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2008 Field Experiences
Field experiences include lunch and transportation from and return to the Century II Convention Center, unless otherwise noted.
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 14
CLOSED--EE for the Urban Audience
9 am – 4:30 pm | $65
This tour will first visit the Great Plains Nature Center, a unique cooperative partnership between the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks, and the City of Wichita Parks and Recreation Department. The GPNC is in Chisholm Creek Park, one of the largest parks in Wichita. Its 282 acres include two and a half miles of paved trails through native and restored prairies, wetlands, ponds, and woodlands. The park is managed for diversity and quality of the habitat. GPNC staff will lead our group in indoor and outdoor activities to show us how they interpret the habitats of Kansas. You will see how the prairie changed with Euro-American settlement, learn the challenges of working with a multi-agency staff, tour the nature trails, and explore the hands-on displays, 2,200-gallon aquarium, and wildlife observatory in the Koch Habitat Hall. There will be time to browse in the Owl’s Nest gift shop also. The group will then travel to the Wichita Area Treatment, Education & Remediation (WATER) Center for lunch.
The WATER Center is an interactive education facility and working groundwater remediation plant for the City of Wichita's Gilbert & Mosley Groundwater Cleanup Project. The Center creatively challenges visitors to view the groundwater pollution district not as a liability, but as an opportunity for learning. Visitors will follow the journey of the contaminated groundwater as it goes through the treatment plant's air stripper, then continues on through a fountain-filled plaza and an 11,000-gallon outdoor aquarium that showcases native fish and exemplifies the life-supporting qualities of clean water. The water returns to the Arkansas River via an artificial creek. Although there are thousands of groundwater remediation systems located in the United States, none have integrated environmental education, pollution prevention, art, and poetry into one project like the WATER Center has. This unprecedented integration has attracted decision-makers worldwide to view Wichita's success story.
Finally the group will travel to Botanica-The Wichita Gardens. Executive Director Marty Miller will welcome us to the facility and Landscape Supervisor Pat McKernan will present an overview of what to expect as the gardens snuggle into dormancy. We will tour the grounds with docents, seeing 25 themed gardens, 20 sculptures, and water features. Following the tour, Marty and Pat will be on hand to answer question, and Director of Education Jan Brock will talk to us about programming, the opening of the Woodland Bird Garden and the proposed Children’s Garden. Appropriate for all ages; activity level is easy.
Led by: Jim Mason, Great Plains Nature Center
For further information: www.gpnc.org; www.wichita.gov/CityOffices/Environmental/WATERCenter; www.botanica.org
Suggested gear: Layered clothing, sturdy walking shoes, hat, sunglasses, water bottle
Travel time: ~20 - 30 minutes between each site
Sustainable Agriculture at the Land Institute
7:30 am – 4 pm | $60
The Land Institute is among the nation's leaders in looking at issues of sustainable agriculture. Located on the banks of the Smoky Hill River near the city of Salina, the Institute is developing perennial grains (crops that can be raised and harvested without chemicals or repeated cultivation of the land), while promoting creative conversations about environmental issues. Its mission is to "develop an agriculture that will save soil from being lost or poisoned while promoting a community life at once prosperous and enduring." Nearly every environmentalist of note has visited for one of the Institute's annual Prairie Festivals. The Institute's founder, Wes Jackson, received a MacArthur Fellowship and recognition as one of Smithsonian Magazine's "35 Who Made a Difference." On this trip you'll see the Land Institute's fields and research facilities, and hear about their work. On the way back from Wichita we'll stop in the small Swedish town of Lindsborg for lunch (you buy your own) and time to visit the local shops and art galleries. Appropriate for all ages; activity level is easy.
Led by: Rex Buchanan, Kansas Geological Survey
For further information: www.landinstitute.org; www.lindsborg.org
Suggested gear: Comfortable walking shoes, dress for weather (layers)
Travel time: ~2 hours from Wichita to Land Institute; ~1.5 hours from Lindsborg to Wichita
Greensburg Greentown
8 am – 5 pm | $90
Come to Greensburg, Kansas, the town that was 95% destroyed by a "super" tornado on May 4, 2007. This resilient community used the crisis as an opportunity to do what has seldom been done before in this country: rebuild a town essentially from scratch. With vision and determination, the residents and city leaders remained their town as a model green community, Americas greenest! In only nine months the town is on track to build 24 LEED certified or LEED equivalent commercial and municipal buildings, develop a power generation strategy that is reliant primarily on renewable, attract eco-tourism with "education stations" that tell the story of the buildings and their green features, and inspire residents to build some of the greenest homes in the country. Native landscaping, parks and wetland restoration will beautify the town. One particularly unique feature will be the "Chain of Demonstration Homes", 12 homes that will demonstrate the latest in green building and building technologies where visitors can spend the night. The town itself will be a "living science museum", and a dynamic city of the future.Come to Greensburg and experience this unique and wonderful story. Buy your lunch at a local restaurant.
Led by Daniel Wallach, Director, Greensburg GreenTown
For further information: www.greensburggreentown.org/
Suggested gear: Comfortable walking shoes, dress for weather (layers)
Travel time: ~2 hours each way
Wild Times at the Sedgwick County Zoo
8:30 am – 5 pm | $50
Led by: Chaille Hay, Education Specialist with the Sedgwick County Zoo
For further information: www.scz.org
Suggested gear:Dress appropriate for weather, event will be held rain or shine and will be partially outdoors
Travel time: ~15 minutes each way
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 19
Kansas Wetland Birding at its Best
5:30 am – 5:30 pm | $44
You won’t want to miss this birding trip to two critically important wetlands of Kansas. Both Quivira National Wildlife Refuge and Cheyenne Bottoms Wildlife Area, managed by the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks, are designated as Wetlands of International Importance by Ramsar. Located centrally in our state, these two areas play a critical role in fall and spring migrations on the Central Flyway. From waterfowl to cranes, including the endangered Whooping Crane, and from pelicans and shorebirds, and passerines to eagles, Quivira and Cheyenne Bottoms are a favorite destination for birders and wildlife watchers. Guides will drive the participants from Wichita to the marshes in comfortable 15-passenger vans, with many high-quality birding opportunities available. Appropriate for all ages; activity level is easy.
Led by: Mike Rader, KDWP and Bob Gress, Great Plains Nature Center
For further information: www.fws.gov/quivira/; www.cheyennebottoms.net
Suggested gear: Comfortable walking shoes, dress for weather (layers), cameras, binoculars recommended
Travel time: ~2 hours from Wichita to Quivira; ~2 hours from Cheyenne Bottoms to Wichita
Wild Times at the Sedgwick County Zoo
8:30 am – 5 pm | $50
See above.