EAST ALTON – Neighbor Nights is a community event series at the National Great Rivers and Education Center held on the first Tuesday of select months from 5:30-8 p.m. throughout the year.
It’s a great time for NGRREC’s river neighbors to come and learn more about the rivers of the world, the watersheds that feed them and the communities that use them.
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“Neighbor Nights, which is now in its third year, provides visitors an opportunity to participate in public tours of our LEED certified field station, get behind-the-scenes laboratory access, or enjoy hands-on activities and demonstrations relevant to that month’s topic,” NGRREC Environmental Educator Allison Rhanor said. “And this year, we’re partnering with Schlafly Beer to provide free beverages throughout the event each month. Both Schlafly Beer and NGRREC are invested in green technology and environmental stewardship, so we’re very excited to bring this new partnership to our visitors.”
While visitors hear from NGRREC staff about their work and learn about river-related topics, they can also enjoy free food and Schlafly beverages. Both Schlafly Beer and NGRREC are committed to environmental sustainability, so the partnership is a natural fit.
“Schlafly Beer is happy to partner with The National Great Rivers Research and Education Center and support the upcoming series of Neighbor Nights” said Schlafly Founding Brewer Stephen Hale. “Located on opposite sides of the confluence of this country’s two largest rivers, we both realize the importance of water to all of us. For this, we celebrate with topics important to all of us, as well as with a beer made from these waters.”
Each Neighbor Night will offer something different and highlight a unique project led by one of NGRREC’s researchers, educators or conservationists.
Spring Series
March 5: Grassland Bird Nest Survival
Conservation Program Manager Dr. Justin Shew, A Demonstration: Measuring Habitat Characteristics for Wildlife
April 2: Habitat Management for Game Wildlife
Habitat Project Junior Assistant Cody Berry, Building Tour
May 7: Micro Plastics in Fresh Waters
Community Ecologist Dr. Tony Dell, Ecology Laboratory Tour and Mesocosm Demonstration
Fall Series
September 3: Dragonfly Conservation
Environmental Technician Dr. Britt Ousterhout, Building Tour
October 1: Swarovski Waterschool Student Engagement
Swarovski Waterschool USA Educator Corrinne O’Brien, Student-led Activities
November 5: Amphibian and Reptile Conservation
Terrestrial Wildlife Ecologist Dr. John Crawford, Building Tour
December 3rd, Monitoring Sediments and Nutrients in the Mississippi River
Environmental Technician Miles Corcoran, Water Quality Laboratory Tour
National Great Rivers Research and Education Center (NGRREC?)
Founded in 2002 as a collaborative partnership between the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and Lewis and Clark Community College, NGRREC is dedicated to the study of great river systems and the communities that use them. The center aspires to be a leader in scholarly research, education, and outreach related to the interconnectedness of large rivers, their floodplains, watersheds, and their associated communities. To learn more about NGRREC, visit www.ngrrec.org.
The National Great River Research and Education Center teamed up with Eat, Drink, Grow Native to host a Neighbor Nights event in September, 2018. The 2019 series will feature free food and Schlafly beverages. Photo by Jan Dona, L&C Media Services.
