Experts' stories

• District Manager Larry Samstad recited the history of the watershed since its inception in 1962

• Cenex Harvest States' Clint Gergen outlined the story of Minnesota River barge traffic (see the story in the last issue of the News)

• The DNR's Mark Cleveland (see Nicols fen article in this issue) regaled guests with a natural history of the fens in Ft. Snelling State Park

• Greg Genz, past president of the Upper Mississippi River Waterways, spoke about the importance of the barges' moving product down river

• Steve Tapp, Army Corp of Engineers, talked about dredging the river for barge traffic

• Terry Schreiner, u.s.f.w.s. minnesota Valley Wildlife Refuge, spoke about the abundance of wildlife on and around the river

• Rich Brasch and Dan Edgerton, of Bonestroo Rosene, Anderlik & Associates, spoke about the various district restoration projects in the area