Kansas City Wildlands
Conserve, Protect, Restore.
Program Mission
Kansas City WildLands is a coalition of resource professionals, private conservation organizations and conservation-minded citizens established to restore and conserve the remnants of Kansas City’s original landscape by involving people in the stewardship of the land.
Relatively undisturbed prairie, glade, savanna and forest natural communities still exist on public lands in the metro area, but they need our help! Over time, these remnant wild places have been overtaken by trees and brush, invaded by exotic plants and deprived of the natural processes that maintained them.
In addition to a lack of management, these natural communities also suffer from a lack of recognition and appreciation by the urban public. An equally important dual goal of the WildLands coalition is to involve citizens and metro communities in the care of these lands that represent Kansas City’s natural heritage.
KC Wildlands Projects
Learn more about the KC Wildlands Projects, and how YOU can get involved!
Kansas City WildLands FY 17-18 Accomplishments
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2,697
Volunteer Hours Worked
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68
Workdays Hosted
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84
Species of Wildflowers our Seed Team Collected
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250+
Invasive Cedar Trees Removed at our Annual Cedar Tree Event
Hike a Wildland
The wild lands await! Many people are unaware that there are so many beautiful, undisturbed natural areas in the Kansas City region. Come out and take a walk and visit these living natural history lessons.
Find a Hike Near You.
Currently WildLands volunteers help to restore thirteen remnant sites within the Kansas City metropolitan region. These are some of the most diverse, beautiful places in the Midwest ... we challenge you to visit all 13!
Hike a WildlandVolunteer with WildLands!
Join us in conserving, protecting, and restoring our wildlands.
Calling all nature enthusiasts! Volunteer with Bridging The Gap’s Kansas City WildLands (KCWL) program! At our workdays, we explain why it’s important protect and restore our native ecosystem, then we split into small groups to remove and treat invasive plants. We work on designated WildLands (native forests and prairies) throughout the metropolitan area, on both sides of the state line.
1,600 people volunteer with BTG each year. Be part of the movement!
Find Volunteer OpportunitiesUpcoming KCWL Events
Invasive Species
An under-story shrub in woodlands, Asian bush honeysuckles invades quickly and out-competes native plants. Because it leafs out so early, the shrub steals light from native plants that need a sunny forest floor in spring in order to flower, fruit, and gather energy for the next year. Birds and small animals eat the berries and deposit the seeds elsewhere, spreading this noxious weed. Learn to identify this aggressive invader, and then kill it before it spreads more seeds elsewhere.
Learn more
KCWL Steering Committee
Matt Garrett
Field Biologist
Johnson County Parks and Recreation District
Ginevera Moore
Midwest Field Representative
The Conservation Fund
Mary Nemecek
Conservationist
Kansas City Native Plant Initiative
Larry Rizzo
Natural History Biologist
Missouri Department of Conservation
Chad Scholes, Ph.D.
Professor
Rockhurst University
Megan Shumaker
Environmental Chair
Shumaker Family Foundation
Kansas City WildLands Staff
- Linda Lehrbaum
Program Manager
- Patti Beedles
Program Associate
KCWL sponsors + partners
What's happening now
Volunteer: Annual Honeysuckle Battle
Kansas City Wildlands Annual Honeysuckle Battle Saturday, November 3, 9:00 AM – Noon Two Locations to Choose From We have an urgent volunteer need for folks to come out and help us battle the invasive, exotic shrub honeysuckle taking over our wildlands! Select a location and sign up today! Enjoy this terrific fall weather … Continued
Volunteer! KC Wildlands, REI Partnership
Volunteer Saturday, September 29, 9:00 AM – Noon! In celebration of National Public Lands Day, volunteer with our Kansas City WildLands program as we’ll be removing invasive woody plants, including exotic shrub honeysuckle, while enjoying the amazing fall beauty of these wild places. Volunteers will use loppers to remove the shrub, and stump-treat the … Continued
Ephemeral Mania
by Patti Beedles, Kansas City WildLands Seed Tech Listen my friends, I have a plea. Pull yourselves from your cubicles, your screens, your stuffy house that’s held you hostage all winter long. Now’s the time to take a hike through a high-quality woodland and witness true magic. I realize, I’m a crazy plant lady with … Continued
Spreading it on too thick?
Over-application of fertilizers is a source of water pollution. Use the proper amount of fertilizer to keep your lawn green and prevent algae blooms in our lakes and streams.It’s a waste of money to apply fertilizer to your lawn if it doesn’t need it. The only way to know how much fertilizer your lawn needs … Continued