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Tallgrass Prairie Center

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2019 IPN Winter Prairie Seminar

Saturday, January 26, 2019 - 9:30am to 5:00pm
Ames High School, 1921 Ames High Dr., Ames, IA 50010

The 2019 Iowa Prairie Network Reg 5 Winter Seminar

9:30-5:00 on Saturday, January 26th

Ames High School, 1921 Ames High Dr. in Ames

No preregistration, membership or fees required

 

You're welcome to come and go as you need during the day. 

 Registration will open at 9:30 with the 3 morning programs running concurrently from 10:00 to 11:30. 

The display/vendor room will open at 11:00. 

 Lunch break is from 11:30 until 12:30.  Sub sandwiches will be available on site from 11:00 till 12:30  and you are always welcome to bring a sack lunch.  The cafeteria area will be open for attendees to sit, eat and visit.

 The afternoon program starts at 12:30 and wraps up around 5:00. There will be 3 sessions with two 30 minute breaks.  During the breaks attendees can bid on silent auction items, view displays, and enjoy refreshments. 

 If you would like to stay following the meeting for pizza, sign up during the afternoon. A $5 donation is encouraged but not required. Pizza will be delivered around 5:00 in the cafeteria.

This year's silent auction proceeds will go toward the protection and purchase of the Hargoves II Property in the Loess Hills in Monona County.

 Items may be donated by contacting Carman Rosburg at crosburg@prrcd.org . 

Items for the auction may be brought to the site starting at 9:00 on the 26th.

Auction bidding will begin during the first break of the afternoon and close at the end of the second break

 

 Program Highlights: 

The morning program will have 3 concurrent sessions

all starting at 10:00 and concluding by 11:30

    1- Carl Kurtz: "Management Options, Realistic Expectations and Succession"  Carl will cover planting procedures and options, post-planting management and plant succession that takes place year after year.  What we start out with is not what we end up with.

    2- Tom Rosburg and Deb Lewis"Those Amazing Milkweeds - biology, ecology and identification of Iowa's milkweed species"   Iowa has 16 species of milkweeds, all of them native and representing a variety of habitats. This hands on workshop aims to help participants better understand milkweed morphology and how to identify Iowa's species.  A key to Iowa's milkweeds will be used along with voucher specimens to develop experience in keying.  Reproductive biology, habitat affinities, and the biogeographical distribution of species will also be covered.

   3-  Panel discussion: "Young Natural Resource Professionals Discuss Conservation Careers in Iowa" A panel discussion will focus on engaging students to think about careers in conservation. The panel of young professionals from a variety of public and private groups will discuss what they did to position themselves to be successful in getting started in the conservation field in Iowa.


The afternoon program will start at 12:30 and conclude by 5:00

There will be 3 sessions, each with a main presentation and short informational talks.

     Session 1: Kevin Kuhn, Resource Conservationist in the NRCS State Office:  "Landowner Guide Sheets for Seeding and Managing Native Prairie"

      Session 2:  Dr.Thomas Rosburg, Drake University: "Effects of past and present Cattle Grazing on the Plant Species Composition of Tallgrass Prairie"

       Session 3:  Michelle Biodrowski, Pottawattamie County Conservation Naturalist and IPN President: "Benefits of Native Plants for Backyard Habitats"  How and why to add natives to your home gardens

 

Directions to Ames High School:

Coming to Ames on I-35 take Exit-113 (13th St) and go west into Ames (2.5 miles) - take Grand Ave north (right) to 20th St  - then go west on 20th St. - this will take you directly into the north end of the High School property.  Continue to drive along the north side of the school where parking is available - the double door entrance is near the west end. 

You also may park in the large lot on the east side of the school and enter at the multiple doors under the 'Home of the Little Cyclones" sign. 

We will try to have Meeting signs posted on both entrances.

 

For more information contact:  Trish Patrick -  tpatrick5350@gmail.com