“Oneota Flow: A Deep History of Birds and People on the Mississippi Flyway”
By David Faldet

 

David Faldet has spent forty years in the basin of the Upper Iowa River, which winds from the flat farm fields of southern Minnesota through the wooded valleys of northeast Iowa to the Mississippi.

 

In his book, Oneota Flow, Faldet moves through the history of life along the Upper Iowa, always focusing on the ways people depend on the river, the environment, and the resources of the region. In his talk he will introduce the Upper Iowa, its most characteristic birds, the river basin’s prehistory and history of human interactions with birds, and the way human development of the basin has changed its bird population. 

 

The presentation will reinforce the basic ecological idea that people and birds are interdependent and that the health of the river is best guaranteed by maintaining the biological communities that nurture it. In return, taking care of the Upper Iowa is the best way to take care of our future.  Faldet is Jones Professor of Humanities and chairs the English Department at Luther College in Decorah, Iowa.  

This program is sponsored by Des Moines Audubon Society.  Meetings begin at 7 p.m. and are held in the lower level of Westminster Presbyterian Church, which is located at the corner of Beaver and Franklin Avenues in Des Moines. Parking is available on the north and west sides of the church and an elevator can be accessed at the west door. For information about Des Moines Audubon programs, please contact Jane at [log in to unmask] or 515-223-5047.