Marion is Professor Emeritus of Ecology at Indiana State University, former chairman of the Indiana Chapter of The Nature Conservancy, and past president of the Indiana Academy of Science. Marion is recognized as Indiana’s premier ecologist and is editor of the book, The Natural Heritage of Indiana. He is also author of 101 Trees of Indiana: A Field Guide. As a professor at Indiana State University, he taught and researched plant ecology, landscape ecology and natural history. Throughout his life, Marion has worked closely with many of Indiana’s conservation organizations. After “retiring,” Marion became a Visiting Professor of Ecology at St. Mary-of-the-Woods College where he continues to teach. His role as educator and researcher has been acknowledged through many awards. At Byron, Marion leads an exploration into the ecology of the forest.