May 2003 – Page 3 – Riverwest Currents

The Natural Casualties of War and the Hope of Migration

by Nature NotesMay 2003December 2013

Like everyone else I find myself thinking and talking to others about the war. In addition to concern for the men and women of our armed forces and the people of Iraq, my thoughts are on the impacts of this human conflict on the natural resources, and in particular, the birds of Iraq. During the Gulf War, hundreds of oil well fires and the largest oil spill in history impacted thousands of birds and marine life. It raises the question, how bad might it be this time around?

The war in Iraq couldn’t have come at a worse time for migratory birds. Iraq lies on a key migration route for many species that winter in Africa and breed in Europe and western Russia in the summer.

Neighborhood News

Kilbourn Park Trust Planning Continues

by EditorMay 2003December 2013

The Kilbourn Park Trust Planning Committee met twice in April to discuss current developments regarding Kilbourn Park. In an April 1 meeting, Tom Schneider, executive director of COA Youth & Family Centers, reported on lease negotiations with the City of Milwaukee. After lengthy discussions, a new leasing proposal has been submitted to COA. A quick scan of the document by Schneider indicated that while it represented progress there were still issues to be resolved. The conversation with the City will continue.

Columns

Ten Things Eudemon Likes To Do In May

by EudemonMay 2003

10. Walk to a park on one of those first truly warm days and sit in the sun with his eyes closed, listening to the birds chirping and the children playing. 9. Hike through the woods in the river valley to Meeting at the Quaker Friends Center. 8. Dig in the garden with the warm […]

Columns

Help Worms Help Your Garden

by Green SpacesMay 2003

It may be too early to plant those tender seedlings, but it’s a great time to turn ordinary dirt into rich nutritious garden soil that plants will thrive in later. A great way to start is to add vermipost to your garden. Vermipost is a type of rich organic material that is produced by worms. Vermiculture, the process used to create vermipost, is simple and inexpensive to do. One of the Greenfolks, John Gorecki, recently attended a one day workshop on vermiculture at Growing Power, Inc. Here are his answers to some frequently asked questions about vermiculture.

Uncategorized

Skateboarding a Positive Outlet for Riverwest Kids

by EditorMay 2003December 2013

by Eryn Moris / photographs by Peter DiAntoni

Mel Fleming decided to create an organization for kids in Riverwest to help them get involved in skateboarding regardless of their financial limitations. One of her primary motivations for starting the organization was regret. “It was really amazing, because I had struggled with a lot of things in the past. So many experiences I’ve had weren’t even close to as healing as skateboarding was.”