Recipient: Appalachian Heritage Alliance

Watershed: Red River Watershed: Hands on Biology with Powell Co High School Biology Classes (EDUCATION)

Project Summary

We received a grant from the KY River Authority to give hands-on field biology experiences to the biology classes at Powell County High School . Three trips to the Red River with various biologists were successfully taken as well as one trip to Frankfort to tour the Center for Mollusk Conservation in the fall of 2005. We started the hands on biology experience with various educators in the classroom. John Webb, Upper KY River Basin Coordinator, covered the concept of watershed and water chemistry, Jon Walker, USFS, covered the history of the watershed, and Mike Reed, County Extension Agent, covered agriculture in the watershed. Our first field trip focused on water chemistry and stream assessment. Ken Cooke from the Kentucky Division of Water directed this trip along with John Web and Kim Feeman, FRR. The second trip looked into aquatic invertebrates with more detail with biologist Mark Vogel, KDOW, as well as into the fishes of the Red with biologist Mike Compton, KDOW. The third trip focused on the fresh water mussels of the Red with biologist Monte McGregor, KFW. The last trip was taken to the Center for Mollusk Conservation in Frankfort to see one conservation effort to enhance the diversity of the Red River . John Web and Kim Feeman assisted on all trips. The grant proposal included a literary instructor to help process the experience. Due to conflicts the scheduled artist wasn't able to come. In lieu, the students were asked to write an essay pertaining to watersheds. A piece by one of the students has been included with this report.

Approximately 25 students were served through the grant during the fall field trips. Of the total $2,960 grant monies, only $1988.52 was spent. Generally, proposed cost of food and travel were slightly over proposed cost, while supply money was greatly over proposed. Supplies were generally available without new purchase, supplied either by the biologist, other organizations (kids wore tennis shoes), or the school biology teacher already had the supplies. Since there was remaining money ($971.48), it was requested to offer two field trips to the spring biology classes at PCHS. With the limited time frame of the spring semester (testing), only one field trip could be taken. However, forty students were served on this trip. Steve Colwell, biology teacher PCHS and Kim Feeman, biologist and grant coordinator with FRR directed the trip since the other scheduled biologists were unable to make it due to weather. Of the remaining money, only $313.22 was spent. The now remaining money, $665.99 will be rolled over into funding for proposed hands on field trips for Menifee County, the third county in the Red River watershed ( Wolfe County was funded this year).

Funding for the hands on biology field trips has been greatly appreciated. Even though the students have this incredible beautiful river in their back yard, many had never waded in its waters, poked under rocks looking for insect larva, seined for fish or looked through viewing buckets for mussels. These experiences coupled with the knowledge passed on from people who understand and care about the Red River can only impress upon the youth, the importance of their awareness and their stewardship of the river. The students were very enthusiastic about the field trips. Many exclaimed how they wished there would be more educational opportunities like what we were doing! One student claimed to want to be a biologist now.and that was a girl! Thanks.

Recipient: Appalachian Heritage Alliance

Watershed: Red River of Kentucky River (CLEAN-UP)

Project Summary:

The long and short of it is that, in 2005, we hosted two clean-ups that covered twenty miles of river and prepped a third ten-mile section-getting 100 tires out of the river, only to have it rise twelve feet the night before the clean-up and erase our efforts.

Because we saved $500 of grant money allotted to garbage disposal when Red River Ranch in Powell County offered to dispose of any tires or trash that we collected during the clean-up in that county, we were then able to fund three more clean-ups in 2006 using the money to buy dinner for about 60 volunteers. These clean-ups covered about 25 miles of river-19 of which were included in 2005 and six of the 10 miles that were flooded out the year before.

During these five clean-ups, we involved around 90 volunteers and removed 400 tires, plus many boat loads of other garbage. But, the sad truth is that this is the 11 th year that we have conducted the clean-ups in the upper section of the river and the 6 th year for the middle section, and yet we still removed over 250 tires from areas that we cleaned in previous years.

The final solution rests not with clean-ups, but with legislation. Several states have more progressive waste tire legislation than Kentucky ; among them are North Carolina , Hawaii , Nevada and California . Until we eliminate the expense to the consumer for disposing of used tires, many of them will continue to end up in our rivers and streams.

The other component of our grant was the $900 allocated for the purchase of three used rafts. We were able to purchase four rafts, and they proved very useful in this year's cleanup. The word is out that they are available for whitewater clean-ups, but so far there has been no response.

In conclusion, I want to add that I found John Webb to be a very effective coordinator. He is always ready to be of assistance. He helped in every phase of this project-from writing the grant to pulling the tires out of the river. It's been a pleasure to be associated with him.

Additional Documents:

• Successful River Clean-Up (article from the Wolfe County News)
• Wolfe Man Spearheads Red River Roundup (from the Clay City Times, 6/1/2006)
• Roundup on the Red River (from Land, Air and Water magazine

Agencies and Groups Involved in project:

• Friends of the Red River
• Bluegrass Wildwater Association
• Red River Outdoors
• Sierra Club
• Red River Ranch
• U.S. Forest Service
• Otterbein College, Environmental Politics Class