Buchanan County conservation director outlines programs, facilities and staff

Ben Bonner, director of Buchanan County Conservation, described the department’s scope and recent work during a recorded presentation. "Conservation is the protection, preservation, or restoration of, the natural environment or wildlife," he said, and added that the department is organized into three programs: parks and natural areas maintenance, private lands planting, and environmental education.

Bonner said the parks and natural areas maintenance program has five full‑time staff who manage the county’s park properties. He also described a private lands planting effort that supports CRP enrollments and tree plantings and an environmental education program staffed by full‑time and seasonal naturalists who lead school and public programming. "We also have a private lands planting program where our staff go out and do CRP and tree plantings," he said. The remarks framed the department’s priorities as a mix of public recreation, habitat management and outreach.