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Wetland Learners is a community environmental education project designed to increase the public’s understanding of wetland functions, restoration, and creation.
Field Trips
In 2006, the Jayhawk Audubon Society, in collaboration with the Kaw Valley Heritage Alliance and the Kansas Biological Survey, obtained a $4,000 grant from the Elizabeth Schultz Environmental Education Fund. The grant helps cover the costs of providing facilitated wetland field trips for local 6th graders. A portion of the grant helps support an internship program. Field trips are scheduled through the spring of 2008.
WL Pictures
Coon Creek on the Wakarusa River/Clinton Lake
In 2005 the Kaw Valley Heritage Alliance received a Five Star Grant to incorporate community volunteers in the creation and restoration of a wetland area in the Wakarusa watershed above Clinton Lake. Coon Creek Slide Show Early in May 2007 these hearty Webelos planted 75 trees out at a very wet Coon Creek wetland area. This is the first spring since the wetland development phase was completed – we’re excited to see the cells full of water! This clip is from the final report submitted in the fall of 2006. During the course of this project 3 acres of wetlands were created and 100 feet of buffers were restored. Overall 15 acres of wetlands were improved. This project directly engaged 10 partners and directly involved over 200 people. The Coon Creek wetland project is a part of a broader cooperative initiative to protect the Wakarusa watershed. The residual effects of this project include additional habitat restoration, stronger community wetland education, more citizen-driven stewardship endeavors, and future academic pursuits. Coon Creek Pictures
Constructed Stormwater Wetland
(February 2007) A snow-filled channel through a freshly constructed stormwater retention “wetland”. The mock wetlands are east of the Haskell campus and northeast of the Baker/Haskell Wakarusa Wetlands. Haskell Indian Nations University Ecology students are using the area to study stormwater outflows from different types of wetland areas. The wetland slows stormwater from the north and then drains south into a tributary of the Wakarusa River. A major interest is how to integrate green infrastructure with environmental needs such as habitat restoration.
More about Stormwater Wetland Construction
