Missouri River Moments

Izaak Walton League members from Iowa, Nebraska, and South Dakota joined forces to work with youth and families at the seventh annual Missouri River Outdoor Expo in Ponca State Park — the eastern gateway to the Missouri National Recreational River.

The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission coordinates this annual event to introduce — or reintroduce — families to natural resources and outdoor recreation. The expo annually draws in up to 45,000 attendees, who enjoy hands-on outdoor activities as well as demonstrations and exhibits. At the Izaak Walton League booth, League members helped youth and adults build bird feeders out of recycled materials and promoted the mission of the League.

Other expo events included kayaking, rock climbing, shooting, archery, camping, and fly fishing.

“The Missouri River Outdoor Expo shows families the wonders of the outdoors and the great recreational opportunities that exist along the river,” says Paul Lepisto, IWLA’s Missouri River Regional Conservation Coordinator. “Many attendees had no idea they could participate in the types of activities they experience at the Expo. It sparks an interest in outdoor recreation and opens them up to learning more about our natural resources and how they can get involved in conserving those resources.”