NSS Spring 2019 • nature.org/kansas © Nick Krug Refl ecting on 30 Years of Conservation in Kansas In 2019, The Nature Conservancy celebrates 30 years of conserving Kansas’s lands and waters. It was a generation ago, in 1989, Rock outcrops on the rolling hills of tallgrass prairie in the Flint Hills of eastern Kansas © Mark Godfrey that dedicated volunteers came together from across Kansas to establish a statewide chapter New Protection in Flint Hills of TNC. As we celebrate this Two new easements permanently protect 1,037 acres anniversary, I contemplate all we’ve accomplished and also Ever contemplated how much tallgrass total of 1,037 acres so that their pieces where we must go in the next prairie remains in the world? Lovers of the of the Flint Hills will always remain 30 years. What makes Kansas Flint Hills can be quick with the answer. unbroken tallgrass prairie. strong—our economy, our culture, our way of life—ultimately “Less than four percent of the world’s I am at peace knowing that depends on nature. Nature tallgrass prairie remains,” says Brian my exuberant prairie will provides clean air, drinking water, Obermeyer, The Nature Conservancy’s keep its beauty forever. food, places to work and play and, major landscapes manager. “And almost Valerie Wright, Flint Hills landowner and easement grantor for many of us, our livelihoods. all of that is found in the Flint Hills. This Together, we create can create an is our last chance to save tallgrass prairie Each of the easements is close to another even stronger and more resilient at a meaningful scale.” protected area, creating important Kansas—a Kansas that meets the passageways for migratory wildlife. needs of both people and nature. What once sprawled 170 million acres The connectivity to a larger landscape has been concentrated into a 250-mile also provides greater resilience to Rob Manes, Director stretch from Tulsa, Oklahoma, north climate change. through eastern Kansas. TNC owns fi ve nature preserves in the Flint Hills, and “I am happy and at peace knowing that Obermeyer spent the 17 years helping my exuberant prairie will keep its DONATIONS: landowners preserve their own land beauty forever,” says Valerie Wright, Go to nature.org/donatekansas to donate. to weave a large, connected web of who granted her second easement with Or you can email [email protected] for more information. protected prairie. Two families recently husband Simon Malo on land within sight granted conservation easements on a of Konza Prairie Biological Station. NSS 43% Increase in shorebird species documented at TNC’s Cheyenne Bottoms Preserve in 2018 over 2017. TNC Kansas Avian Monitoring Program Support for Landowners in Key Kansas Landscapes American avocet and black-necked stilt could be Wings & Wetlands mascots. They’ve been documented every year of the festival. Photos clockwise © Tom Blandford, © Peter Brannon/TNC Photo Contest 2018, © Karine Aigner Wings and Wetlands Festival Improve your shorebird ID skills at Midwest hotspots © Harland Schuster Conservation of wetlands and grasslands in Kansas plays a critical role protecting Landowners in the Flint Hills of migrating shorebirds. Located in the heart of the Central Flyway—the bird migration eastern Kansas and Red Hills (also route through the Great Plains—places like Cheyenne Bottoms provide a predictable called Gypsum Hills) of south- place to stop and replenish fat stores of these birds that travel as much 15,000 each year. central Kansas can apply for fi nancial If you’re a birdwatcher, that means some of the best shorebird sightings in the Midwest. assistance to improve the health of some the last native prairie in Kansas. This May, the Wings & Wetlands Festival will team experienced guides with beginning “We are proud to participate in the and intermediate birdwatchers who want to improve their shorebird identifi cation Regional Conservation Partnership skills. You can take a Shorebird ID class and go with local experts on fi eld trips to Program and help landowners Cheyenne Bottoms, Quivira National Wildlife Refuge and other birding hotspots during steward the land they love,” says Kris Knight, TNC director of conservation. peak migration. Even experienced birdwatchers will enjoy the festival where more than “This funding o ers support to those 150 species of birds are typically documented during the festival. who wish to voluntarily complete conservation practices on their grasslands or grazing lands.” Wings & Wetlands Festival The next sign-up deadline is March May 3–4, 2019 15, 2019. Property owners should Great Bend, Kansas contact their local NRCS o ce and Early bird pricing ends April 4. inquire about the Environmental Register today at nature.org/wingsandwetlands Quality Incentives Program. For more information, visit www.ks.nrcs.usda.gov/programs The Nature Conservancy Kansas facebook/TNCKansas 2420 NW Button Road [email protected] twitter/nature_kansas Topeka, KS 66618 nature.org/kansas instagram/nature_kansas.