Director Emeritus, Kansas Geological Survey

Discover the geological history of Marion County through a tour of the county's natural springs and an excursion through Marion's historical building materials.

Understanding Marion County’s geological history through local historical building materials. Based on Rex Buchanan's tour "Geology Through Building Supplies."

The Land Institute Director, Perennial Cultures Lab Lead Scientist, Perennial Oilseeds

Discover the edible plants, wildflowers, and native plant species of Marion County.

Kansas Forest Service District Forester, District 5

Discover the beauty of land restoration including topics surrounding invasive species, soil saturation, and windbreaks.

Natural Resources Conservation Service Director, Protection & Stewardship

Gain an understanding of the services offered for land management, the soil of Marion County, and his reflections of the natural world in the area.

Nature Conservatory Kansas Director, Protection & Stewardship

Learn about the natural history of the county.

Read about the natural history of Marion County while listening to the interpretation of the evolution of this ecosystem performed by the Switchgrass String Quartet, composed by Susan Mayo. Based on our interview with Brian Obermeyer.

Natural Resources Conservation Service Program Coordinator, Watershed Restoration Protection Strategy

Learn about local watershed restoration projects, no-till farming practices, and her reflections on the flora and fauna of Marion County.

Professor, Haskell Indian Nations University

Be informed about the Native American history in the state of Kansas and the tribes who lived in Marion County, including the Kansa (People of the Southwind) and the Osage (Water People).

Musician, Potawatomi Nation

Emporia State University Director Emeritus, Center for Great Plains Studies

Enjoy a discussion surrounding the area’s natural springs and the folklore they have ignited.

President, Cottonwood Crossing Chapter, Santa Fe Trail Association Independent Historian, Santa Fe Trail

Take a journey into the history and the stories surrounding the legendary Santa Fe Trail while visiting actual sites found in Marion County, located on the Schmidt Ranch.

The Nature Conservancy Director, Kansas Water & Agricultural Programs

Learn about the relationship of water, grasslands, and natural springs to Marion County.

Professor of Art, Tabor College

Learn about this incredible local fiber artist’s practice and how her life and experience and the natural world informs her work.

Musician

Enjoy the songs of the “Flint Hills Balladeer” along with her her original track titled “Trail to Santa Fe,” the official song of the Santa Fe Trail Association.

Owner, Sunny Day Farms & Stuenkel Farms Servicemember Agricultural Vocation Educations Farm Program Extension Specialist, Kansas State University

Listen to her story of when she became a farm manager overnight after her husband suddenly passed away in 2010 and became a specialist of the “no-till on the plains” practice and regional soil health.

Founder, Latino Writers Collective

Explore immigration and the history of Latinos in Kansas told through his personal journey from the heart of Colombia, South America.

Founder, Tallgrass Artist Residency Art & Environment specialist, Kansas Creative Arts Industries Commission

Discover how her artistic practice is rooted in the prairie ecosystem and how it engages with the complexities of place through an ever-expanding library of lived experiences.

Letter Press Specialist

Discover the historical printing practices and machines of Marion County that can be found in Peabody Printing Museum.

The Land Institute Research Technician, Educational Design

Explore how to harvest seeds and The Land Institute’s domestication of silphium, which has the potential to be as productive as the sunflower oilseed.