Native Plant Weekend at Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve

On September 13 and 14, members of the Kansas Native Plant Society will partner with Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve to present a wide variety of programs, hikes, and activities showcasing the fall plants and wildflowers of the tallgrass prairie ecosystem. On Saturday, Mike Haddock, editor of Kansas Wildflowers and Grasses, will lead a presentation on photographing tallgrass prairie wildflowers and grasses at 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. followed by tallgrass prairie ecology and native plant identification hikes at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. Tallgrass prairie ecology and native plant identification hikes are scheduled hourly from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. with medicinal and edible plant hikes scheduled at 10:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m., and 2:30 p.m. Bottomland prairie restoration hikes and talks are scheduled from 10:30 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. along the Bottomland Trail. Visitors also have the opportunity to learn how to make paper using native plants and natural dyes from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. in the historic limestone barn, with special presentations at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.
On Sunday, September 14th the fun continues with bottomland prairie restoration hikes and talks from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. along the Bottomland Trail. Native plant dyeing and spinning demonstrations will be held in the historic limestone barn from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Hour-long tallgrass prairie ecology and native plant identification hikes will be presented at 10 a.m., 12 p.m., and 2 p.m. From 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. a wildflower identification presentation will be given by Jeff Hansen, former president of the Kansas Native Plant Society. Visitors can learn more about the Kansas Native Plant Society by visiting the information booth in the historic limestone barn available both days or go to www.kansasnativeplantsociety.org. EXPERI E N CE YOUR AMERICA The National Park Service cares for special places saved by the American people so that all may experience our heritage.
Kids learn the importance of and skills necessary to "Leave No Trace" as they complete the Leave No Trace Scavenger Hunt using a pencil and piece of paper. Upon completion, kids earn a special Leave No Trace patch. Program is available from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. both days of the special event.
A 6.4-mile bus tour of the preserve’s more remote backcountry is available at 11 a.m., 1 p.m., and 3 p.m. daily through October 26, 2008. The cost is $5.00 per adult and $3.00 for ages 5 – 18 years. There is no charge for children age 4 and under. Advance reservations for the bus tours are recommended, but arrangements can be made on the day of the visit if space is available. For more information, please call the park rangers’ offices at (620) 273-8494.
Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve is a public/private partnership with the National Park Service, The Nature Conservancy, and the Kansas Park Trust. Located two miles north of Strong City on Kansas State Highway 177 (the Flint Hills National Scenic Byway), the preserve’s historic ranch headquarters is open daily from 9 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. except Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day. For more information or to make group reservations, visit the preserve’s website at www.nps.gov/tapr, e-mail tapr_interpretation@nps.gov, or call the preserve at (620) 273-8494.

KNPS Annual Wildflower Weekend

October 3rd, 4th, and 5th in Hays, KS

The theme this year is “Ethnobotany – cultural uses of native plants”. Highlights of the weekend include our silent auction and photo contest, as well as the following.
Presentation: “Native medicinal plants of the prairie”
Presentation: “Dyeing wool with native plants”
Tour Site 1 Private Ranch north of Hays: Site of Echinacea study
Tour Site 2 Cedar Bluff Reservoir - Wildlife Area - Bluffs
Tour Site 3 Wilson Reservoir – Lucas Park - Rocktown Natural Area

Third Biennial Coblentz Prairie Foray

Sunday, Jun 1st, 2008
County: Douglas
1pm. This glaciated tallgrass prairie offers diverse native plants as well as uncommon birds like Henslow's Sparrow, notable insects like Golden Byssus skippers, and interesting rocks like Sioux Quartzite. This may be the furthest south the glaciers advanced in Kansas, and large pink and red Sioux Quartzite boulders, glacial erratics, can be found in several areas. Among the 270 recorded plant species, we hope to see the federally protected Mead's milkweed, Prairie phlox, Starry Catchfly, Topeka Purple-coneflower, and Tall Cinquefoil! Other plants of interest include the Adder's Tongue Fern --one of the few prairie ferns and Cluster fescue (Festuca paradoxa) --a fescue rarely found in Kansas. Kansas Native Plant Society and Grassland Heritage Foundation co-sponsor this event. Co-leaders: Jeff Hansen, KNPS President and GHF Board Member and Shirley Braunlich, KNPS Board Member. Coblentz Prairie is 40-minutes west of Lawrence, KS in west-central Douglas County at the intersection of E 1 Road and North 1150th Road; it is part of the Clinton Wildlife area. Meet a half-mile east of the intersection on the south side of North 1150 Rd. (785) 864-3453

Coffey County Wildflower Tour

Saturday, May 31st, 2008
County: Coffey
9:30-11:30am. Join the Coffey County Conservation District and Kansas Native Plant Society for a walking wildflower tour near Coffey County Lake. Enjoy refreshments before the tour and a cookout after the tour. We will meet at the Black Bear Bosin Shelter house, south of the Eisenhower Educational Building. Directions: One mile east of Hwy 75 on 17th Road, then south to the shelter. On Hwy 75, 17th Road is 10 miles south of I-35 or 5 miles north of Burlington. There is no charge but you must RSVP by May 23rd. Also contact us for information on camping, hotels, dining and shopping in the area. Please call Kristi Vogts or Mary Lou Ponder during business hours (620) 364-2182 ext. 3 or Krista Dahlinger on evenings or weekends (316) 258-6341.

PRAIRIE RECONSTRUCTION

Volunteers are needed to prepare soil and seed one and a half acres with seven species of grass and more than 30 species of wildflowers. The historic site is near the junction of the Santa Fe, California, and Oregon Trails.

Join members of the Santa Fe Trails Association, Kansas City Historic Trails Associations, and Oregon & California Trails Association and members of other Gardner, Kansas, community associations.

SATURDAY, MAY 24 – COME WHEN YOU CAN.
9:00 a.m. to Noon – join a seeding team to mix and broadcast seed. There are four different mixes.

1:00 to 3:30 p.m. – finish seeding. Start covering seed and begin to place dry land plants and wetland plants. Bring boots!

SUNDAY, MAY 25
10:00 a.m. to 1 p.m. – prepare soil adjacent to walkways for seeding Buffalo Grass. Finish seeding shade mix and dry land seed.

1:00 to 3:30 p.m. – Place plants and finish project.

The site is located on Highway 56 at 183rd St., which is two miles west of downtown Gardner, or 17 miles east of Highway 59 or 13 miles east of Baldwin City. The information shelter and Parking Lot I visible on the north side of the highway. Look for the signs.


For more information please contact:
John Atkinson: 816-233-3924
Cell: 816-351-5764
E-mail:Atkinson@stjoelive.com

Fred Markham: 816-356-0498
Cell: 816-665-0043
E-mail: dmarkeind@aol.com

April Events

Haskell Baker Wetlands Service Outing
Saturday, Apr 12th, 2008
County: Douglas
Lawrence, KS. Dr. Roger Boyd, Baker Wetlands Coordinator, has several projects that we will work on. We will remove invasive Tatarian honeysuckle, prune trees on the north levee, install wood duck boxes, and repair several bad spots in the Boardwalk. The Wakarusa Group of the Kansas Sierra Club is sponsoring this event. Further details and directions will be announced on the Wakarusa Group email notices list. Sign up for the email notices by contacting Carey Maynard-Moody (785) 842-6517.
Green Landscape Techniques for the Homeowner
Sunday, Apr 13th, 2008
County: Douglas
Class at Prairie Park Nature Center in Lawrence, KS, 2-3pm. Learn to use safer, healthier techniques for creating a great landscape in your yard. Selecting appropriate plants and using safer chemicals for controlling herbicides and pesticides will be the focus of this class. Class is open to ages: 18 and older, fee: $3. Registration is limited to 40 attendees. (785) 832-7980

Papermaking from Plants Workshop
Saturday, Apr 19th, 2008
County: Shawnee
Karlyle Woods in Topeka, KS. Jeff Hansen, KNPS Past President, will teach us how to make paper using native plant fibers. In this class we will learn the different types of plant fiber, the process of extracting the fiber from the plant, and the process of forming sheets of paper from the resulting fiber. We will work in teams of two with each team processing a different plant fiber into paper. The resulting paper will be shared equally among class members. Class runs from noon to 4pm. Karlyle Woods is located at 3440 NW Button Rd in Topeka. The cost of the workshop is $25 and is limited to 12 people (Ages 12 and up). All materials and equipment are provided. Food will also be provided. Please sign up by contacting Jeff Hansen (785) 806-6917.
Spring Plant Sale
Saturday, Apr 19th, 2008
County: na
Missouri Prairie Foundation Spring Plant Sales 7am - noon. Location: City Market, 5th & Walnut, Kansas City, MO. [http://www.moprairie.org] (888) 843-6739

Prairie Maintenance
Saturday, Apr 19th, 2008
County: Jackson
Volunteers are needed for prairie maintenance and preservation projects. Assist the Grassland Heritage Foundation Groundhogs [www.grasslandheritage.org]. Wear appropriate clothing. No special skills or tools needed. For details, please contact Frank Norman, Kansas Native Plant Society Board Member (785) 887-6775 (home) or (785) 691-9748 (cell).
Spring Plant Sale
Saturday, Apr 26th, 2008
County: na
Missouri Prairie Foundation Spring Plant Sales 7am - noon. Location: City Market, 5th & Walnut, Kansas City, MO. [http://www.moprairie.org] (888) 843-6739
Gardening for Wildlife Class
Sunday, Apr 27th, 2008
County: Douglas
Prairie Park Nature Center in Lawrence, KS, 2-3pm. Create a mini-wildlife sanctuary in your own yard using plants designed to provide food and cover for wildlife. Learn about including the right food plants, nesting structures and hiding places. Class is open to ages: 18 and older, fee: $3. Registration is limited to 40 attendees. (785) 832-7980

Wildflower Seeds Germinating

The wildflowers that I planted in pots last fall are beginning to germinate. I notice most of the asters and goldenrods have germinated as well as the beardtongues. The evening primrose are germinating too. Milkweeds have not, but they tend to like warmer temperatures. Seeds in the garden haven't germinated. I need to put some grass clippings on the row to keep the soil moist.

First spring wildflowers blooming

I noticed my midland fawn lilies are blooming. Today I saw the first of the spring beauties beginning to bloom in my yard. The hazelnut catkins have been blooming for a few weeks now. Spring has finally arrived. Even the speedwell (a weed with blue flowers) is blooming.
I went for hike in the woods at the governors and saw the the dutchmans breeches are coming up as are the white fawn lilies. THe midland fawn lilies are blooming nicely in the woods. The honeysuckle unfortunately is leafing out now too. I cleared quite a bit of honeysuckle today, should give the spring ephemerals a chance to grow this spring.

Oak Grove Native Planting in Wichita

There is a native planting going into Grove Park in Wichita (about
2 miles west of the GPNC). The site already has artwork in place with native plant themes. There is also a unique play area adjacent to it with equipment that has local historical (both Native American and pioneer) features as well as emphasis on the prairie.
The planting of the area in the focal feature that will be right next to
North Hillside is to happen this spring. There will be semi-formal planting beds with native wildflowers and the spaces in between will be put into a short/midgrass mix. The Park Dept. is interested in working with qualified volunteers to enable the establishment of this special planting.
If interested, contact Jim Mason - jim@gpnc.org or 316-683-5499 x103.

Coffey County Wildflower tour

KNPS is continuing to help organize County wide wildflower tour events in 2008. This year KNPS is working for the first time with Coffey County on their their wildflower tour scheduled for May 31st. The tour area will be near New Strawn north of Burlington and will be followed by a free cookout lunch.
The county wide wildflower tours are an excellent opportunity to view and learn about wildflowers in the company of other wildflower enthusiasts and educators. Each county provides an opportunity to see different types of wildflowers in different soil types and regional growing characteristics. KNPS is working to gather information on other amenities each county has to offer in terms of lodging, dining, shopping and area attractions you may enjoy in conjunction with a wildflower tour.
Please check our the KNPS events calendar: http://www.kansasnativeplantsociety.org/events.htm for County wide wildflower tours currently scheduled for Barber, Coffey, Comanche, Cowley, Neosho and Wilson Counties. We will be adding links on our calendar web page to more information you can use to plan an enjoyable day with wildflowers. June is always a very busy month so check the online calendar for updates and deadlines for registering for wildflower tour events. Make a day of it!

The Kansas City EarthFest 2008

Kansas Native Plant Society will be present at this event. This year’s event is scheduled for Saturday, April 19 from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm at Shawnee Mission Park, The Theatre in the Park in Shawnee, KS. This event will feature live entertainment, games, crafts, and activities for all ages. They would like KNPS to share our “planet-friendly” message with all of Kansas City. There is an exhibitor application that must be submitted before 3/19/08. Tables, chairs and a canopy are available to rent or you may bring your own. If anyone is interested, please contact me for the exhibitor application or contact Stacia Stelk at sbstelk@kc.rr.com or 816-561-1087.

Updated KNPS Resources web page

The resources web page has been updated to include publications on plant identification, landscaping with wildflowers, buffalo grass lawns, prescribed burns, native grass establishment, prairie restoration, brush control, native haymeadow management, rangeland weed management, and conservation tree planting.

http://www.kansasnativeplantsociety.org/resources.htm

Introduction to Wildflowers Class in Manhattan, KS

08AEN52
Introduction to Kansas Wildflowers
UFM Conference Room
1221 Thurston St., 2nd floor
02/19/2008
02/19/2008
Tu from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM, 1 Session
24.00

2008 Annual Wildflower Weekend

The Annual Wildflower Weekend (AWW) of the Kansas Native Plant Society will take place in Hays, Kansas on October 3-5, 2008.
The theme this year is “Ethnobotany – cultural uses of native plants”.

2008 Itinerary, Hotel options, and Registration Form

Highlights of the weekend include:
Receive your free KNPS Wildflower Poster
Participate in the Silent Auction
Participate in the Photo Contest
Tour three sites

Tour site 1 (Friday)Private Ranch: Site of Echinacea study

Tour site 2 (Saturday)Ft Hays State University Field Station property

Tour site 3 (Sunday)Wilson Reservoir – Lucas Park - Rocktown Natural Area http://www.nwk.usace.army.mil/wi/History.cfm
Rocktown Natural Area is a 305 acre site located on the western boundary of Lucas Park. In August, 1986 it was designated a Natural and Scientific Area by the Kansas Biological Survey. Although the most obvious feature of Rocktown is the 15-30 foot high sandstone pillars that dominate the landscape, it is the unusual mix of prairie plant species associated with the shallow, sandy soils of the Sandhills that paramount natural significance. The soils in the area are not typical of this region of Kansas. Dakota sandstone and limestone outcrops are common. Plant species of interest include Fremont’s clematis, Fremont evening primrose, shortstem spiderwort, blue funnel lily, Buckley’s penstemon, fameflower, prairie sandreed, and Maryland senna. Although of interest, these species are not sufficiently rare or unusual enough to require monitoring by the Kansas Natural Heritage Inventory. Rocktown is, however, a significant state resource.

Prescribed Burning Workshop

Designed for Landowners and Land Managers
Friday, March 7, 2008. 9:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
University of Kansas Field Station, Lawrence

Benefits of Fire When to Burn Nature of Fire
Weather Safety Regulations
Equipment Planning Fire Control

Instructor: Dr. Walt Fick, KSU Range Management Specialist

Jointly sponsored by K-State Research and Extension and
the Kansas Biological Survey

Registration is due by February 1; space is limited. A materials fee of $8 is due at time of registration. See back of this flyer for registration form. Lunch and snacks will be provided free of charge. For more information contact Jennifer Delisle at jdelisle@ku.edu or 785-864-1538.

Mary A. Bancroft Memorial Scholarship request for proposals 2008

The Kansas Native Plant Society is accepting applications for a $1,000 scholarship in support of graduate student research that enhances our understanding of native plant species or their ecosystems and conservation.
http://www.kansasnativeplantsociety.org/

An invitation for you or your classroom to support Little Bluestem as the Kansas State Grass.

Please join the Kansas Native Plant Society in encouraging the Kansas legislature to name Little Bluestem as the State Grass. From our web site http://www.ksnps.org, view information and photos of Little Bluestem to share with friends or your students. Download materials for your classroom, including sample letters which could be sent from students to their representatives in Topeka.
Let us know how you or your classroom is supporting the initiative for Little Bluestem as the Kansas State Grass. On our website click "Contact Us" to send your name, school, grade level and e-mail address.

We will keep you informed of the legislative process.

Rare Prairie near Wichita purchased by city of Wichita

In a hidden pocket of southeastern Sedgwick County lies a piece of Kansas prairie never touched by a plow. Forty acres of native grass and woodlands have been closely guarded by the Means family since 1873. But the land is about to change hands.
The new owner? The city of Wichita, which intends eventually to make it a park for a rapidly developing area.
Here is the entire article.
http://www.kansas.com/news/local/story/278179.html

Manhattan, KS Prairie/Wildflower Classes

Classes offered at the UFM Community Learning Center in Manhattan. Here is a link to their site http://www.ufmprograms.org/. I pulled all the "plant" related classes from their schedule. You can click on the course number for more information about each class.


08AEN52
Introduction to Kansas Wildflowers
UFM Conference Room
1221 Thurston St., 2nd floor
02/19/2008
02/19/2008
Tu from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM, 1 Session
24.00

08AEN51
Landscaping with Kansas Native Plants
UFM Conference Room
1221 Thurston St., 2nd floor
01/16/2008
01/16/2008
W from 5:30 PM to 8:30 PM, 1 Session
30.00

08AEN45
Late Spring Wildflowers on the Konza
Konza Prairie Trail Head
05/31/2008
05/31/2008
Sa from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM, 1 Session
0.00
08AEN50
Papermaking from Native Plants
UFM Solar Addition
1221 Thurston St.
04/05/2008
04/05/2008
Sa from 12 N to 4:00 PM, 1 Session
42.00

08AEN27
Trees: Hate 'Em
7102 Abbott Drive
Cedar Creek Ranch
01/19/2008
05/03/2008
Sa from 12 N to 4:00 PM, 14 Sessions
0.00

Welcome to the KNPS blog

I thought KNPS members needed a way to communicate with each other and with other native plant lovers. The KNPS blog was born.