Prairie Strips and Conservation on Big Spirit Lake

Saturday, July 9 | 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Hosts: Eric & Kelly Hoien

Address: (near) 13026 253rd Ave. | Orleans, IA 51360

Eric Hoien

Landowners Eric and Kelly Hoien invite you to their 129-acre farm just off Big Spirit Lake to learn how they’re working to protect their local watershed and provide habitat for wildlife. The Hoiens have installed 23 acres of prairie strips as a way to protect soil and water quality, and reintegrate native prairie back onto the landscape.

At this field day, Eric and Kelly, along with staff from Iowa State University’s STRIPS team, will discuss nuts and bolts of designing, establishing and managing prairie strips. You’ll learn about edge-of-field practices, water quality benefits and hear how Eric and Kelly have used programs like the Conservation Reserve Program to help pay for conservation practices, build habitat and improve their little piece of the Big Spirit Lake watershed.

Tim Youngquist

Speaker: Tim Youngquist – ISU STRIPS

Sponsors:

See & Discuss:

Integrating prairie strips into crop fields
Edge-of-field conservation
Watershed protection strategies
Water quality monitoring techniques
The Conservation Reserve Program
Paying for conservation
Landowner and tenant partnerships

Note: This address is the adjacent property south of the field day location; look for field day signs. The field day location is adjacent to Big Spirit Lake along the paved walking path. Attendees can park in the grass shoulder along 253^rd Avenue.

Meal Information: Lunch will be provided at the end of the field day.

RSVPs are appreciated by July 5