Purdue Professor Receives Citizen of the Wabash & National River Hero Awards

Bernie Dahl, Program Chair of Landscape Architecture, Purdue University College of Agriculture, and a current director and past president of the Banks of the Wabash, Inc, was the recipient of the 2008 Citizen of the Wabash award presented by the Wabash River Heritage Corridor Commission and one of five national winners honored Sunday evening at the 2008 National River Rally held in Huron, Ohio.

The Wabash River Heritage Corridor Commission’s Citizen award honors those who have provided exemplary service to the Corridor Commission’s vision and mission while River Network’s annual River Hero award celebrates rivers and those who protect them by recognizing some of the victories and honoring those who provide the Network with leadership and inspiration along the way. The award is open to any individual board member, staff, volunteer or private citizen) who has successfully worked with a river conservation organization to improve a river and its watershed and who over the years has made a sustained contribution to the conservation of the river. Click here for a list of past recipients.

Caption: Ron James, left, executive director of the Wabash River Heritage Corridor Commission, presented the 2008 Citizen of the Wabash award and introduced Bernie Dahl, a Banks of the Wabash director, and program chair of Landscape Architecture at Purdue University's College of Agriculture, as he received National River Hero honors.

Professor Dahl was already a hero among Indiana’s river networks. As Ron James, Executive Director of the Wabash River Heritage Corridor Commission said in nominating Dahl for a 2008 River Hero award, “Bernie casts a wide net of river-centric activities but is being nominated specifically for his efforts with the Banks of the Wabash, Inc., an organization which has as its mission to preserve, enhance and promote the significant historic, cultural, recreational and archaeological resources of the Wabash River Corridor and to improve the quality of life in communities along the corridor, create regional identity, pursue economic advancement and promote heritage tourism. Bernie was a significant force in this organization’s creation and served as its president for the last decade; during its explosive growth as a regional river non-profit.”

Kenneth Einselen, President, Banks of the Wabash, Inc., says of our Hoosier River Hero Award recipient “Bernie Dahl has invested his life and career in the Wabash River . . . [his impact] upon the Wabash River, the lives of his many students, and that [‘spreading influence’ among] many communities today and in the future cannot be measured.”

Dahl's work as program chair for a top 10 landscape architecture school, has broadened his influence to more than 1000 graduates over a period of nearly 35 years. Purdue has allowed him to meld his passion in community assistance and service learning projects. Over the past 20 years Dahl, through this program, has conducted over 150 projects in over 120 communities with the overwhelming number proposing improving watersheds through public enhancement. Many of the communities are targeted because they traditionally would not engage the services of a landscape architect. This enabled Dahl, and the Purdue classes he lead, the opportunity to educate communities of 560 to 130,000 about the benefits of the preservation of the riparian corridor, the maintenance of filters, and the broader mission of the entire corridor.

April 30 Meeting Summary

Wabash & Erie Canal Towpath Trail Chapter

Honeywell Center, 1:30 p.m. Nixon Room

Hosted by Charley Creek Foundation

April 30, 2008

RECAP

1. OPENING REMARKS

Attending were: Michael Beauchamp, Dick Beamer, Joan and Les Keefer, Ron James, Roger Goodland, Bob and Carolyn Schmidt, Dan McCain, Terry Lacy, Dan White and Tom Castaldi. Several of our group who usually meet with us experienced scheduling conflicts and could not be in attendance. Meeting was opened with Tom Castaldi thanking Beth Stein of Charlie Creek Foundation for their support along with her assistance scheduling our meeting and for Lisa Iversen who maintains our blog site. An email letter was read sent by Ray Irvin who is leaving INDOT to work with communities state wide to assist in moving there trail projects to completion. He expressed his willingness to assist us in our efforts going forward.

2. MEMBERSHIP

April is our anniversary month to renew our Banks of the Wabash (BOW) membership. A copy of the "Invitation to Join" can be found on the blogsite. Print out the handy "Membership Categories" section, complete the form, mention "Wabash & Erie Towpath" and place in an envelope with your check and mail to PO Box 1253, Lafayette, Indiana 47902 today. The new membership forms to be supplied by BOW now feature a check off block “Wabash & Erie Towpath.” Individual membership is $15.00.

3. MARKERS AND DIRECTIONAL SIGNS

a) Wabash River Heritage Corridor River Road markers are now available and being distributed by Ron James to Corridor counties. They measure 18" x 24" and introduce the Wabash River Heritage Corridor route. WRHC Commissioners have made these available to trail people interested and may contact Ron James for details. Great for placing as close to the Wabash River as possible, these markers will not necessarily be for use on U.S. or State highways. [A space is provided in the lower portion that will accommodate our blue and white 18” x 6” directional Canal Boat sign.]

The WRHC Trail 18” x 24” markers will be forthcoming. They are intended for trail heads such as the one in Allen County. These will also be utilized at places along major roads to mark where the WRHC Trail crosses. Contact Ron (Email at execdir@wrhcc.in.gov) for details.

The WRHC Community markers are 18” x 24” intended to be used at the entrances of communities who wish to promote their relationship with the WRHC. Contact Ron for details.

b) Directional Towpath Trail "Canal Boat" silhouette sign, 18 " x 6" now be utilized on the Towpath as a directional banner sign in Carroll County and planned for use across Wabash County uses a decal “arrow” to point travel direction. Pre-drilled holes make these easy to attach to the lower portion of the WRHC River Road markers. Dan McCain has agreed to serve as a clearing house to collect requests for these signs. Sign coordinator Brian Stirm will be asked to order the 18” x 6” signs once quantities and costs are determined. Ron James will ask his Commissioners at their upcoming May 14^th meeting (to be held in the Old Log Inn, Warrenton, Indiana, in Gibson County) for sign quantities needed per county. The idea is to learn how many the counties wish in the aggregate and then place one large order to receive the lower costs of end-bracket pricing. In those Canal Counties not included in WRHC, the Canal Society of Indiana has agreed to make the availability of directional “Canal Boat” silhouette sign known to its members in those counties not included in WRHC.

c) "Towpath Sign" is patterned after the above signs now being considered by Dawn Ritchie's Towpath Trail group in Allen County. Several designs have been proposed and Roger Goodland noted that no decision had been made according to Dawn Ritchie.

4. TRAIL MANUAL

Report on the progress of a Workbook or Manual recommended by Rory Robinson as a first step explaining the case for our mission to connect/mark a trial along the Wabash Erie Canal Towpath and Wabash River. A Questionnaire draft to be designed by Ron James and a draft of the Situation Analysis by Tom Castaldi was distributed for discussion. Ron James suggested that because each step of driving directions are included in the description separated by bullet points, each point now may be expanded to become its own page in the Manual. The page should include: 1) a map of the area with urban areas no larger than 3 or 4 blocks while in rural areas increments of 3 to 4 miles should mark both the a Driving Trail and/or a Walking Trail; 2) information about land ownership; 3) to make certain that the marked trail connects properly with obstacles and with adjoining map routes.

It was noted that a major benefit of such a manual will serve as a first step to create an identity that people begin to understand that we have something positive going on here.

5. MEETINGS

Mark your calendar for our July 16, 2008. Unless otherwise announced we plan to meet in the History Center, 302 East Berry Street, Fort Wayne. [Follow U.S. 24 or Jefferson Street into Fort Wayne, and at Lafayette Street turn north and go to the 3^rd stop light and turn west on Berry Street. In one half block look for a left turn into the Allen County Fort Wayne Historical Society’s History Center’s parking lot. A Fall meeting is tentatively scheduled for November 19, 2008.

6. MEETING ADJOURNED