Prairie conservation expert to give lecture

The Ohio State University at Newark will welcome Guy Denny, one of Ohio’s most prominent voices in natural resource management, for an informative lecture on campus next month.

His presentation on Monday, Nov. 3 at 7 p.m. in the John and Mary Alford Performing Arts Hall (auditorium) of the John Gilbert Reese Center will focus on Ohio’s prairies and prairie restoration. The event is co-sponsored by the Licking Land Trust and Ohio State Newark.

The lecture is free and open to the public. 

Denny is the president of the Ohio Natural Areas and Preserves Association, an organization he helped incorporate in 2012. The Fredericktown native created his own prairie in Knox County almost 40 years ago, which has now grown to cover nearly 25 acres. He has written two books about Ohio’s natural resource gems — The Prairie Peninsula and Peatlands of Ohio and the Southern Great Lakes Region. He was inducted into the Ohio Natural Resources Hall of Fame in 2021.

“Guy Denny has dedicated his career to preserving Ohio’s natural heritage,” said Karen Goodell, biology professor at Ohio State Newark. “Whether you are a nature enthusiast, a student or someone simply curious about Ohio’s ecological capital, Guy Denny’s talk will deepen your appreciation for Ohio’s native ecosystems and inspire you to take action.”