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Fall/Winter 2010
Creating outdoor opportunities throughout Kansas!
Wildscape Watch The inside scoop from the outdoor world of the Kansas Wildscape Foundation. The Kansas Wildscape Foundation is a private, nonprofit organization dedicated to conserving and perpetuating the land, the wild species, and the rich beauty of Kansas for the use and enjoyment of all. In other words, we’re all about getting people outdoors and creating the opportunities to do so.
Wildscape delivers 16 new cabins in 2010. This has been a very productive year for the joint cabins project between the Kansas Wildscape Foundation and Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks, with 16 new cabins built and delivered to several sites, bringing the current total to 55 cabins. Locations receiving these new cabins were state parks including Cheney, Crawford, Fall River, Cross Timbers, Tuttle Creek, Wilson, and Webster. Not only has this year been productive in building and delivering cabins, but also in funding for the cabins. The Foundation has raised over $400,000 for the cabins project to date from various sponsors. Overall, the cabins have become very popular and can be utilized in many ways. So, if you need a little vacation, want to have a reunion or birthday party, need a place to stay on a hunting trip, or you just enjoy being closer to nature, check out one of these great cabins!
Top-Performing Cabins - 2010 Kanopolis State Park
Arapaho Cabin 249 rental nights
Kanopolis State Park
Cheyenne Cabin 247 rental nights
Wilson State Park
Elm #1 Cabin 214 rental nights
Cross Timbers State Park Crawford State Park
Eagle’s Nest Cabin 206 rental nights Shady Rest Cabin 205 rental nights
Wildscape cabins provide a way for people to experience the outdoors with To reserve a cabin, visit the KDWP website: all of the comforts of home. www.kdwp.state.ks.us/StateParks/LocationsWith-Cabins
Creating outdoor experiences throughout Kansas!
Excel Industries sponsors state fair cabin.
Manufacturer of the Hustler mower in Hesston shares Wildscape’s vision for rental cabins throughout Kansas.
Every year at the state fair, one of Wildscape’s cabins has been trucked in for public display during the state fair. And every year, this activity costs Wildscape and KDWP time, energy and money. Not any more. Through the generosity of Excel Industries, a new cabin has been placed as a permanent structure on the state fairgrounds. The new cabin, named the “D.L. ‘Roy’ Mullet Cabin” for Excel Industry’s late founder and company president Paul Mullet’s father, will not only serve as a display every year during the fair, but will also be available to the general public year-round to rent. Located on Lake Talbot, KDWP and state fair officials are optimistic that this new cabin will generate plenty of revenue throughout the year.
Arkansas River Access starts rolling downstream of Wichita. Wildscape to assist with securing access sites and construction. Those who have spent time within the banks of the Arkansas River in Kansas are well aware of what a wonderful outdoor resource we have right under our noses. Unfortunately, not many Kansans are utilizing this resource, and there’s an obvious reason – poor accessibility. Wildscape has teamed up with the Arkansas River Coalition to Dangerous access points like this site on Highway 155 assist with identifying, securing, funding and creating access points are far too common and limit the use of the river for downstream from Wichita to Arkansas City. By creating more access everyone. for paddlers, more Kansans will use the river and begin to appreciate all that it has to offer. Wildscape is hopeful that the new access points will lead to further development of outdoor activities within the banks of the river. The entire Arkansas River river bed (high-watermark to highwatermark) is public land throughout the state of Kansas.
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Creating outdoor experiences throughout Kansas!
Outdoor Kansas for Kids (O.K.KIDS) continues to deliver. Another successful Outdoor Kansas for Kids season has come to a close, with the year 2010 marked as the 9th annual for the program. This year’s program saw a total of 58 events located at sites throughout the state - the highest number in the program’s history. An estimated total of 11,500 kids attended these events, participating in a variety of activities offered at each location. O.K. Kids Day events were held from April 17 to October 8, with the majority of them during the summer months. Ten of the sites were new for 2010, including O.K. Kids Days with the Clearwater Recreation Commission, the Fall River State Park and the Spring Hill Recreation Commission, among others.
The O.K. Kids Day program not only offers a great opportunity for kids and their families to enjoy outdoor activities in Kansas, it also shows how important each event host is for outdoor recreation. Kids and their families could enjoy a guided bird-watching hike at the Ernie Miller Nature Center, an emergency vehicle Touch-A-Truck at Wilson State Park, a paintball course at Coffey County’s O.K. Kids Day, and a live animal showing at Clinton State Park. Some other highlights from this season’s programs were canoeing, horse rides, fishing derbies, gun and archery safety, boat rides, a Personal Watercraft Simulator, hayrack rides, and lots of food and prizes!
To help show our appreciation for these event hosts, Wildscape will recognize some of the standout O.K. Kids Day events at the annual KRPA banquet in February. Each and every one of the event hosts deserves recognition for the hard work, creativity and time they put into these events. We thank them all for what they do to provide great outdoor opportunities for kids in Kansas. We hope to continue the success of this program and reach an even larger number of families in the years to come!
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Creating outdoor experiences throughout Kansas!
WildLifer Challenge
New program sets its sites on getting kids outdoors throughout the year.
In today’s world, children are spending more time playing video games, texting, and watching TV than ever before. It’s not that all of these activities are necessarily bad, but anything in excess is usually not a good thing. And lying around the house – all day, every day – is literally killing America’s youth by contributing to an inactive lifestyle, which of course leads to obesity and other social and health problems in our communities. It’s not good. Wildscape is proud to announce its newest program aimed at getting kids outdoors. The WildLifer Challenge utilizes a unique concept and website to encourage children of all ages (and parents) to get outside by challenging them to complete 15 of 20 outdoor challenges. “Catch a frog”, “Build a Fort” and “Get Muddy” are examples of the activities that many of us grew up doing, but are activities that kids today are missing in their lives.
Sponsored by
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Creating outdoor experiences throughout Kansas!
Kids today that are NOT getting involved in the outdoors are NOT to blame. Kids can only do what they’re allowed to do, or what’s available as an option to them. Too many of today’s parents are allowing, and in some cases, promoting a sedentary lifestyle to their children. The age-old parental command of “Go play outside!” is quickly disappearing. The stick or fishing rod in a child’s hand is being replaced with a video game controller. Taking the place of viewing nature in action is one of the thousands of television shows available to children 24/7. The WildLifer Challenge is geared towards daring children (and their parents) to PROVE that they’re not the type of kid who sits around the house all day. Through the WildLifer website, kids sign up as a participant, choose their challenges, and take/upload photos of themselves completing each challenge. Visit www.wildliferchallenge.com for more details. Over the coming months, Wildscape will be promoting the WildLifer Challenge in various communities throughout the state. If you’d like to help in our effort by connecting us to community leaders in order to promote WildLifer in your area, please let us know. We’d love to hear from you!
www.kansaswildlifer.com
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“PROVE IT!” “Prove to us that you’re not the kind of kid who wastes all of your valuable free time lying around inside the house all day. That’s not you. You like the thrill of adventure. The mystery of the unknown. Maybe even a little danger from time to time. You rock!” (Copy excerpt from WildLifer brochure and website.)
Creating outdoor experiences FOUNDATION’S throughout Kansas! KANSAS WILDSCAPE
15TH ANNUAL!
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Creating outdoor experiences throughout Kansas!
Behind Wildscape. Interview with Wildscape board member and Chairman, Warren Gfeller.
Warren Gfeller has been a member of Kansas Wildscape since 1992. He is the former CEO of Ferrellgas Partners and currently is a private investor and sits on a number of public and private Boards. He divides his time between Kansas City and his ranch outside of Russell, Kansas.
What is your favorite outdoor activity in Kansas? I spent part of my childhood west of Oakley outside the little town of Winona, Ks. and later moved to Russell, Ks. where I graduated from high school. I had plenty of opportunity to be outside and I took advantage of it. We were always hiking, camping, hunting, fishing, riding horses or bicycles. I still enjoy being outside doing just about anything. I have lived or worked in literally every corner of Kansas and I have also lived, worked or travelled extensively throughout the U.S. and abroad. Kansas, in my opinion, is one of the most interesting of them all. The diversity of our landscapes and wildlife from east to west is pretty amazing and offers a wide variety of outdoor experiences.
How did you become involved with Wildscape? I was attracted to Kansas Wildscape because of its mission and its activities. First, I will take every opportunity to promote Kansas and Kansas outdoor activities. Second, I liked the idea that the organization’s activities and efforts are Kansas-only. None of our money has to support a National umbrella organization or projects in other states. Third, I liked the idea that we are not a lobbying organization nor do we take a position on public/private land issues. We simply support the Kansas outdoor ethic and will work with public and private entities to bring Kansas outdoor opportunities to people.
Much of the Cabin project’s success can be attributed to your efforts. What do you like best about the program? I am very proud of our Cabins Project. It is one of our most ambitious projects so far and it will have lasting 7
benefits for our state. We figured out a unique funding mechanism and with the help of partners like Bud Walker, Gardner Bank and The Country Stampede and, of course, KDWP, we expect to fund the construction of over 150 cabins throughout the State park and wildlife areas. The benefits are numerous. These cabins have made it possible for families that otherwise wouldn’t visit our parks an opportunity to do so. Many new visitors, including an increased number from out-of-state are visiting our state parks. Revenues from cabin rents are a new and significant funding source for KDWP. Inmates at our minimum security prisons build the cabins and learn new skills that will help transition them to society. I think this project is an excellent example of how a little ingenuity and a lot of cooperation can make good things happen.
Why do you believe in Wildscape? I believe being involved in outdoor activities helps develop character. It teaches about respect for land and nature and about personal responsibility and self sufficiency. People, and in particular our kids, need the opportunity to enjoy Kansas outdoors. Wildscape’s programs, like our WildLifer Challenge and O.K.KIDS and projects like the cabins project help make those opportunities real. Wildscape is a great organization with a small but excellent staff and a working board comprised of some of the finest people I have had the privilege to be associated with and know over the years.
Board of Directors Jim Booker – Kansas City Hank Booth - Lawrence Jim Braden – Clay Center Steve Brown - Salina Tom Garretson – Wichita Warren Gfeller – Kansas City John Grange – El Dorado Bill Hawes – Smith Center Mike Hayden - Topeka
Wildscape Staff:
Charlie Black Executive Director
Debbie Brandt Director of Administration
Kieth Hiesterman - Wichita Jim Huntington – Kansas City Laurel Johnstin – Kansas City Clint Junghans – Junction City Gary Junghans – Junction City Britt King - Wichita Chuck Kreiser - Melvern Brad Mitchell - Wichita Senator Steve Morris - Hugoton Dr. Max Moss - Wichita
Bob Ring - Wichita John Rose – Mission Hills Roger Sink – Manhattan David Strohm - Wichita Justin Sturgeon – Kansas City Mike Thiessen – Kansas City Mike Valentine – Kansas City Mike Vineyard – Kansas City Dave Wheeler - Wichita Fred White – Kansas City
Become a Member Today! By making a tax-deductible contribution you are supporting: • Responsible use of natural resources by promoting a positive Kansas outdoor ethic • Education and awareness programs focused on Kansas youth • Enhanced access to and enjoyment of, both public and private land for outdoor recreation with respect for the rights and desires of landowners. Three Ways to Donate Online - Quick and secure, our online form available at www.kansaswildscape.org will have you partnering with us in no time. By Mail - Print out the Membership/Donation Form available on our website, then send it in with your Check or Money Order. By Phone - If you would like to charge your donation by phone to a Visa, Mastercard, or American Express, please call toll-free 1-866-655-4377 and our staff will be glad to assist you.
Jennifer Rader Youth Programs Coordinator
Join us today!
Kansas Wildscape Foundation 2500 W. 6th Street, STE G Lawrence, KS 66049 785.843.9453