By ANNE GREGORY
Media Relations, Manchester University

The Middle Eel River Watershed Initiative annual public meeting on Friday is bringing in a champion of the earthworm.

Odette Menard is an agronomic engineer who works for the Quebec Ministry of Agriculture; she was inducted into the Canadian Conservation Hall of Fame for her efforts in increasing awareness and adoption of soil conservation practices.

She will speak about soil heath, no-till farming and the benefits of earthworms at the annual meeting at 8:30 a.m. Friday, Feb. 27, in Eberly Hall, 702 S. State St., South Whitley.

The meeting is free and open to the public. Pre-registration is appreciated.

The morning’s agenda includes registration at 8 a.m. followed at 8:30 a.m. with the Middle Eel River Watershed Initiative Annual Meeting. The meeting will include a water-quality monitoring update, current projects and future plans of the organization. Menard will speak from 9:45 a.m. to 11:15 a.m.

For more information, call Terri Michaelis, watershed coordinator, at (260) 982-5101.

The Middle Eel River Watershed includes a 30-mile stretch of the Eel River from North Manchester to Mexico, Ind. The total land area is about 300 square miles. The coalition is led by Manchester University.

For more information, click here: http://www.manchester.edu/eelriverinitiative/documents/MiddleEelBrochure.pdf