Haskell-Baker Wetlands
Encyclopedia
Wetland
A wetland is an area of land whose soil is saturated with water either permanently or seasonally. Wetlands are categorised by their characteristic vegetation, which is adapted to these unique soil conditions....
s span approximately 640 acres (2.6 km²) on the south side of Lawrence
Lawrence, Kansas
Lawrence is the sixth largest city in the U.S. State of Kansas and the county seat of Douglas County. Located in northeastern Kansas, Lawrence is the anchor city of the Lawrence, Kansas, Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Douglas County...
, Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Joint owners Baker University
Baker University
Baker University is a private, residential university located in Baldwin City, Kansas, United States. Founded in 1858, it is the oldest university in Kansas and is affiliated with the United Methodist Church. Baker University is made up of four schools...
, Haskell Indian Nations University
Haskell Indian Nations University
Haskell Indian Nations University is a tribal university located in Lawrence, Kansas, for members of federally recognized Native American tribes in the United States...
, the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks, and the University of Kansas
University of Kansas
The University of Kansas is a public research university and the largest university in the state of Kansas. KU campuses are located in Lawrence, Wichita, Overland Park, and Kansas City, Kansas with the main campus being located in Lawrence on Mount Oread, the highest point in Lawrence. The...
hold 573, 27, 20, and 20 acres (80,937.2 m²), respectively, of this scenic and ecologically vital habitat. Baker University
Baker University
Baker University is a private, residential university located in Baldwin City, Kansas, United States. Founded in 1858, it is the oldest university in Kansas and is affiliated with the United Methodist Church. Baker University is made up of four schools...
received its portion from the United States Department of Health, Education, and Welfare in 1968.
In 1969, the National Park Service
National Park Service
The National Park Service is the U.S. federal agency that manages all national parks, many national monuments, and other conservation and historical properties with various title designations...
declared the wetlands a National Natural Landmark
National Natural Landmark
The National Natural Landmark program recognizes and encourages the conservation of outstanding examples of the natural history of the United States. It is the only natural areas program of national scope that identifies and recognizes the best examples of biological and geological features in...
. In 1989, the Kansas Biological Survey declared the wetlands an official Natural and Scientific area. The wetlands support 471 documented species of vascular plant, 254 species of bird, and 61 additional vertebrate species.
A proposal for completion of the South Lawrence Trafficway, a realignment of K-10
K-10 (Kansas highway)
K-10 is a 38 mile state highway in the U.S. state of Kansas. It was originally designated in 1929. It is mostly a controlled-access freeway, linking Lawrence to Lenexa. It provides an important toll-free alternate route to Interstate 70...
, has generated fierce opposition. Scientists and environmental researchers contend that the trafficway would do irreparable harm to a sensitive ecosystem.
A proposal to mitigate for lost wetlands, loss of pedestrian access, and to reduce noise has been approved by US Army Corps of Engineers, Kansas Department of Transportation, and the Federal Highway Administration.
Press
- The University Daily Kansan Demonstrators hope to stop wetland road talks
- The University Daily Kansan Groups push University to protect wetlands
- The Lawrence Journal-World Activists rally for wetlands on KU campus
External links
- Official Baker Wetlands website with history, future, management, maps, species lists, FAQs, on-going projects, associated links and photo album
- Sierra Club Issues Page for South Lawrence Trafficway
- Unedited chronology of the area
- Sacred Land Film website about the wetlands
- An article about the land and the people of Haskell-Baker Wetlands