October, 2024

In this newsletter

AOK Celebrates 25 years of Endangered Species Conservation
Roadside Management Update - How you can help!
Over 1000 people attended AOK programs so far this year - a new milestone!
What good is a cedar?
Audubon of Kansas and Pass It On Outdoor Mentors Join Forces to Empower Youth with Conservation and Hunting Experiences
AOK Events
Nov 1-2: AOK's Celebration of Cranes, Sterling, KS
Philanthropy Corner: Don't miss the next Prairie Wings! Update your address today
Chapter Spotlight: Northern Flint Hills Audubon Society needs volunteers for sanctuary management
AOK Nature Spot Recommendations: Coronado Heights is a fun place to explore (central Kansas)

AOK Celebrates 25 years

of Endangered Species Conservation

Twenty-five years ago, the Kansas Audubon Council became Audubon of Kansas (AOK). AOK has always been a strong voice for the rarest species in the Great Plains. In our February newsletter, we discussed our work to preserve Cheyenne Bottoms Wildlife Area and Quivira National Wildlife Refuge for endangered Whooping Cranes. In our April newsletter, our work with prairie-chickens was featured. In this newsletter, we want to talk about the other important work we are doing.

AOK is a watchdog for threatened, endangered, and declining species in Kansas and the Great Plains. We provide science-based support for conservation at the county, state, and national level. We testify on behalf of Whooping Cranes, prairie-chickens, American Burying Beetles, and native prairies when wind, solar, and transmission line energy development threatens those habitats. When there are public comment periods regarding changes to endangered and threatened status at either the federal and state level, such as the Regal Fritillary (a butterfly), Black Rail, or freshwater molluscs, we provide written testimony backed by the latest research. When our comments are not heeded, we do not back down from advancing litigation, such as our historical efforts regarding Black-footed Ferrets, or our current efforts to support Quivira and Whooping Cranes.

Not only do we advocate on behalf of endangered species, we also assist with surveys. These surveys are document whether populations are healthy and guide future conservation efforts. This year, Jackie Augustine, AOK's Executive Director, has assisted with surveys for American Burying Beetles, Black-footed Ferrets, and Lesser Prairie-Chickens. Lesser Prairie-Chicken surveys are conducted in the mornings from mid-March through mid-May. She drives public roads, stopping at the tops of hills adjacent to prairie habitat to listen for the birds. She reports the numbers of birds seen to both the state and to federal agencies. American Burying Beetles are surveyed by setting traps with dead rats for bait. In August, Jackie assisted Nebraska Game and Parks employees in monitoring the traps, sorting through hundreds of carrion beetles to find the American Burying Beetles, and assisting with the measuring, marking, and release of captured beetles. In October, she assisted the Topeka Zoo, the Sedgwick County Zoo, and other volunteers to survey for Black-footed Ferrets in western Kansas. Surveys are conducted at night, and spotlights are used to observe the ferret's green eye shine.

At AOK, we are proud that we are not only being the voice for wildlife through out advocacy efforts, but we are also able to contribute to the scientific understanding of abundance and distribution of species, and share our observations with you.

Top photo: Whooping Cranes (endangered) photographed by David Rintoul. Essay and photos below by Jackie Augustine: Left: American Burying Beetle (threatened) after tagging west of Hutton Niobrara Ranch Wildlife Sanctuary; Center: Black-footed Ferret (endangered) in western Kansas; Right: Lesser Prairie-Chicken (threatened in Kansas) in Gove County, KS.

Roadside Management Update -

How you can help!

In the first Prairie Wings, Audubon of Kansas (AOK) describes our efforts to advocate for managing roadsides to provide nesting habitat for grassland birds. Roadsides are also important areas for managing invasive species. Invasive species are species that are not native to an area, and which outcompete native species after they are introduced. The result is a landscape dominated by one species which previously hosted a rich diversity of native species. Invasive species can be plants, insects, fungus, birds, or just about any living thing. In 2015, AOK sponsored a workshop on managing Old World Bluestem near Manhattan for landowners and land managers, some of whom came from across the state. Old World Bluestem is particularly problematic as it is exudes chemicals toxic to other plants, and is difficult to kill. In 2012, AOK worked with the Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) to more effectively manage roadsides to increase nesting habitat for grassland birds while controlling invasive species (see 2012-2013 issue of Prairie Wings).

Recently, AOK met with Scott Marsh, the Noxious and Invasive Weeds Specialist in the Kansas Department of Agriculture, and Robert Fuller, Chief for the Bureau of Maintenance for KDOT. We talked about how inadvertent spread of invasive species could be prevented during roadside management, the new invasive species that threaten our prairies, and the steps that could be taken to increase awareness of the issue.

During our conversation, we found out that Scott monitors iNaturalist observations to detect new infestations of invasive species! iNaturalist is a smart phone app and website that allows users to upload photos of any living thing that they observe, and suggests identification options based on what is common in the area. The identication of each photo is confirmed by volunteer naturalists and scientists. So, if you see invasive species along roadsides or in any other area, just take a photo and upload it to iNaturalist!

Text by Jackie Augustine. Photo of roadside wildflowers along highway 177 by Ron Klataske.

Learn more about iNaturalist

Over 1000 people attended AOK programs so far this year - a new milestone!

AOK provides presentations to Audubon chapters, community service organizations, church groups, garden clubs, libraries, and various other groups. We offer a range of topics from Plants for Birds, Prairie-Chicken biology, Wetland Conservation, 3 Billion Birds Gone and What To Do About It, and others. We can also provide guided bird hikes.

Last year, we gave presentations to 42 different groups totalling 652 people. This year, we presented to about the same number of groups, but were able to interact with 1129 people so far! That just goes to show how many people care about nature in Kansas!

We are starting to schedule programs for 2025. To get your preferred date, contact Jackie now!

Photo taken by Amy Meyer of Jackie talking with Natural Areas Conference participants.

View presentation topics

Contact Jackie to schedule a presentation

What good is a cedar?

People who know me know that a loathe cedars. For someone who has spent the last 20 years studying prairie-chickens, it is easy to see why. Prairie-chickens avoid trees – Greater Prairie-Chickens will stop using an area if there are only 3 trees per acre. Lesser Prairie-Chickens are more sensitive – they avoid areas with 2 trees per acre. To a prairie-chicken, trees represent perches for hawks and corridors for skunks, raccoons, and other mesopredators to make their way into the prairie. The Flint Hills of Kansas holds the largest area of tallgrass prairie left in North America, but it is threatened by a green glacier – cedar trees are slowly surrounding the Flint Hills little by little. Central and southeastern Kansas have equally startling statistics (see inset map), and it has only happened in the last 20 years.

In July, I wrote ‘What good is Poison Ivy?’ where I hoped to make the case that wild things should be evaluated based on their benefit to the environment, not on their benefit to people. I asked readers to not hate poison ivy due to the food source it provides to wildlife. Using the same criteria, cedar should be despised – they are destroying our native prairies. Where we should have scores of species of wildflowers and grass, cedars form a monoculture in the areas they invade. If they take over waterways, they suck up and transpire so much water that they might cause the stream to dry up. Prairie streams do not erode quickly because the diversity of grasses and forbs, along with their diversity of root growth forms, hold the soil in place. When cedars invade a prairie stream, they form a canopy so dense that grasses and flowers cannot live underneath. When water comes, it erodes away because the root system of cedars is not as complex as all the grasses and forbs they displaced.

What is causing this invasion of cedar? Fire suppression is the most likely culprit. Work at Konza Prairie shows that cedars and shrubs invade the prairie if prescribed fire is not put on the landscape every 1-3 years (in the Flint Hills, the interval may be longer in other areas, but it is always less than 7 years – the time it takes a cedar tree to mature and start producing berries). A change in herbivores might also play a factor. In many cases, bison rub out cedars preventing them from establishing. Cattle, though they also rub on cedars, they do not kill them. Finally, there has been a social shift from people making a living from cattle grazing to those focused on providing hunting opportunities. Obviously, cedars reduce cattle forage over time and many ranchers loathe cedars as much as I do. However, those providing hunting opportunities, especially deer hunters, have the false belief that deer need cedars. Studies show that while White-tailed Deer generally spend time along a forest edge, they prefer grassy areas to bed, presumably because they can see and hear predators approaching. The riparian woods already on the landscape are sufficient to meet the foraging needs of deer; they do not need additional trees within the grasslands. Deer are browsers and nibble on the tips of trees for nourishment, but prefer eating oaks over cedars.

I am sure cedars must be good somewhere. The Cedar Waxwing is a beautiful songbird that loves to eat cedar berries. In the eastern United States, cedars coexist with various hardwoods without displacing them.

In the grasslands of the Great Plains, though, even one cedar in the middle of a pasture is a prescription for disaster. It is a perch for berry-loving birds. They will leave cedar seeds in their droppings as they move to their next location. That is why you often see cedars along a fence before you see cedars invade a pasture.

During my last trip up to Hutton, I spent a day and a half cutting cedars out of fences. Of course, I found myself unable to stop at the fence and would also cut cedars that were within a short walk of the fence. At the end of the end of the second day, I finally found out what cedars were good for. Runoff had eroded a small gulley as it made its way to the creek. I put the cedars into the gulley hoping they would slow down erosion. I will check back in a year to see if it worked.

Essay by Jackie Augustine.

Photos above: Left: Area where cedars have created a monculture along a riparian area. Center: One cedar in the middle of a pasture is one cedar too many. Right: Proper grassland management removes that one cedar before it has time to spread.

Inset map from Reducing Woody Encroachment in Grasslands: A Guide for Understanding Risk and Vulnerability by Twidwell, Fogarty, and Weir.

Photos below: Left: It is easy to remove a cedar when it is only a few years old. Right: Cedars may be good for reducing erosion.

Audubon of Kansas and Pass it On! Outdoor Mentors Join Forces to Empower Youth with Conservation and Hunting Experiences

Pass It On Outdoor Mentors and Audubon of Kansas have teamed up to create a unique opportunity for Kansas youth to experience hunting while learning about conservation practices that are essential to sustaining our natural environment.

Pass It On Outdoor Mentors is committed to empowering young people through outdoor experiences and mentorship. To offer thousands of youth each year the chance to learn hunting, fishing, and shooting skills, partnerships with organizations like Audubon of Kansas are essential. These collaborations create a “win-win” by allowing us to pool resources for maximum impact. Audubon of Kansas has access to many stunning properties in Kansas that require deer population management. With our network of vetted, volunteer mentors, we can connect hunter-education-certified youth with opportunities to engage in responsible wildlife management through hunting.

Our hunts are designed to teach the next generation not only how to hunt but also to provide an educational foundation in wildlife management, habitat preservation, and ethical hunting practices. "We’re thrilled to partner with Audubon of Kansas, adding a strong conservation perspective to our youth hunting experiences," says Brittany French from Pass It On Outdoor Mentors. "Together, we’re fostering a deep respect for the outdoors that will inspire Kansas's next generation of conservationists."

Audubon of Kansas (AOK) manages several protected areas across the state which support excellent habitat for wildlife as well as provide opportunities for people to connect with nature. “At Achterberg Wildlife-Friendly Demonstration Farm near Lincoln, Kansas, we noticed an abundance of deer,” states Jackie Augustine, Executive Director for Audubon of Kansas. “Too many deer can prevent young trees from growing and can have cascading effects for other animals in the community. We are excited to work with Pass It On Outdoor Mentors to manage our deer population while offering another way people can appreciate nature.”

About Audubon of Kansas (AOK): AOK is a conservation organization that defends wildlife and habitat through advocacy, conservation, and education across Kansas and the central Great Plains. For more information about Audubon of Kansas, please visit www.audubonofkansas.org

About Pass It On Outdoor Mentors: Pass It On - Outdoor Mentors’ mission is to provide outdoor experiences and ongoing opportunities to youth and volunteer mentors in order to develop future generations of hunters and anglers, thereby positively impacting the conservation of natural resources and the lives of youth. Our program focus is to bridge the gap between target shooting and outdoor recreation, but will take any youth out hunting and fishing. We take great pride in passing it onto the next generation!. For more information about Pass It On - Outdoor Mentors, please visit www.outdoormentors.org

Photo of a deer at Achterberg Wildlife-Friendly Demonstration Farm by JK Augustine.

AOK Events

Click to learn more about the amazing Celebration of Cranes Festival

November 1-2

Celebration of Cranes at Sterling/Quivira National Wildlife Refuge

December

Registration opens for Kansas Lek Treks Prairie-Chicken Festival

April 10-13, 2025

Kansas Lek Treks Prairie-Chicken Festival, Hays, KS

Don't miss the next Prairie Wings! Update your address today!

As the leaves change and the air turns crisp, many of us are enjoying the beauty of migration and those refreshing evening temperatures. It's also a time for reflection and planning—considering what needs to be accomplished before the year wraps up and laying the groundwork for the year ahead.

At AOK, we’re gearing up for the next issue of Prairie Wings, set to be released later this year, and we need your help! If you've moved in the past 12 months or have a new mailing address, please let us know. Update your information by reaching out to Kathryn at kathryn@audubonofkansas.org. Your support helps us keep you connected this season and beyond!

Send Kathryn an email to update your address

Chapter Spotlight:

Northern Flint Hills Audubon Society needs volunteers for sanctuary management

Not every Audubon chapter in the state is fortunate enough to have a property to manage for wildlife. Northern Flint Hills Audubon Society has three! And they are looking for a few volunteers to help them out with some projects ranging from fixing up informational signs, to picking up trash, to tackling invasive species.

Get more information about volunteer opportunities

Contact NFHAS to volunteer!

AOK Nature Spot Recommendations:

Coronado Heights is a fun place to explore.

12464 S Lightville Rd,

Lindsborg, KS 67456

38.613086, -97.703260

Coronado Heights is a fun place to explore with your family. You can expend your energy climbing the hill, or just drive to the top. Once at the top, you will see a 'castle' and other picnic areas constructed in 1936 using Native Dakota sandstone as a project of the Works Progress Administration. There are numerous trails of the surrounding area where you will see wildflowers, insects, and lizards in the summer.

It is believed that Francisco Vasquez de Coronado and his men viewed the prairie from this lookout point 300 feet above the valley floor. Chain mail from Spanish armor was found in the area by Bethany college professor J.A. Udden in 1915. Others have found Spanish coins, a bridle, and lead bars in the valley.

Text by Jackie Augustine and the Lindsborg Convention & Visitors Bureau. Photo by Augustine.

Jackie Augustine - Executive Director - General Questions, Programs, Future Protected Areas - jackie@audubonofkansas.org

Kathryn Chambers - Director of Philanthropy - Gift Planning, Membership, Endowments, Events Management - giving@audubonofkansas.org

Amy Meyer - Protected Areas Manager - Questions about AOK protected areas and habitat management - amy@audubonofkansas.org

Audubon of Kansas

PO Box 1106

Manhattan, KS 66505-1106

785-537-4385

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