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Jan Garton and the Campaign to Save Cheyenne Bottoms

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Jan Garton and the Campaign to Save Cheyenne Bottoms POOL 2 –CHEYENNE BOTTOMS, 1984 “Now don’t you ladies worry your pretty little heads. There’s $2,000 in our Article by Seliesa Pembleton budget to take care of the Bottoms this summer.” With those words we were Photos by Ed Pembleton ushered from the office of an indifferent agent of the Kansas Fish and Game Commission (now Kansas Department of Wildlife Parks, and Tourism). Little did he know those were fighting words! snewofficersoftheNorthernFlint Jan Garton came forward to volunteer endangered, too. Water rights for the Hills Audubon Chapter in as conservation committee chair, and with Bottoms were being ignored; stretches of AManhattan, Jan Garton and I had some urging, also agreed to be chapter the Arkansas River were dry; and flows travelled to Pratt seeking a copy of a secretary. We set about finding other from Walnut Creek, the immediate water Cheyenne Bottoms restoration plan community leaders to fill the slate of source, were diminished. prepared years before by a former officers and pull the organization out of Bottoms manager. We were dismissively its lethargy. We recognized the need for a Like a Watershed: Gathering told, “It’s around here somewhere.” compelling cause to rally around and Jan Information & Seeking Advice Managing to keep her cool, Jan informed immediately identified Cheyenne Bottoms Our first actions were to seek advice the agent he needed to find it because we as the issue that inspired her to volunteer. from long-time Audubon members and would be back! On the drive home from By the end of the first year, chapter others who shared concern about the that first infuriating meeting we had time membership had almost doubled in part Bottoms. Many expressed sentiments that to fume a bit – and time to begin due to “ownership” in this positive formulating an attention-getting plan. “Nothing can be done to save the environmental cause. Bottoms, we’ve tried and gotten nowhere.” Not what we wanted to hear. Ripples in the Water: The Dry Facts: Despite all of the negative responses, as Getting Started fledgling activists perhaps we were too An Endangered Wetland naive to know we couldn’t save the In June of 1983, the Northern Flint Cheyenne Bottoms, a natural Bottoms. We had a vision that working Hills Chapter of National Audubon in depression of some 64 square miles just together we could all make a difference. Manhattan, KS was at a low ebb of north of the Arkansas River near Great We were taking a stand! A group of five activity. Only twelve members attended Auduboners travelled to the Bottoms to the meeting to elect new officers and Bend, Kansas, is the most important learn about the problems. there was only a slate of three: Sil interior wetland in the United States, Pembleton, president; Monty Hinton, providing critical habitat for diverse Stan Wood, a former manager at the vice-president, and Di Ann Roberts, species including the endangered wetlands, had previously drafted a treasurer. John Zimmerman was the KSU Whooping Crane and threatened Least restoration plan on file at Pratt. So the campus sponsor for the chapter. Tern. In 1983, the wetland was next step was an appointment with the 32 Prairie Wings WINTER 2012 / SPRING 2013 Cheyenne Bottoms, September 15, 2009. Water birds include Franklin's Gulls, American Egrets, and White Pelicans. Fish and Game Department to obtain a come down for a meeting. When we The next step was to build a coalition copy. The agency employee we met with arrived, we barely concealed our surprise of stakeholders with an interest in the was dismissive. Barely rising from the as we were ushered into a conference health of the wetlands and a concern paperwork on his desk, his response was, room to be greeted by the Director and a about the lack of water in the region. “The plan is around here somewhere. roomful of his top administrators. They Hunters, birders, anglers, local businesses, Don’t worry your pretty little heads about were astounded by the number of letters scientists, garden clubs, school groups Cheyenne Bottoms. We have $2,000 they had received and were very were all potential allies. Many of these budgeted to take care of it.” Maintaining concerned, wanting to know, “What have groups had never communicated – and her cool, Jan told him we would return to you been telling people? We have been some were downright suspicious of each get the plan. getting letters from all over the state!” other – but all agreed that the Bottoms We had their attention. was worth saving! Stirring the Waters: Twelve letters – that’s all it took to rile One of Jan’s goals was to establish a Raising Awareness the department. We had the attention of Cheyenne Bottoms Task Force with the agency, but not its support. Despite representatives from the following Through the Kansas Audubon Council our assurances that we intended to raise organizations: Kansas Audubon Council, and the network of chapter newsletters, additional funds for the agency, their Kansas Wildlife Federation, Kansas Jan requested that members across the employees’ feared that a public outcry on Chapter of the Sierra Club, Ducks state write letters to the Kansas Fish and behalf of the Bottoms would force a shift Unlimited Council, the American Game Commission expressing concern in the department’s budget priorities with Fisheries Society, the Kansas and the need for action because of the no new money for an additional project. Ornithological Society, Kansas Rural lack of adequate water in the wetlands. Center, Kansas Natural Resource Council, Luckily, one of the Audubon letter- Next, Jan was off to Topeka to meet with and the Kansas chapter of The Wildlife writers happened to be a woman of Representative Ron Fox, Vice-Chairman Society. of the Kansas House of Representatives influence who called her son, State Energy and Natural Resources Senator Joseph Norvell from Hays, to The objectives of this group were two- Committee, who immediately voiced his explain how important those wetlands fold: support for our project. were – and to tell him to do something ■ Achieve state-wide awareness of the about it! Now we had a champion in both In the meantime, unbeknownst to us, critical situation at Cheyenne the Kansas State Senate and Kansas Audubon members from across the state Bottoms,home to diverse species House of Representatives. But what could had dutifully responded to our request and and vital to migrating waterfowl and be done to save Cheyenne Bottoms? written their letters of concern to the shorebirds; and Kansas Fish and Game Commission. We Pooling Resources: Building a ■ Develop a proposal for a feasibility received a call from Pratt inviting us to Statewide Coalition study identifying problems and WINTER 2012 / SPRING 2013 Prairie Wings 33 ■ Support recommendations for restoration, and work for passage of legislation; and ■ Expand public awareness and concern for values associated with wildlife and natural resources. The Kansas Audubon Council and the Kansas Wildlife Federation joined forces to co-sponsor a Saving Cheyenne Bottoms Conference on September 22, 1984, held in Great Bend. Conference participants learned in detail the problems confronting the Bottoms and possible alternatives to improve the situation. L to R: Representative Ron Fox, Vice-Chair House Energy and Natural Resources The Great Bend Chamber of Committee; Senator Joe Norvell; Jan Garton; and Mike Hayden, Speaker of the House. Commerce handled conference registration and welcomed the group. Jan possible restoration options, and to time, members Randy Rodgers, Bob Garton presented the slide show, seek funding for this study from the Culbertson, Joe Kramer, Jim Hays, Bunny “Cheyenne Bottoms: Endangered state legislature during the 1984 and Watkins, Bruce Zmrzla, Mike Watkins Wetland” and Jean Schulenberg of 1985 legislative sessions. and Joe Schaefer carried a PVC baton Emporia voiced the peril of the endangered Least Tern. John Campbell, The Kansas legislature meets annually, filled with water from the Bottoms. They used Steve Sorensen ’s orange van as Kansas Assistant Attorney General although bills that don’t clear in the odd discussed Colorado’s impact on the years are carried over to the following their trail vehicle and to carry their precious liquid cargo. When they arrived Arkansas River. Tom McClain, Kansas year. The elections take place in even- Geological Survey, highlighted the water numbered years, so those who served in in Topeka after a weekend of running, members provided Senators with a supply problems for Cheyenne Bottoms. 1985 would have been elected in Clark Duffy, from the Kansas Water November 1984. porcelain jug and Representatives with a beer bottle specially labeled Bottoms Up! Office, illustrated how the State Water After Audubon meetings there were Governor Carlin received both containers. Plan protects wetlands and wildlife many late-night brainstorming sessions resources. Senator Joe Norvell and over cups of hot chocolate in a local As Jan said, “Best of all, lots and lots Representative Ron Fox provided insight restaurant in Manhattan. Notes on napkins of just plain folks said over and over to the legislature’s role in saving the held the design for a Save Cheyenne again that Cheyenne Bottoms had been a Bottoms. And Kansas Fish and Game Bottoms – Great Birding in Great Bend part of their childhood, an experience in officials discussed current situations and bumper sticker. The Great Bend Chamber their coming of age. They didn’t want to possible solutions. An afternoon caucus to of Commerce liked the idea, paid for see it die. Hundreds, perhaps thousands of coordinate goals and activities of production of a high-quality product and people spoke out.” The ripples became interested groups was conducted by Mari became a strong ally. waves of public action.
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