Izaak Walton League of America DeKalb County, Indiana, Chapter Defenders of Soil, Air, Woods, Water and Wildlife Our Conservation Mission: To conserve, maintain, protect and restore the soil, forest, water and other natural resources of DeKalb County and Northeastern Indiana; to promote means and opportunities for educating the public with respect to such resources and their enjoyment and wholesome utilization. Who We Are: We're part of a diverse group of more than 50,000 people dedicated to protecting America's natural resources. Our strength is in a grassroots, commonsense approach to local, state and national conservation issues. Our individual interests span outdoor recreation and conservation activities from angling and birding to stream monitoring, wildlife photography and hunting. But we all share one major goal: to protect and sustain America's rich resources to ensure a high quality of life for all, now and in the future. Our History: The Izaak Walton League of America (IWLA) was founded in 1922 "to save outdoor America for future generations. " Named for 17th-century English angler-philosopher Izaak Walton (picture at left) who wrote The Compleat Angler, the IWLA organized the nation's first water pollution inventory in 1927 and helped pass the first federal water pollution contol act in the 1940's. Water quality is still the top priority for "the Ikes," and the DeKalb County IWLA takes a special interest in protecting Cedar Creek, one of Indiana's outstanding small rivers and part of the watershed of the St. Joseph River . The DeKalb County Chapter was formed in 1971 in response to local concerns about air pollution and the felt need for a county park system. The DeKalb County Chapter provides special judges and awards for the annual Northeast Indiana Tri-State Regional Science Fair at Tri-State University in Angola for projects related to conservation and ecology. In 2001, DeKalb Middle School student Letitia Deardorf received an Ikes award for her project, "Stop Dumping Your Car Oil." 2002 DeKalb IWLA awards went to Alex Caprino, 3rd grade, McKenney-Harrison School, Auburn; David Argast, 2nd grade, J.E. Ober School, Garrett; Cory Buchs, 8th Grade, DeKalb Middle School, Waterloo; and James Morrow, Freshman, DeKalb High School, Waterloo. The 2003 fair was held March 15. Awards went to David Argast, J.E. Ober Elementary School, Garrett ("Water Quality in a Small Indiana Lake"), Ryan Schlosser, DeKalb Middle School, Waterloo ("Metals in Vegetables"), and Melissa Barber, DeKalb High School, Waterloo ("Daphnia Drugged: Effect of Pharmaceutical Combinations on Daphnia"). Honorable mentions went to: Henry Smaltz, J.R. Watson Elementary School, Auburn ("Destruction of a Coral Reef"); Arthur Franke, Prairie Heights Elementary School, LaGrange ("Amazing Fuel"); Chelsea Zahner and Kirsten Warfield, J.E. Ober Elementary School, Garrett (Joint Project: "Fuel from Feed"); and Zachary Merkling, St. Mary's School, Avilla ("Mallard Imprinting"). No awards were given in 2004 or 2005. 2006 awards were presented to: Nick Prentice, West Noble High School; David Argast, Garrett Middle School; Megan Stoy, Angola Middle School; Jordon Younce, West Noble Middle School; Christopher Clemens, Ryan Park Elementary School, Angola; Kortnee Morris, Fremont Elementary; Abigail Bainbridge, Parkside Elementary School, LaGrange. Recipients of 2007 awards were: Pete Gallagher, DeKalb High School ("Solar Energy"); Hannah Morton, East Noble High School ("Bioremediation"); Susan Parrish, East Noble High School ("Mercury Contamination of Bluegills in Lakes"); Kayleigh Warner, DeKalb Middle School ("Biomass for Fuel"); Jordan Younce, West Noble Middle School ("Bioremediation of Detergents"); Brandon Doehrman, McKenney-Harrison Elementary School, Auburn, ("Earthworms and Plants"); Leah Hefty, McKenney-Harrison Elementary School, Auburn ("Alternate Pesticides"); Collin Bice, Waterloo Elementary School, ("Monarch Butterflies"); Gabrielle Dohney and Ariel Osborn, Westview Elementary School ("Effects of Second-Hand Smoke"). Kyle Bassett, Lakewood Park Christian School, Auburn, received the 2008 award. In Memoriam Jane Dustin 1929-2003 Tom Dustin 1923-2004 Tributes to Jane Dustin Tributes to Tom Dustin An Outstanding Hoosier Ike: Tom Dustin Hoosier Ikes Protect Indiana Waters: Read the Story! Help Save Indiana's Endangered Wildlife! Look for the eagle on your Indiana tax form! Buy an Environmental License Plate and save habitat for wildlife! Join the Indiana Amphibian Monitoring Program! Meetings The DeKalb County Chapter, IWLA, no longer meets on a regular basis. (Click Here for Map Info) In Memoriam Ron James (1954-2012) The DeKalb Ikes mourn the passing of Ronald E. James, an outstanding Indiana Ike who worked tirelessly through the Fort Wayne Chapter to protect Indiana waters. Congratulations to DeKalb Ike Karen Griggs, who was named by former Governor Kernan to a three-year term on the Water and Resource Regulation Advisory Council! The council advises the Natural Resources Commission on rules and policy. Congratulations also to DeKalb Ike Janel Rogers, who received the DeKalb County Soil and Water Conservation District's 2007 Environmental Award which recognizes outstanding efforts toward conservation of natural resources. Officers Mary Anna Feitler, President Gretel Smith, Treasurer Janel Rogers, Secretary This site was last updated on September 5, 2012. Find this site on Yahoo! Cedar Creek Court Victory! The Indiana Court of Appeals gave the Indiana IWLA and Cedar Creek Wildlife Project a big victory July 18 when it allowed an appeal of IDNR's 2001 permit to let the DeKalb County Surveyor clear logjams in the Scenic River segment of Cedar Creek to go forward in Allen County Circuit Court. Although the environmental damage is done, the important issue of just how seriously IDNR treats cumulative effects can now be argued. For an explanation of the decision, read the Big Eastern blog entry for July 19, 2006. To read the full decision in pdf format, click here. To contact us, click here! Contact the Webmaster Visit us on My Care2 at my.care2.com/ikesdekalb! Allied Organizations ACRES Land Trust Cedar Creek Wildlife Project, Inc. Center for Reptile and Amphibian Conservation and Management Citizens Action Coalition of Indiana Citizens for Appropriate Rural Roads DeKalb County Soil and Water Conservation District Hoosier Environmental Council Improving Kids' Environment Indiana Native Plant and Wildflower Society Indiana Nature Conservancy Indiana Wildlife Federation Izaak Walton League of America - National Izaak Walton League of America - Indiana Division IWLA - Links to Chapter Home Pages IWLA - Wabash Chapter Little River Wetlands Project Maumee River Basin Commission St. Joseph River Watershed Initiative Save the Dunes Council Sierra Club - Hoosier Chapter Wood-Land-Lakes State and Federal Agencies Indiana Department of Environmental Management Indiana Department of Natural Resources Natural Resources Conservation Service - Indiana U.S. Army Corps of Engineers - Detroit District USACE - Wetlands Regulation - Detroit District USACE South Bend Field Office USEPA - Region 5 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service - Region 3 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service - Indiana Field Offices U.S. Forest Service - Hoosier National Forest Critical Species and Habitats Clubshell Indiana Bat Northern Copperbelly Water Snake Northern Riffleshell White Cat's Paw Pearly Mussel - Link 1 White Cat's Paw Pearly Mussel - Link 2 Fish Creek Maumee River Pigeon River Wetlands Tools A Model Wetlands Ordinance for Indiana Communities Big Eastern Clean Water Network DeKalb County Pollution Profile EcoNews from Branches.com Hoosier Wetlands Home Page Hoosier Wetlands Newsletter Indiana Environmental Policy Act Indiana Environmental Professionals' Website Indiana Environmental Report Jane Dustin on Water Quality Mike Walter's Indiana Earth Page Defenders of Soil, Air, Woods, Water and Wildlife (*) When you click on the links above, a new browser window will open. 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