2018 Douglas County Natural & Cultural Heritage Grant

FRIENDS OF THE KAW
AWARDED
2018 DOUGLAS COUNTY NATURAL & CULTURAL HERITAGE GRANT

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

FRIENDS OF THE KAW AWARDED 2018 DOUGLAS COUNTY NATURAL & CULTURAL HERITAGE GRANT

LAWRENCE, KS (June 27, 2018) – Friends of the Kaw is pleased to announce it has been awarded the 2018 Douglas County Natural & Cultural Heritage Grant for its project “Protecting the Watershed of Douglas County through History, Education and Action”.

“Despite many successes in restoring the Kaw, the most neglected piece of the Kansas River’s ecosystem is the connection between the riparian buffer and the water quality of the river”, said Dawn Buehler, Kansas Riverkeeper with Friends of the Kaw.  “The riparian buffer is the last line of defense to filter out pollutants.”

Along with our partners, including local ecologist Courtney Masterson, the work will include removing invasive plants and then planting natives using history as a guide on Kansas Riverfront property owned by the City of Lawrence and managed by Lawrence Parks & Recreation and the Lawrence Mountain Biking Club. Tree saplings will be provided by Kansas Forest Service and the project will include a kiosk to be designed by Westar Energy’s Green Team to educate about the effectiveness of native plants and their benefit to water quality in the Kansas River.

In combination with this project, the team will involve the residents of Douglas County by hosting community educational paddle trips on the Kansas River to discuss the importance of riparian buffers to water quality, as well as bring Friends of the Kaw’s program Kids About Water (KAW) to schools in the county.  The KAW Project is a five-lesson water quality issues and actions curriculum that targets students in grades 6-12. Each lesson is aligned with the Kansas Next Generation Science Standards.  The community has the opportunity to be engaged and involved in the restoration process through hands-on volunteer opportunities. The work days will be educational and open to the public, allowing for transparency and communication throughout the project.

Project Partners:  Courtney Masterson, Botanist and Ecologist with Native Lands, LLC, City of Lawrence Parks and Recreation, Lawrence Mountain Bike Club, Westar Energy’s Green Team, and the Kansas Forest Service.

Thank you to the Heritage Conservation Council of Douglas County for the funding and support for this important project to restore the riparian and protect the Kansas River.

For over 27 years, Friends of the Kaw has been the only non-profit organization dedicated to protecting and preserving the Kansas River.  Our mission is to advocate, promote, educate and engage the Kansas River.

Protect. Advocate. Discover.  #Kansas River.

For Media Inquiries Please Contact:
Dawn Buehler
Kansas Riverkeeper
Friends of the Kaw
785.312.7200
riverkeeper@kansasriver.org