Management practices help preserve tallgrass prairie

The 73rd annual meeting of Marion County Conservation District will be 6:30 p.m. Feb. 23 at Eastmoor United Methodist Church.

Brian Obermeyer, executive director of the Nature Conservancy at Strong City, will give a presentation on range management.

He works with ranchers, landowners, and other stakeholders to help preserve the intactness and biological integrity of the Flint Hills, the last landscape expression of tallgrass prairie.

In addition to his work on private lands, Obermeyer helps manage 20,000 acres of Conservancy-owned land in the Flint Hills, including the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve in Chase County.

Conservation awards will include a Continuation Conservation Award to James and Gladys Preheim of Peabody, owners and operators of Preheim Farms; Banker Award to owner Karen Penner of Newton and operator Rodney Suderman of Marion; and owner Peabody United Methodist Church and operator Dale Buller of Florence; and Service Award, Damien Svitak of Marion.

Three elementary students will be recognized for placing in the local conservation poster contest.

An election will be held to elect one supervisor to the district board.

Reservations for the $2.50 meal are due by Feb. 14 and can be made by contacting the district office at (620) 382-3714 Ext. 3 or by mail to Marion County Conservation District, 303 Eisenhower Dr., Marion KS 66861.