UND Biology to host Oakville Prairie field day and dedication

Document Type

News Article

Publication Date

9-10-2015

Campus Unit

College of Arts & Sciences

Abstract

What: “A New Era for the Grand Forks County Prairie”

When: 10 a.m., Friday, Sept. 18

Where: South of U.S. Highway 2, on 23rd Street N.E., near Emerado, N.D. Parking will be available on the west side of the road.

Background:

The University of North Dakota Biology Department and the College of Arts & Sciences are proud to announce a celebration of the Oakville Prairie Field Station and the Grand Forks County Prairie Project on Sept. 18. The event, titled “A New Era for the Grand Forks County Prairie,” will kick-off a fresh chapter for the Oakville Prairie Field Station.

Since 1958, the field station has been a vital resource for UND’s education, research and outreach mission. The 960-acre tract of tallgrass prairie west of Grand Forks is among the largest of its kind and serves an important resource for understanding the ecology of the Northern Plains.

“Insights gained from research at this site will help us better understand and manage North Dakota’s grassland and agricultural areas now and into the future,” said Kathryn Yurkonis, UND’s grassland ecologist.

The event will celebrate the recent designation of the Oakville/Fairfield Townships as an Audubon Important Bird Area, and its new identity as both a North Dakota Game and Fish Department Wildlife Management Area and Grand Forks County Prairie Project Grassland Management Site. The event also recognizes the support of multiple public and private stakeholders dedicated to developing a coordinated land management network across Grand Forks County.

The public is invited to join Biology Department and the College of Arts & Sciences for “A New Era for the Grand Forks County Prairie.” Refreshments will be served, and ample parking is available.

Remembrance:

The Biology Department and the College of Arts & Sciences also wish to dedicate the event to the memory of Paul Kannowski, a longtime member of the Biology Department, who died on Sept. 3. According to Isaac Schlosser, Chester Fritz Distinguished Professor of Biology and director of the UND Oakville Prairie Field Station, “Paul Kannowski made multiple and very significant contributions to UND and the Biology department, including a vital role in securing and protecting Oakville Prairie for future generations.”

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