Daily Archives: May 23, 2013

Fishy Fun to be had at Milford Nature Center Kid’s Fishing Clinic

Families can enjoy some fun in the sun at the 2013 Kid’s Fishing Clinic and Casting Contest June 1

For youth age 5-12, there is plenty of fun to be had at the Milford Nature Center’s 2013 Kid’s Fishing Clinic and Casting Contest, Saturday, June 1. Participants can enjoy a variety of activities including an electrofishing demonstration, casting contest, and raffle prize drawing.

Check-in begins at 8:30 a.m. at the Gathering Pond, below the Milford Dam. The event is open to the first 100 registered participants, so early registration is encouraged. Rods and reels, as well as bait, will be provided to each participant.

Following afternoon activities, including an award ceremony and raffle prize drawing, participants can enjoy lunch courtesy of the Junction City Noon Kiwanis Club.

Additional sponsors for the event include the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism, Kansas Wildscape, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and the Milford Nature Center.

To register for this event, call the Milford Nature Center at (785) 238-5323.  

Walk With Wildlife Event to Showcase Kansas Wildlife

Participants get up-close to wildlife species without leaving the sidewalk

Are snakes slimy or smooth? What does a kestrel’s call sound like? You can learn this and more when you attend the 29th Annual Walk With Wildlife event, Saturday, June 8, 9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. The Great Plains Nature Center (GPNC) will be holding the event at Chisholm Creek Park, 

6232 E. 29th Street North

 in Wichita. The cost to attend is $2 per person, and lunch concessions will be available.

Chisholm Creek Park’s 1-mile handicapped-accessible trail loop will be decorated with multiple stations, each featuring different wildlife species. Visitors can get up-close views of native mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish, insects and more.

While visiting the GPNC, participants can also enjoy fun and educational videos in the Coleman Auditorium, hands-on nature exhibits in the Koch Habitat Hall, or shop the Owl’s Nest Gift Shop.

In addition, the GPNC will also host a Kids Fishing Clinic for youth age 12 and under at no additional charge. Each participant will receive fishing equipment, as well as a free photo with their fish. Registration forms can be obtained from The Wichita Eagle newspaper, or by calling (316) 268-2640. Attendance is limited, so early registration is encouraged. Participants must be accompanied by an adult.

For more information on the Walk With Wildlife event, call (316) 683-5499.

            Spirit Aerosystems is an annual sponsor of the Walk With Wildlife event.

Dredging Project at Kanopolis State Park Improves Boat Access

The three-day excavation project will aid boaters launching in low water conditions

Low water levels at Kanopolis Reservoir have made all but one boat ramp unusable this spring. And that ramp, located at Langley Point in Kanopolis State Park, has been difficult for boaters due to shallow water. To improve boating conditions near the ramp, Kanopolis State Park staff have been overseeing a dredging operation.

Crane Rental of Salina began dredging the boat ramp Tuesday, May 21, 2013 using a crawler crane and extendable fork lift.

“The boat ramp is usable as is,” said park manager Rick Martin, “but once we’ve excavated more material, launching a boat should become a lot easier.” Martin added that Langley Point will be in full working order for Memorial Day weekend.

            For more information, contact the Kanopolis State Park office at (785) 546-2565.

Tuttle Creek Lake Association to Host 19th Annual Youth Fishing Clinic

Young anglers will learn about and fish for channel catfish during this two-day event

The Tuttle Creek Lake Association is hosting the 19th Annual Youth Fishing Clinic June 7-8, 2013 atAnneberg Park Lake. The event is open to the first 200 youth, age 8-12, who register.

In addition to casting their lines, participants can enjoy special lectures on general fishing know-how and water safety.

In cooperation with Manhattan Parks and Recreation, Anneberg Park Lake will be stocked with channel catfish averaging 12 inches long and ranging from 3/4 pound up to 3 pounds.

Trophies will be awarded to the girl and boy with the smallest fish caught, the girl and boy with the largest fish caught, and the girl and boy with the largest three fish caught.

Thanks to generous sponsors, participants will get to take home a new rod and reel, hooks, bobbers, sinkers, bait, and a hat! Lunch will also be provided at no additional cost.

Only youth who have not previously participated in this event are eligible to attend and must be accompanied by an adult. Participants can register the day of the event, however early registration is encouraged as the event is limited to the first 200 applicants.

For more information, contact Leo Schell at (785) 539-6540.  

Steve Jester Hired as First Executive Director of Partners for Conservation

The National Wildlife Refuge Association (NWRA) and Partners for Conservation (PFC), are pleased to welcome Steve Jester as Partners for Conservation’s first Executive Director. The Executive Director is a joint position supported by NWRA and PFC together to promote the successful tools, models, policy and programs that support collaborative conservation efforts involving private landowners and public agencies, and to build PFC’s capacity as an independent non-profit organization.

“We are thrilled to welcome Steve to the NWRA and PFC team. Steve brings outstanding leadership and sensibility to the role of Executive Director of Partners for Conservation,” said David Houghton, President of NWRA. “He has a broad base of experience working with landowners and agencies on collaborative conservation projects nationwide, and has demonstrated success conserving wildlife and working lands.”

Prior to joining the staff at NWRA, Steve was the Executive Director of the Guadalupe-Blanco River Trust, the first nationally accredited land trust in Texas. Before working at the Trust, Steve was on the staff of The Nature Conservancy for almost a decade leading community-based conservation projects first in Texas and later inWyoming. Additionally, he has worked with state fish and wildlife agencies in Florida and Texas. He has worked with private landowners throughout his career and has come to appreciate their critical importance in conserving working landscapes that provide some of the most important wildlife habitats in the United States.

“Partners for Conservation is a great example of ground-up conversations that will link landowners, businesses and partners across the country. We are proud to be taking the next step with Steve to bring this landscape vision to a reality,” said Jim Stone, PFC Board Chair.

Steve earned a B.S. degree in Agriculture from Texas State University – San Marcos and a M.S. degree in Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences from Texas A&M University. He lives in Edwards Plateau region of Texas with his wife Suzanne and daughters Shelby and Shae.

More information about Partners for Conservation can be found here.