Community Projects
Community education and restoration projects are at the center of Native Lands Restoration Collaborative's work.
Read on to get more information about our current community projects and learn how you can join in and get involved.
We are reconstructing a tallgrass prairie on the ESU campus north of ESU’s Prophet Aquatic Research and Outreach Center (PAROC) and south of ESU’s Campus Woods. This prairie will provide an ideal opportunity to educate students and the public about the importance of this critical native habitat. Additionally, this prairie reconstruction will enable multiple opportunities for student research and exploration, which is especially beneficial for students living on campus without transportation to our other Natural Areas.
Emporia State University Campus Prairie
Emporia State University Prophet Aquatic Research and Outreach Center
Funded by a Five Star and Urban Waters Restoration Grant Program from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation.
This project will support the restoration of 21.58 acres of riparian woodland and tallgrass prairie to native plant species and the installation of bioswales resulting in improved water quality in the Kansas River, the source of drinking water for the City of Topeka, Kansas. The project will also include an extensive outreach program directly impacting at least 1050 people during the grant period and capacity-building work with the project partners resulting in expanded relationships between partners and the community which will support the development of future projects.
Topeka Riverbank Restoration Project
Friends of the Kaw, the City of Topeka, Kansas Department of Wildlife & Parks, and K-State Research and Extension - Shawnee County.
Funding is provided by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation through the Five Star and Urban Waters Restoration Program Grant and by Southern Power Company.
We are leading prairie education and restoration project Prairie Park in Lawrence, KS. We are restoring a five acre piece of park land by removing trees and invasive plants and re-establishing native prairie plants, engaging our community and volunteers at every step along the way. Highlights of this project include:
• Volunteer workdays and community education events
• Internships for Haskell Indian Nations University students
• Field trips for local students
• The development of an online course for Kansas educators through the Kansas Association for Conservation and Environmental Education
Prairie Park Project
Grassland Heritage Foundation, Lawrence Parks and Recreation, Haskell Indian Nations University, and Kansas Association for Conservation and Environmental Education
Funded by a Natural and Cultural Heritage Conservation Grant from the Douglas County Heritage Conservation Council.