As part of its Sesquicentennial celebration, Winona State University hosts the 21st North American Prairie Conference (NAPC) Aug. 4-8, 2008.

Dr. Bruno Borsari (Biology) has received a $15,000 grant from Xcel Energy to assist in funding the conference.

The theme of the conference, "The Prairie Meets the River," is meant to emphasize the importance of water in the prairie environment, prairie and sustainable agriculture, prairie restoration for biomass/biofuel production, and more related topics. The Mississippi River is a regional feature that blends beautifully with local sand, dry and wet prairies, as well as the thin-soiled "goat prairies" of the surrounding limestone and sandstone bluffs.

Keynote speakers include Wes Jackson (The Land Institute) and WSU Professor Emeritus of Biology Calvin Fremling, with opening remarks from President Judith Ramaley.

Event sponsorships are available. All sponsors receive recognition in the conference program, proceedings and on the Web site, as well as a link to the NAPC Web site on the donor's personal Web site.

Registration begins April 14, 2008.

For more information or to become a conference sponsor visit: http://bio.winona.edu/napc/index.htm.

- WSU -

Inset Photo: (Left to right) WSU professors Larry Reuter, Ed Thompson, Jeff Anderson and Bruno Borsari receive the 21st Annual North American Prairie Conference Grant from Xcel Energy account manager Lance Duellman.