Rock River Trail Initiative distributes free oak trees April 25-27 April 25, 2012 Media Contact: Frank Schier, Rock River Trail Initiative founder and chairman, (815) 670-6440 Editors: See attached press releases for more about tree distribution in respective counties. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Rock River Trail Initiative distributes free oak trees April 25-27 ROCKFORD, Ill. — April... Read More

Note from Rock River Trail Coordinator Greg Farnham: This appears to be very relevant and welcome news for our efforts to establish a recreation water trail on the Rock River.  Please read the release carefully as it describes a modification that has been made, presumably by the department secretary and not Congress, to the National Trails System... Read More

Sauk Valley News: Rock River Trail Initiative picks up speed Note from Rock River Trail Coordinator Greg Farnham: Rock River Trail Initiative Council Members: Attached is an article in last Thursday’s (March 8) Sauk Valley News about the Rock River Trail Initiative, a proposed River Action Group in the cities of Dixon, Rock Falls and Sterling, and... Read More

By Greg Farnham RRTI Coordinator Two of the important events for the trail initiative during January included a presentation to the Illinois Greenways and Trails Council in Springfield, Ill., and a public information meeting at Black Hawk State Historic Site, Rock Island, Ill. Trail Founder Frank Schier and I traveled to Springfield for a meeting... Read More

Rock River Trail Initiative: An update for December 2011 By Greg Farnham RRTI Coordinator Progress continued at the end of 2011 to establish a recreation Rock River Water Trail and a scenic and historic Rock River Route. We had a wonderful opportunity Dec. 9 to present the Rock River Trail Initiative (RRTI) to key civic... Read More

Rock River Trail Initiative names council members and advisers A trail initiative council has been established by the Rock River Trail Initiative, a public-private partnership in Illinois and Wisconsin whose mission is to develop along the river a multi-use trail of recreational, scenic and historic interest. Frank Schier, editor and publisher of The Rock River Times,... Read More

Rock River Trail Initiative: An update for October 2011 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... Read More

Rock River Trail Initiative: An update for September 2011 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... Read More

A brief history of the Friends of the Rock River By Dr. Robert VoglIn 1991, both the Friends of the Fox River and the Friends of the Rock River were established. The organizer of the Friends of the Fox asked us to meet with him. That led to a meeting with Lt. Gov. Kustra in Chicago... Read More

Illinois House Joint Resolution No. 27 was passed May 31, 2011, and will have final amendments this November by sponsor Rep. Patrick J. Vershoore (D-Milan, 72nd Dist.). The amended bill is availablehere or by clicking the image below.

For the second time in history, all 11 counties along the Rock River were represented Thursday, April 28, for the Rock River Trail Meet the Neighbors Conference, held at the Clock Tower Resort. After an opening ceremony by Terry “Standing Buffalo” Reynolds and Dennis “White Bear” Dillard of the Native American Awareness Committee, host Frank... Read More

Trail Founder Frank Schier completes oak tree distribution journey 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... Read More

Free oak trees!   * Rock River Trail Initiative to distribute free bur, swamp, white and red oak trees in the 11 counties of the Rock River Staff Report Beginning Wednesday, April 13, representatives of the Rock River Trail Initiative will drop off free oak trees for parks, homes, farms and businesses along the 285 miles... Read More

Free Oak Tree Update: Trees still available in 3 counties 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... Read More

Agenda set for April 28 Rock River Trail conference at Rockford’s Clock Tower Resort   INVITATION AND  AGENDA ROCK RIVER TRAIL INITIATIVE Second Annual Meet the Neighbors Conference  Re-Discovering the Rock River:  An explanation, inventory, assessment, and declaration of the Rock River Trail Thursday, April 28, 2011, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.,   Clock Tower Resort... Read More

Rock River Trail Christmas presents for the new year 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. Last week, the redesign of www.rockrivertrail.com was unveiled for all the folks who were kind enough to attend VisionBeloit’s last... Read More

Rock River Trail Initiative aims for federal recognition By Marissa Alter ILLINOIS/WISCONSIN (WREX) – There’s an effort to establish a national scenic, recreational, and historic trail along the Rock River’s 285 miles. It’s called the Rock River Trail Initiative. The idea is to improve the Rock River eco-system, promote eco-tourism, and market recreational opportunities along the... Read More

Rock River Trail brings three congressmen and more to Rockford • 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”... Read More

Rock River Micro-Hydro Generator Design Contest 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... Read More

Rock River Sweep video

National Park Service grants consultancy to the Rock River Trail 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... Read More

Environmental Hall of Fame inducts TRRT and Winnebago County 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... Read More

Environmental Hall of Fame inducts The Rock River Times, Rock River Trail, Winnebago County, Frank Schier and Scott Christiansen Press Release May 27, 2010 ROCKFORD, Ill.—The Rock River Times (TRRT), Rock River Trail, Winnebago County, TRRT Editor & Publisher and Rock River Trail Founder and Chairman Frank Schier, and Winnebago County Board Chairman Scott Christiansen... Read More

Editorial: New logo and U.S. path for Rock River Trail 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. Scott Lewandowski, Memorial Hall manager and trail... Read More