A Visit From Will Dilg

Steven Marking plays Will Dilg in an inspiring environmental success story, A Visit From Will Dilg. In the early 1920’s Will Dilg’s only son drowned in the Mississippi River. Dilg rose up from the depths of depression and mourning to become a tireless, fanatic firebrand - leading an extraordinary national crusade to save a 261 mile stretch of Mississippi River Backwaters we now know as the Upper Mississippi National Wildlife and Fish Refuge. Dilg first formed the Izaak Walton League in 1922, then they partnered with the National Federation of Women’s Clubs to push the legislation through congress in less than a year. This unprecedented action served as the turning point from filling in wetland for agriculture, to valuing and preserving wetlands in the United States. While his life was cut short, Will Dilg accomplishments are still legendary, and his call to action is just as applicable today as it was 100 years ago. The glorious scenes of the flora and fauna on the refuge serve as a stunning backdrop for this great American story.