Coosa River Basin Initiative Program Coordinator Amos Tuck will speak Wednesday night at 7:45 at Schroeder’s New Deli in downtown Rome.

Tuck, who arrived in Rome Tuesday, Sept. 11, during his three-week, 200-mile canoe trip down the Conasauga, Oostanaula and Coosa rivers, will present photographs, videos and

stories from the first 17 days of his trip.

The event, which will take place in the Schroeder’s courtyard, is free and open to the public.

Tuck began his journey Aug. 25 in the Cherokee National Forest of Tennessee, snorkeling the Conasauga’s clear water to shoot underwater photographs of some of the river’s fish, turtles, crayfish and snakes. From there, he canoed  the length of the Conasauga and Oostanaula rivers. He will finish his trip Sept. 15 at Weiss Lake.

The purpose of the journey is to raise awareness of the Coosa River basin’s aquatic biodiversity. The upper Coosa River system, which stretches 5,000 square miles across northeast Alabama, northwest Georgia and southern Tennessee, is considered North

America’s most biologically diverse river basin with 30 endemic fish, mussels, snails and crayfish. These animals are found in the Coosa River system but no where else on earth.

A graduate of the University of Georgia’s Warnell School of Forestry & Natural Resources specializing in freshwater fishes, Tuck has documented his journey through writing, photographs and video which can be viewed on CRBI’s Musselhead Blog: www.coosa.wordpress.com.

The Rome News-Tribune has also published Tuck’s reports

online and in print editions. During his journey, CRBI expects to raise $5,000 during Tuck’s journey. Those making membership donations during the event will receive raffle tickets to win a Wilderness Systems Tarpon 100 kayak from Cedar Creek Park. Supporters can make donations at Amos’s Odyssey fundraising page: http://www.firstgiving.com/coosa/amos-odessey

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