Dixon Waterfowl Refuge site manager, ecologist to give virtual talk

The Putnam County Public Library will host virtually Katie Kucera, ecologist, and Justin Seibert, site manager at the Sue and Wes Dixon Waterfowl Refuge in Hennepin at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 29, for a presentation on how the refuge was restored and information on the rich variety of flora and fauna that can be found in the local natural area.

Owned and managed by The Wetlands Initiative, the Sue and Wes Dixon Waterfowl Refuge is an Illinois Valley hidden treasure. Located south of Hennepin, in Putnam County, the refuge was drained and farmed for agriculture for nearly a century. The Wetlands Initiative began restoring the land in 2001 to the diverse backwater lakes and natural wetlands, prairie and savanna habitats that once occupied the land. Today, the refuge is a Ramsar Wetland of International Importance and attracts thousands of migratory waterfowl in the spring and fall seasons.

This program is free, open to the public, and made possible through a grant from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and SciStarter. It will be presented via Zoom. Register at the following link: https://2ly.link/20KJN. For more information, call the Granville Library at 815-339-2038.