K-State's Konza Prairie Education Program seeks docents

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Source: Valerie Wright, 785-587-0381, vwm@k-state.edu
http://www.k-state.edu/konza/keep
News release prepared by: Kay Garrett, 785-532-3238, anuenue@k-state.edu

Tuesday, January 16, 2007

K-STATE'S KONZA PRAIRIE EDUCATION PROGRAM SEEKS DOCENTS

MANHATTAN -- The Konza Environmental Education Program provides educational programs and tours of Kansas State University's Konza Prairie Biological Station near Manhattan. Each year, school groups, clubs, conferences and other organizations visit Konza Prairie to learn about the tallgrass prairie ecosystem.

Docents, the trained, volunteer tour guides who escort such visitors, are an essential component of this successful and growing environmental education program. Each docent decides when and how much time he or she can donate to help with the school group tours and other activities at Konza.

Individuals interested in the prairie and who would like to learn more about it are invited to attend the next round of training sessions to become a Konza Prairie docent.

Docent training will begin at 9 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 17, at the Hulbert Center, the Konza Prairie headquarters.

The orientation session will be followed by several field trips and learning experiences. The training classes will meet Saturday mornings from 9 a.m. to noon in the Education Center, which is the lower level of the old Dewey Ranch House. In all, 11 training classes will be held.

The Konza Prairie Biological Station is six miles south of Manhattan on McDowell Creek Road. A sign at Konza Lane indicates the entrance to the biological station.

More information, including a map and directions, is available on the Konza Prairie Web site at:
http://www.k-state.edu/konza/keep

For more information, contact Valerie Wright, Konza environmental educator, at 785-587-0381.