ROCK RIVER TRAIL INITIATIVE

Imagine…

By Greg Farnham
RRTI Coordinator
and Frank Schier
RTTI Founder and Coordinator and Editor & Publisher of The Rock River Times

We appreciate everyone’s enthusiasm and cooperation and are pleased to report good progress during September toward the objectives of establishing a recreation Rock River Water Trail and a scenic and historic Rock River Route.

By Greg Farnham
RRTI Coordinator
and Frank Schier
RTTI Founder and Coordinator and Editor & Publisher of The Rock River Times

Hello, everyone!

We hope all is well. We’ve been very busy, and we’re glad to say the members and date of the first Rock River Trail Initiative (RRTI) Council meeting will be announced in our October update. We have just a few folks to confirm.

Those interested in learning more about the Rock River and the Rock River Trail will have the opportunity next week.

Thursday, April 28, Rock River Trail officials will present the Second Annual Meet the Neighbors, Re-Discovering the Rock River: An explanation, inventory, assessment, and declaration of the Rock River Trail conference at the Clock Tower Resort and Conference Center in Rockford, Ill.

Rock River Trail Founder Frank Schier, along with driver John Lamar, returned to Rockford Friday, April 15, after delivering 10,000 oak trees to the 11 counties along the Rock River.

Each county received 910 saplings made up of bur oak, white oak, swamp oak and red oak.

Beginning the journey to each distribution point along the Rock River Wednesday, April 13, Schier completed the trip several hours ahead of schedule.

While the majority of the free oak trees distributed to those in the 11 Rock River Trail counties are spoken-for, there are still several hundred available at three distribution sites.

As of this report, distribution officials in Lee and Ogle counties still have trees available to those interested in planting oaks along the river.

In Wisconsin, Fond du Lac officials also have trees.

Those interested in claiming the last of the of the free oaks in Ogle County, Lee County and Fond du Lac County are encouraged to contact the following officials:

The first phase of the Rock River Trail Fee Oak Tree Giveaway is complete. Since Wednesday morning, Trail Founder Frank Schier has been on the road delivering what began as a load of 10,000 trees.

Schier completed the task of deliverying the trees to all 11 counties along the river at 3 p.m., Thursday, April 14.

Delivery was scheduled to spill into Friday, however, an early Thursday start allowed Schier and John Lamar to finish Illinois drops and swiftly move north into Wisconsin a day early.

* Rock River Trail Initiative to distribute free bur, swamp, white and red oak trees in the 11 counties of the Rock River

Staff Report

Click on the picture below and use the right and left arrow keys to cycle between pictures.

• Living Lands and Waters donates 10,000 oak trees to Rock River Trail Initiative

By Brandon Reid
Assistant Editor

History.

In 1926, at age 15, Ronald Reagan became a lifeguard at Lowell Park on the Rock River in Dixon, Ill. The boy they called “Dutch” saved 77 lives—and one pair of false teeth—in his seven years as a lifeguard. Fifty-five years later, in 1981, “Dutch” was inaugurated the 40th president of the United States.

History.

Rockford - Positive change is quickly moving upstream along the Rock River.

Eco-friendly groups announced new developments along the Rock River Trail.  The recreational, appalachian-like trail, which is under construction, runs along the Rock River through 10 counties.

For more information and a video please visit MyStateLine.com.

By Frank Schier
Editor & Publisher

As founder of the Rock River Trail, I’m very excited to give the region some great Christmas presents for the new year.

By Frank Schier
Editor and Publisher
Founder of the Rock River Trail

The National Park Service’s Outdoor Education Planner for the Midwest Region’s River and Trails Program, Jeff Obirek, visited Winnebago County Aug. 25. He liked what he saw and heard about the Rock River Trail, and he’s going to help us.

Obirek notified us on Aug. 27, the National Park Service has agreed to be a consultant to the Rock River Trail for the fiscal year starting Oct. 1, 2010.

October 7, 2010
For immediate release

Winnebago County Green Business Awards and the Rock River Trail announce the “Micro-Hydro Power from the Rock River Contest”

Purpose: To challenge all people, schools and industries along the 285 miles of the Rock River to construct an American renewable energy product—a working micro-hydro generating device that will produce electrical energy from the flow of the Rock River.

Entry Fee: A fee of $25 per entry per classification

Press Release
May 27, 2010

By Frank Schier

Editor and Publisher

Two years in a row! Last year, Illinois Renewable Energy Association President and Vice-President Drs. Bob and Sonia Vogl were the honorees and inducted into the National, Illinois and Chicago Environmental Halls of Fame (NICEHF). Besides their many achievements, they have also been our front-page columnists on all things Green since 2000.

By Frank Schier
Editor & Publisher

The April 16 conference on creating the Rock River Trail was the first time in history all 10 counties on the river had gathered, and more history may be in the making.