Wolfgang Oesterreich (Wolf) - Ada Hayden Heritage Park Presentation
Presentations
2026 Presentations
Presentation- Thursday, January 29, 7:00pm at Ames Library: Iowa’s Lost Lichens. Join Dr. Jim Colbert on a journey to a world filled with lichen, often a splash color on rocks, trees and pretty much wherever we are. Jim is a retired Iowa State University biology professor. Jim also made a splash as one of the founders of the Skunk River Navy removing tons of trash from local waterways.
Presentation- Thursday, February 26, 7:00pm Ames Library: Stream Ecology. Join Dr. Amy Burgin as she talks about waterways, including the Story County waterways that we depend upon. Amy’s research findings have been published in numerous articles and is reflected in a number of national awards. A brief annual meeting follows.
PREVIOUS PRESENTATIONS
2025 Presentations
Local resident, Hank Kohler, will guide us on his paddle down the Mississippi to the Gulf of Mexico and share highlights of his trip. “One 4 Water.” This was not Hank’s first long paddle; years earlier he went north from Minnesota to Hudson Bay. The presentation is at 7 pm at the Ames Public Library, 515 Douglas Avenue in the Farrell T Brown Auditorium.
Mike Cox, Directory of Story County Conservation, will lead us across the county on a tour of recent projects, on-going projects and upcoming projects and plans. The presentation is at 7 pm at the Ames Public Library, 515 Douglas Avenue in the Farrell T Brown Auditorium. After the February presentation, there will be a break, followed by the annual meeting.
2024 Presentations
Dan Haug is a Water Quality Specialist at Prairie Rivers of Iowa and will speak on watersheds, water and water monitoring. The presentation is at 7 pm at the Ames Public Library, 515 Douglas Avenue in the Farrell T Brown Room.
The Birds of Ada Hayden Heritage Park by Wolfgang Oesterreich: Wolfgang’s passion is made tangible for all of us after his years of observing, photographing and recording birds and other animals. He rides his trike at Ada Hayden daily and records the wildlife he sees. The presentation is at 7 pm at the Ames Public Library, 515 Douglas Avenue in the Farrell T Brown Auditorium. After the February presentation, there will be a break, followed by the annual meeting.
2023 Presentations
Mike Cox, Story County Conservation Director, will update us about some of the many parks, trails, and other projects recently completed as well as current and anticipated projects. This presentation is sponsored by the Ames Public Library, Outdoor Alliance of Story County, and Story County Conservation.
Jim Pease will present Paddling for Plants and Critters, stories of his paddles on over 2,200 miles of Iowa rivers in the last eight years. Jim has travelled to many wildplaces all over the world, but Iowa rivers have always been his home. He'll share his enthusiasm for that home with us. Jim is the most recent recipient of the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundations Hagie Award for his many contributions to conservation, education, and outdoor recreation over the years. This presentation is sponsored by the Ames Public Library, Outdoor Alliance of Story County, and Story County Conservation. Jim’s presentation will be followed by a short break and the annual meeting.
2022 Presentations
Sara Carmichael, Watershed Coordinator for Story County, will be discussing the county’s water quality efforts. She will review practices like the volunteer water quality monitoring program, new edge of field nutrient program, and stream restoration efforts. She will also highlight how the county’s different partnerships including with city, state, and federal agencies will help Story County achieve goals identified in the Countywide Watershed Assessment.
Joe McGovern is the President of the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation. is a nonprofit conservation organization protecting and restoring Iowa’s land, water and wildlife across the state. Joe will give an update on INHF’s work statewide. Joe is a graduate of Iowa State University in Fisheries and Wildlife Biology. He will explore the opportunities and challenges in permanently protecting large blocks of wildlife habitat in central Iowa.
2021 Presentations
Keith Abraham, Director, Ames Parks & Rec, updated us on recent, current and upcoming projects and plans. You can join us at this event by ZOOM due to the COVID pandemic.
Jeff Kopaska at the Iowa Department of Natural Resources ZOOM Presentation was Gulf Hypoxia and Nutrient Reduction Strategies - Is There Anything Fishy Going on in Iowa? Iowa's shift from a dominant perennial prairie landscape to an agricultural powerhouse has created the need for remediation in Iowa and far downstream affecting Gulf Hypoxia. Looking to the future, investments will need to be targeted toward nutrient reduction strategies. These efforts will improve fisheries and aquatic resources in Iowa and help all the way downstream to the Gulf.
2020 Presentations
Sam Wormley on Our Changing Climate: Science and Psychology; Ty Smedes, photographer, presented Winter and Wildlife, and after Ty's presentation and a break, resumed for the Outdoor Alliance's annual meeting.
2019 Presentations
Sam Wormley's "Winter Skies: Constellations, Stories and Folklore"; Ms. Christina Murphy on the "History of the 13th Street Dam"; Dr. Tom Rosburg on the "Floral Jewels of the Tallgrass Prairie"; and Ames Reads Leopold, Ames participation of the anual read-in event held across the county.
2018 Presentations
The 2018 presentations were by local historian Alan Spohnheimer with a trip downstream with his stories "Along the Skunk"; Tyler Harms, Executive Director of Iowa Young Birders spoke about "Kids, Birds and Nature; and, Story County Conservation’s Natural Resource Specialist, Amy Yoakum, explored the prairie cemeteries in Stories from the Stones.
2017 Presentations
The Outdoor Alliance first began its annual presentation series in January 2017 and included Story County Conservation Director, Michael Cox; Dr. Jim Colbert on the River Navy; and Wolfgang Oesterreich (Wolf) on Ada Hayden Heritage Park wildlife over the years.
Our Partners
Our live presentation are made possible with your support and our partners, Ames Public Library and Story County Conservation; and, in early years, with the Ames Historical Society.
Presentation- Thursday, January 29, 7:00pm at Ames Library: Iowa’s Lost Lichens. Join Dr. Jim Colbert on a journey to a world filled with lichen, often a splash color on rocks, trees and pretty much wherever we are. Jim is a retired Iowa State University biology professor. Jim also made a splash as one of the founders of the Skunk River Navy removing tons of trash from local waterways.
Presentation- Thursday, February 26, 7:00pm Ames Library: Stream Ecology. Join Dr. Amy Burgin as she talks about waterways, including the Story County waterways that we depend upon. Amy’s research findings have been published in numerous articles and is reflected in a number of national awards. A brief annual meeting follows.
PREVIOUS PRESENTATIONS
2025 Presentations
Local resident, Hank Kohler, will guide us on his paddle down the Mississippi to the Gulf of Mexico and share highlights of his trip. “One 4 Water.” This was not Hank’s first long paddle; years earlier he went north from Minnesota to Hudson Bay. The presentation is at 7 pm at the Ames Public Library, 515 Douglas Avenue in the Farrell T Brown Auditorium.
Mike Cox, Directory of Story County Conservation, will lead us across the county on a tour of recent projects, on-going projects and upcoming projects and plans. The presentation is at 7 pm at the Ames Public Library, 515 Douglas Avenue in the Farrell T Brown Auditorium. After the February presentation, there will be a break, followed by the annual meeting.
2024 Presentations
Dan Haug is a Water Quality Specialist at Prairie Rivers of Iowa and will speak on watersheds, water and water monitoring. The presentation is at 7 pm at the Ames Public Library, 515 Douglas Avenue in the Farrell T Brown Room.
The Birds of Ada Hayden Heritage Park by Wolfgang Oesterreich: Wolfgang’s passion is made tangible for all of us after his years of observing, photographing and recording birds and other animals. He rides his trike at Ada Hayden daily and records the wildlife he sees. The presentation is at 7 pm at the Ames Public Library, 515 Douglas Avenue in the Farrell T Brown Auditorium. After the February presentation, there will be a break, followed by the annual meeting.
2023 Presentations
Mike Cox, Story County Conservation Director, will update us about some of the many parks, trails, and other projects recently completed as well as current and anticipated projects. This presentation is sponsored by the Ames Public Library, Outdoor Alliance of Story County, and Story County Conservation.
Jim Pease will present Paddling for Plants and Critters, stories of his paddles on over 2,200 miles of Iowa rivers in the last eight years. Jim has travelled to many wildplaces all over the world, but Iowa rivers have always been his home. He'll share his enthusiasm for that home with us. Jim is the most recent recipient of the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundations Hagie Award for his many contributions to conservation, education, and outdoor recreation over the years. This presentation is sponsored by the Ames Public Library, Outdoor Alliance of Story County, and Story County Conservation. Jim’s presentation will be followed by a short break and the annual meeting.
2022 Presentations
Sara Carmichael, Watershed Coordinator for Story County, will be discussing the county’s water quality efforts. She will review practices like the volunteer water quality monitoring program, new edge of field nutrient program, and stream restoration efforts. She will also highlight how the county’s different partnerships including with city, state, and federal agencies will help Story County achieve goals identified in the Countywide Watershed Assessment.
Joe McGovern is the President of the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation. is a nonprofit conservation organization protecting and restoring Iowa’s land, water and wildlife across the state. Joe will give an update on INHF’s work statewide. Joe is a graduate of Iowa State University in Fisheries and Wildlife Biology. He will explore the opportunities and challenges in permanently protecting large blocks of wildlife habitat in central Iowa.
2021 Presentations
Keith Abraham, Director, Ames Parks & Rec, updated us on recent, current and upcoming projects and plans. You can join us at this event by ZOOM due to the COVID pandemic.
Jeff Kopaska at the Iowa Department of Natural Resources ZOOM Presentation was Gulf Hypoxia and Nutrient Reduction Strategies - Is There Anything Fishy Going on in Iowa? Iowa's shift from a dominant perennial prairie landscape to an agricultural powerhouse has created the need for remediation in Iowa and far downstream affecting Gulf Hypoxia. Looking to the future, investments will need to be targeted toward nutrient reduction strategies. These efforts will improve fisheries and aquatic resources in Iowa and help all the way downstream to the Gulf.
2020 Presentations
Sam Wormley on Our Changing Climate: Science and Psychology; Ty Smedes, photographer, presented Winter and Wildlife, and after Ty's presentation and a break, resumed for the Outdoor Alliance's annual meeting.
2019 Presentations
Sam Wormley's "Winter Skies: Constellations, Stories and Folklore"; Ms. Christina Murphy on the "History of the 13th Street Dam"; Dr. Tom Rosburg on the "Floral Jewels of the Tallgrass Prairie"; and Ames Reads Leopold, Ames participation of the anual read-in event held across the county.
2018 Presentations
The 2018 presentations were by local historian Alan Spohnheimer with a trip downstream with his stories "Along the Skunk"; Tyler Harms, Executive Director of Iowa Young Birders spoke about "Kids, Birds and Nature; and, Story County Conservation’s Natural Resource Specialist, Amy Yoakum, explored the prairie cemeteries in Stories from the Stones.
2017 Presentations
The Outdoor Alliance first began its annual presentation series in January 2017 and included Story County Conservation Director, Michael Cox; Dr. Jim Colbert on the River Navy; and Wolfgang Oesterreich (Wolf) on Ada Hayden Heritage Park wildlife over the years.
Our Partners
Our live presentation are made possible with your support and our partners, Ames Public Library and Story County Conservation; and, in early years, with the Ames Historical Society.
