To gather input on what places Douglas County residents would like to see preserved, the Natural and Cultural Task Force is holding public discussions and tours throughout the county this month.

The task force was formed to make recommendations to the Douglas County Commission on how to best spend the $350,000 that commissioners have set aside for historic and open space preservation.

The task force will gather community input at the following events:

• A public discussion from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. today at the Lumberyard Arts Center, 718 High St., Baldwin City.

• A conservation easement tour from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Saturday at the Lawrence Nature Preserve, 201 N. Folks Road, Lawrence.

• A public discussion from 10:30 a.m. to noon Saturday at Free State High School in the Black Box Room 152, 4700 Overland Drive, Lawrence.

• A public discussion from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. Oct. 13 at Eudora City Hall, 4 E. Seventh St., Eudora.

• A historical tour of Lecompton from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. Oct. 20 at Lane University and the Territorial Capital Museum, 640 E. Woodson Ave., Lecompton.

• A public discussion from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Oct. 20 at Lecompton City Hall, 327 Elmore St., Lecompton.

• A tour of the Wakarusa River Valley Heritage Museum from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. Oct. 24 at Bloomington Park East at Clinton Lake.

• A public discussion from 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Oct. 24 at Clinton Township Hall, 1117 E. 604 Road, Lawrence.

• A tour of Watkins Community Museum of History, 1047 Mass., at 5 p.m. Oct. 27.

• A public discussion from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Oct. 27 at the Watkins Museum.