

On April 20, ROW hosted a virtual In the Know with ROW event that brought together Friends of the White River, Indianapolis Department of Business and Neighborhood Services, IMPD, Keep Indianapolis Beautiful and White River Alliance to provide information, answer questions and help attendees find ways to clean up our community and our waterways.  

The amazing panel included:
  • Tom Weber, Indianapolis Neighobrhood & Business Services
  • Lt. Allen Tuttle, Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department
  • Kevin Hardie & Scott Salmon, Friends of the White River
  • Gerardo Ruiz Tovar, Keep Indianapolis Beautiful
  • Haley Cowart, White River Alliance / Clear Choices Clean Water

You can watch and share the complete Zoom event here.

This event is made possible by the generosity of the Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust.

Here are some of the resources that were shared tonight:

Wednesday, March 31, 2020, ROW hosted Benefits of Bats for our Neighborhoods and Waterways with ROW’s Pogue’s Run Waterway Committee, Keep Indianapolis Beautiful’s Kelly DeRolf, and recent IU graduate Erik Ehrman.

Watched the virtual event here.

Check out some of the resources provided to the attendees at the event.

Build a Bat Box to attract Indiana Big Brown Bats: 20in Bat Box Plan (Center for Bat Research, Outreach and Conservation at ISU)

Create a garden to attract bats: Bat-Garden (Organization for Bat Conservation #SaveTheBats)

 

On May 28, 2020, ROW hosted Backyard Green Infrastructure, featuring information about rain barrels by Kephrew Institute and rain gardens by Marion County Soil & Water Conservation District.

Watch the vitual event here.

 

 

Other In the Know with ROW Topics:

  • Invasive & Native Plants: ROW partners Indiana Wildlife Federation and Keep Indianapolis Beautiful shared information on the harm of invasive plants and benefits of native plants, including sharing the symbiotic relationship between plant, animal and insect species and why diverse and native ecosystems are so valueable.
  • Water Quality 101: White River Alliance and Marion County Health Department joined ROW to provide information to help citizens better understand the threats to our water quality and opportunities to take positive action to keep our waterways clean.
  • Become a Water Advocate: ROW welcomed Hoosier Environmental Council’s Environmental Justice staff, joined by People for Pleasant Run, to discuss how to educate the community on issues of concern and ensure that community voices are heard as laws, ordinances and policies are bing made.
  • Crowd Funding 101: ROW Pogue’s Run and Pleasant Run Committees came together to share their experience crowdfunding for projects to enhance waterway spaces.