Dear River Bend Nature Center members and supporters,
After a 39-year career in conservation, I have made the decision to join the ranks of retired baby boomers at the end of this year.
My interest in conservation began long before my career in my own backyard in Fort Dodge, Iowa at probably seven- or eight-years-old. My dad decided not to mow one portion of our lawn and that patch of green, when left to its own devices, soon blossomed with colorful woodland wildflowers which captured my imagination and fascinated me. I especially remember the Virginia waterleaf with its delicate pale blue flowers which seemed to be so precious and worthy of protection, so in my mind I set this spot aside as a wildlife refuge. This was my earliest act of conservation.
After that early first impression, many more hours through the years were spent observing and discovering nature’s surprises in the nearby “north woods†and in Crawford Park. As my childhood explorations drew to a close, it was time to head off to Iowa State University to study the science of conservation and the natural world, ultimately leading to a degree in fisheries and wildlife biology. In the years since college I have been fortunate enough to be able to focus my career on environmental conservation and have been able to help protect thousands of acres of critical habitat in the Midwest including wetlands, woodlands, and some native and restored prairies.
Now I find myself here, thirty-nine years later, set to retire from a fulfilling career; perhaps life leads us full circle and I will find myself discovering a new patch of wildflowers in a place I wouldn’t have had time to discover while ensconced in the demands of a workaday life.
As I depart from my duties as Executive Director, I would like to ask everyone reading this to please take good care of River Bend Nature Center. Its 743 acres are priceless and will need protection over the coming decades. I have found that anything can happen to natural areas, even though you may think it’s impossible that so beloved a place could become housing development, farm field, or big box store. In addition, the programs at River Bend are superior and need constant and devoted support from the community. I ask you to support River Bend by volunteering your time, making regular donations, becoming a member, or all three!
Remember that giving a donation of funds or time is not really for the programs, it’s for the children. Kids need environmental education programs more today than ever before. The current generation of schoolchildren is growing up in a world of incredible interconnectivity with people around the world and a wealth of information literally at their fingertips. Despite their ability to learn about any nature topic at any time, the children of today won’t develop a passion for the natural world and its conservation if we don’t connect them to the nature in their own backyards, neighborhoods, and their great local nature center.
Learning about nature in the comfort of the indoors doesn’t excite, doesn’t inspire, and doesn’t challenge their minds to make new and exciting observations. Only time spent in the great outdoors, in close proximity to wild things and their secrets, will lead our children to treasure what they find out there. I encourage parents to make outdoor exploration just as important a part of their child’s daily routine as their screen time. It’s good for them and it’s good for the environment. In the final analysis it’s good for us all.
I wish the best to River Bend Nature Center.
Sincerely,
Ben Van Gundy
Executive Director
A word from the Board of Directors
The River Bend Nature Center Board of Directors received Executive Director Ben Van Gundy’s notice of his intention to retire by email on Monday, October 19th, 2015 prior to that night's regular Board meeting. Ben’s planned last day will be December 31st, 2015.
We, the Board of Directors, wish Ben the best of luck in his retirement. Ben's long legacy of environmental education and conservation will continue at River Bend through his initiatives such as our very popular OWLS (Older, Wiser, Livelier, Seniors) program, and the exceptional team of educators and support staff he has assembled. Under Ben’s leadership, River Bend has renewed its emphasis on land management, has updated the content of our educational programs and expanded their reach in our region, and has formed many strong community partnerships. Ben is a great person who we have enjoyed working with and we will greatly miss his dedication to the Nature Center and his sense of humor. We wish him a well-deserved, long and relaxing retirement.
The Board of Directors has formed a transition team to identify the next steps to be taken as River Bend changes leadership. The team will identify interim leadership needs and will take the lead on the hiring of a new executive director. More information regarding the hiring process will be made available in the coming weeks.
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