Summer 2025 Newsletter - Hot off the presses!
- Apolonia Arteaga
- Jun 21
- 3 min read
Dear fellow land steward,
Happy solstice, friends. Summer is here and she showed up hot! There’s still so much to do but the sun teaches us patience. As we step into the second half of 2025, we hope you’ll join us to taste native foods, experience the gifts from the land and learn how to give back. I encourage you to set down your work (or doom scrolling) and get outside to hear the birds sing. Let yourself sweat. Let the wind cool your skin and lift your heart. If outdoor adventures are a stretch for you right now, try something short and sweet. You could take your next lunch break on the new cedar benches at Haskell Wetlands or learn from the new signs along the trails at Prairie Park. If you can, bring a friend!
In everything we do, and especially when we care for the land, every perspective is important. Yes, yours too! Diversity is strength, its resilience. When we come together, the weight we carry is lighter; we’re stronger and tomorrow is a dawning opportunity.
As our community changes, we’re here to make sure you stay grounded and connected. Read on to find opportunities to get involved and reach out to me if you need help. This work, land stewardship, belongs to us all. And we belong to each other. With gratitude... |
Courtney Masterson Ecologist and Executive Director, Native Lands Restoration Collaborative |
Save the Date! |
Native Lands Trivia Night 2025Saturday, October 11, 2025 | 6–9:00 pm Flory Hall, Douglas County Fairgrounds |
Join us for our flagship celebration of land stewards and our native ecosystems. Enjoy food, drinks, a raffle, and nature-themed trivia.
Tickets will be on sale in late August — stay tuned! |
Community Workdays & EventsHere's a selection of our upcoming community gatherings! 📝 Please RSVP to save your spot and stay informed about these weather-dependent events.
Native Garden Stewardship at the Kansas Zen Center1201 Laura Ave, Lawrence, KS 66044June 27 | 3–5 pmAugust 16 | 9:30 am–12:30 pm
Intro to Native Fiber Workshop with Liz Bonny & Native Lands Restoration CollaborativeJune 28 | 8 am–12 pm | Blazing Star Prairie, 1111 Wild Horse Rd, Lawrence, KS 66044, USAThere will be a small material fee for this workshop, collected upon arrival. RSVP here.
Annual Blazing Star CelebrationJuly 26 | 7:30–9 pm | Blazing Star Prairie, 1111 Wild Horse Rd, Lawrence, KS 66044, USAEnjoy peak bloom of Liatris species at Blazing Star Prairie! RSVP here.
Seed Cleaning Screen & Bird Feeder Platform WorkshopSeptember 13 | 3–6 pm | Blazing Star Prairie, 1111 Wild Horse Rd, Lawrence, KS 66044, USAAll materials, gloves and tools will be provided. There will be a small material fee for this workshop. RSVP here. |
All of these events & more live on the Kaw Valley Environmental Events Calendar. Visit the link to add this calendar to your own device.
|
Native Lands in the News |
Kansas Restoration Ecologists Work to Improve Kansas River Ecosystems (Erin Socha, University Daily Kansan) Read more about the culmination of this project with Friends of the Kaw, which began in 2018.
The Pretty and Popular Non-Native Honeysuckle Smothers Forested Areas (Ian Ritter, Kansas City Magazine) Courtney shares her perspective on what to avoid planting and native alternatives to invasive honeysuckle. |
Nourishing Communities |
Marlowe Kastens introduces our Nourishing Communities project and shares her experience as a NLRC Intern exploring native edible and medicinal plants, community partnerships, and the restoration of local ecosystems in Douglas County. |
Native Food Recipe: Sumacade! |
The fragrant berries of smooth sumac (Rhus glabra) are almost ready to be made into "lemonade!" Nourishing Communities Intern, Anne Woolverton, shares more about the shrub and some of their delightful uses.
|
Support Native Lands |
Every bit of your generosity has a tangible impact on the native landscapes of our region. On behalf of the more-than-human systems we steward, thank you for your support! |
Comments