2024 Watershed Talks ~ Soil and Water Conservation

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Watershed Talks ~ April 9, 2024

“The League’s founder, Will Dilg Comes to Life”

Steven Marking— Riverlorian, Actor and Film Maker

How growing up on the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife & Fish Refuge creates a life-time passion to advocate for it through story telling.

In this recording you’ll learn more from Riverlorian, Steven Marking about the significance the League played in the creation of our Upper Mississippi Refuge, which protects wildlife habitat along 261 miles of the river in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa and Illinois.  Steven will share why and how he has created an inspiring, one-man multi-media show entitled A Visit From Will Dilg.  His story shares the history of how Dilg created a movement by forming the Izaak Walton League and why it matters today!  In fact, celebration planning of the Refuge has sparked interest in creating a multi-state virtual Izaak Walton League Upper Mississippi River Chapter.

Steven Marking grew up on the Upper Mississippi Wildlife Refuge, on Pool #7 (also known as, Lake on Alaska).  His father was Leif Marking, fishery research scientist for the National Fish and Wildlife Service in La Crosse, Wisconsin.  Steven created a multi-media show called Our Mighty Mississippi to share the glory of the Mississippi River with anyone who would attend a show.  One chapter of his show is about the creation and maintenance of the refuge, which led to his joining the Izaak Walton League while seeking more information about the Will Dilg Story. 

In his one man show, Marking has created a script that relies heavily on Dilg’s own published words.  He plays the role of Dilg along side of projected images and video that support the story of Will Dilg, the founding of the Izaak Walton League, and the battle against the reclamation menace that was stealing the Mississippi River’s precious backwater habitat from the Lower Mississippi on up. Ground zero for the battle was the Winneshiek Bottoms near Lansing, Iowa, which was already legally permitted to be drained, filled, and levied off to create farmlands.

Steven Marking holds a Masters Degree in Vocal Performance from the Peabody Conservatory of Music in Baltimore, Maryland, and a Bachelors Degree from Viterbo University in his hometown of La Crosse, Wisconsin.  He brings more than three decades of professional production and performance experience to his latest creation, A Visit From Will Dilg, and his ongoing masterpiece, Our Mighty Mississippi. 

Steven is a Riverlorian, defined as follows: 

“One who studies rivers and shares all aspects of navigation, nature, history, legends & lore with anyone who will listen. This could expand into river related topics that interest the Riverlorian and possibly even the audience.”

Steven is a Guest Speaker and Resident Entertainer for American Cruise Lines as they travel the Mississippi, Ohio, and Cumberland Rivers. 

Marking will be a featured speaker this July at the League’s 2024 National Convention.

More info on Steve can be found at stevenmarking.com.