River Action's Channel Cat Talks -- May 31 through June 30.

Channel Cat Talks: Tuesday, May 31, through Thursday, June 30

Riverbend Commons Dock, 2951 East River Drive, Moline IL

Riverine Walks: Wednesday, June 1, through Saturday, July 2

Various Quad Cities Locations

Delivering a blend of local history, environmental issues, education, entertainment, and fresh air, Davenport's River Action will again present a series of outdoor presentations in the first month of the annual Channel Cat Talks and Riverine Walks: weekly programs that, from May 31 through July 2, will address such topics as commercial fishing, steamboating, the Quad Cities River Bandits, the Hauberg Estate, and the history of Arsenal Island.

Channel Cat Talk participants tour the Mississippi River aboard the Channel Cat Water Taxi, with boarding taking place at Moline's Riverbend Commons Dock. Experts will provide narration on the themed surroundings, with the Channel Cat Talks for late-May through June including: “Commercial Fishing” (May 31 and June 2), with participants learning how to make a living as a river fisherman and enjoying a post-tour lunch of wild catfish; Quad Cities' Role in the Corn Belt Ports" (June 7 and 9), in which retired Colonel Bob Sinkler discusses how the ports attracted $1.24 billion from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill, as well as the short- and long-term benefits of the federal investment in greater Quad Cities region; "River Bandits on the Mississippi" (June 14 and 16), with River Bandits owner Dave Heller talking about the professional baseball team, Modern Woodmen Park, and the challenges/advantages of operating a business along the Mississippi River; "Steamboating on the Upper Mississippi" (June 21 and 23), which finds historian Karen Anderson detailing the rise of steamboats to serve land acquired by in the Black Hawk Purchase; and "Raptors Along the River” (June 28 and 30), in which Scott County Conservation Naturalist Dave Mucia speaks on area birds of prey and introduces guests to a live raptor from the Wapsi River Center.

River Action's Riverine Walks -- June 1 through July 2.

Riverine Walk participants explore the Quad Cities through a series of guided strolls through various area locales, with the June and early-July Riverine Walks series featuring: "Race Between the Iron Horse and the Last Bison: 1833-1870" (June 1 and 4), with historian Karen Anderson taking participants back to the days when bison, wolves, and bears roamed the county and waterfowl blackened the sky overhead; "Hauberg Estate: A Jens Jensen Landscape Restoration" (June 8 and 11), in which Deb Kuntzi, Hauberg's executive director, discusses the estate and gardens, one of the few complete Jensen garden designs in the U.S.; "The History of "The Heights" (June 15 and 18), a walking tour that finds Matt Johnston covering early settlement, Civil War and Dakota internment camps, and residential development; "Regenerative Farming Practices" (June 22 and 25), in which Rob Ewoldt, of Ewoldt Farms, discusses what farm operators are doing to preserve and protect farm land and local waterways; and "History of Arsenal Island" (June 28 and July 2), wherein historian Kevin Braafladt discusses Civil War prison barracks, stone shops, and World War I and II service.

Channel Cat Talks take place on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 9 a.m. and are $20 per person, while Riverine Walks are held on Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m. and Saturdays at 9 a.m., with admission $10 per person. For more information on these “Explore the River Series” presentations, call (563)322-2969 and visit RiverAction.org.

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