Wildlands

Spring hiking on the wild lands

Spring Has Sprung! The sun is shining, birds are chirping, flowers are blooming, and trails are calling your name. Spring is a great time to Hike a WildLand and see some of the best remnant spaces the Kansas City area has to offer. Before the trees have fully leafed out and the tall grasses have … Continued

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In Appreciation of Winter

Winter’s not as long in Kansas City as it is in, say, Minnesota, but it’s long enough for most of us. While climate change is erratically spiking some very warm days even in December, we can generally count on it being cold, unpredictably icy or snowy, and somewhat gray for at least four months. I … Continued

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The Season’s Reflections

Hey Kansas City. It’s Jacob here, the coordinator for Kansas City WildLands’ Seed Team. We’ve spent the last year out in the field searching for and collecting seed, or in the barn cleaning and sorting our harvest. Finally, the seed has found its destination – public lands undergoing restoration. Places in our city that are … Continued

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Kansas City’s WildLands need you

Kansas City is home to stunning landscapes, wide prairies, sunny woodlands, shaded forests, and rich wetlands. Our unique natural systems are part of our heritage and our identity as Kansas Citians, and we take care of our land and take pride in its natural history.  Bridging The Gap’s Kansas City WildLands program preserves and restores the healthiest … Continued

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Vote for BTG with Target Circle!

We are honored and excited to announce that Bridging The Gap has been chosen to participate in a special charitable giving campaign, sponsored and funded by Target. And you have a chance to help direct a portion of Target’s donation to us! Now through June 30, vote for us through the Target Circle program to help … Continued

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DIY National Prairie Day Celebration!

The first Saturday in June is National Trails Day AND National Prairie Day… two of our favorite things! Celebrate on June 5th with a self-guided walk at Jerry Smith Prairie – a perfect way to spend time with family and friends or alone! We’re supplying a few ideas and downloads to help you do it.  And … Continued

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When Green Means Curbside Pickup: Supporting Kan

  By Ben Carpenter, HTA Program Associate   My little brother is getting married in July. I know, poor timing. If only he had considered the possibility of a global pandemic upsetting his years-long engagement. However, the show must go on, albeit from a distance. This is a situation in which a thoughtful gift from … Continued

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COMPOSTING FOR OUR FUTURE

By Ami Freeberg, Volunteer Program Manager This week, May 3-9, 2020, we celebrate International Compost Awareness Week, a global initiative to educate and inspire people about composting. I grew up composting in a big pile at the back of our large backyard garden – piling food scraps and grass clippings together to break down and … Continued

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Earth week series – 5

The best time to plant a tree is now. The Arbor Day Foundation provides resources to individuals who are interested in doing so, including where to find free or low cost trees in your area and tips about how to plant your tree so it thrive. For those interested in fruit trees are another excellent … Continued

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Earth week series – 4

    By John Fish, Litter Abatement Program Coordinator and Recycling Center Manager There’s no getting around the fact that our lives have been upended by this pandemic. We had forgotten just how much havoc something unseeable with the naked eye can cause.  Although much of our ordinary life has been suspended by the need … Continued

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Earth week series – 3

    Each of us generate waste through practically everything we do, at an average rate of 4.51 pounds per day, according to the EPA (2017). Through the three R’s, reduce, reuse, and recycle, that number can be greatly reduced.  Today we challenge you to think of ways you can reduce and reuse BEFORE you … Continued

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Earth Week Series – 2

    By James Joerke, Associate Executive Director With many of us spending more time at home these days, it’s the perfect time to take action to make your home more energy efficient. These simple steps will make your home more comfortable and reduce your energy bills. Install a programmable thermostat. Installing a programmable thermostat … Continued

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Earth Week Series – 1

    Quarantine isolation leaves many people feeling trapped inside, not able to enjoy nature as regularly as one may desire.  However, the benefits of walking outside every day are proven to help keep you healthy. Your mood will improve. You’ll feel more creative. You’ll lower your risk of lung cancer. Your skin will look … Continued

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3 steps you can take for bees in your garden

 By Joe Wheelock, HTA Program Coordinator   Feeling cooped up? Need to get outside and enjoy some fresh air and sunshine?  Now is a great time to take some simple actions around your home to help protect and conserve bees! Everyone knows the European Honey Bee, but did you know there are about 4,000 species of … Continued

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Long Johns & Loppers on Leap Day

Volunteer with KC WildLands! Saturday, February 29, 1:00 – 4:00 PM Join our Kansas City WildLands team and layer up for our 17th Annual Long Johns & Loppers Ecological Restoration Workday! Volunteers will cut and treat invasive woody plants from several beautiful, natural communities in the region, helping native flowers and grasses flourish again in … Continued

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WildLands Citizen Science: Bee Poo Science

Text and Photos by Tom Schroeder You have got to love Bee Poo Science. I recently had the opportunity to do a Citizen Science project as part of KC WildLands volunteer work. In 2016 and 2017, a Native Bee Survey was done on KC WildLand sites. It uncovered a population of the Snail Nesting Mason … Continued

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Pitch Best of KC 2019

We are SO PROUD to have made the Pitch’s Best of Kansas City 2019!   KC Wildlands is preserving spaces we didn’t even know we had “Kansas City will never be known as a destination for outdoor enthusiasts. We’re at peace with that. But don’t let that knowledge fool you into believing we don’t have … Continued

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Join the KC WildLands Annual Honeysuckle Battle!

To Battle! Join in our Annual Honeysuckle Battle to help restore Kansas City’s beautiful wild lands. On Saturday, November 2, Kansas City WildLands will host two public work days–one at Ogg Road Prairie in Shawnee Mission Park and one at the Hidden Valley natural area located north of the river. We will be cutting and stump … Continued

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