It is a new year and the Finger Lakes Institute and Living Lands and Waters will partner again to host an Alternative Spring Break Trip in Cedar Rapids, Iowa March 14-21. Visit the HWS Crew's website to learn more! http://fli.hws.edu/asb.asp

If you like the outdoors, getting dirty, and love seeing the friuits of your labor, this trip is for you! Roll up your sleeves and get ready to get dirty! Students will join Chad Pregracke of Living Lands and Waters for a fun week of hard work clearing pollution from the riverbanks of the Cedar River.

June 2008 floods left nearly 1,300 Cedar Rapids city blocks inundated with over 4,000 homes evacuated and 24,000 people displaced. The flood took out many homes and businesses; washing an astonishing amount of debris into the Cedar River, that later settled along the shorelines. Student volunteers will spend time traversing the Cedar River both on foot and in boats while working to remove debris (tires, appliances, barrels, etc.) that is polluting the Cedar River and impairing the habitat of indigenous fish, birds, and wildlife.

This is a substance free trip. The trip will begin on Saturday, March 14 with a drive to Lucas, OH for an overnight stay at Malabar Farm Hostel, a 900-acre organic farm. The Malabar Farm Hostel was once the home and farm of Louis Bromfield, the Pulitzer Prize winning author, agriculturist and dedicated conservationist. Today it is part of Malabar State Park with hiking trails, an aviary and an opportunity to learn about sustainable agriculture and care for the animals. On Sunday, students will load vans again for the second leg of the trip to Cedar Rapids, Iowa where we will meet up with LL&W crew that night. Students will work along the Cedar River Monday through Thursday 9am to 4 pm. Friday, March 20 the group will depart early for Lucas, OH again for an overnight at Malabar Farm Hostel. The trip will conclude in Geneva, NY on the evening of Saturday, March 21.