AOK Celebrates 25 Years of Environmental Education by Dr. Jackie Augustine, AOK Monthly Newsletter, July 31, 2024
Environmental Education was and still is a core part of Audubon of Kansas' mission. The first Prairie Wings gives an update on the work of the Education Committee. Their immediate goal was to spread already existing environmental education materials, such as National Audubon's Audubon Adventures or the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Park’s educational newsletter TRACKS, more widely. They also stated that they were writing a grant proposal that would establish a statewide AOK education program and hire a half-time education coordinator. Subsequent newsletters follow the development and distribution of the “Kansas Birding and Prairie Flora Trail” or "Prairie Passage" materials. Prairie Wings also promoted the "Wings N' Wetlands" Festival at Cheyenne Bottoms and Quivira National Wildlife Refuge.
Today, AOK's Celebration of Cranes and Kansas Lek Treks Prairie-Chicken Festivalare the only two birding festivals in the state. We continue to give programs to people throughout the state (and adjacent states) on numerous conservation topics including Native Plants for Birds, 3 Billion Birds Gone and What To Do About It, Beginning Birdwatching, Birding By Ear, Home On The Range: The Breeding Biology of Prairie-Chickens, Migration, Wetland Conservation, and many more. This year to date, over 750 people have attended a presentation! Finally, our Nature Adventurepack program continues to expand. A Spirit Aerosystems grant will bring backpacks with binoculars and field guides to the Wichita Public Library and adjacent libraries.
These educational efforts are so important because people will not preserve what they don't understand and appreciate. Sometimes the impact of these efforts is not immediate or apparent.
One of my personal summer projects has been entering all my bird sightings into eBird. I have diligently recorded checklists of birds for 20 years. By entering the data, I not only hope to contribute to community science, but I am curious as to what my life list total is (the number of species I have observed anywhere in the world). My early journals record not only lists of birds, but also key experiences and observations. I was surprised to see Ron Klataske and Audubon of Kansas in my journal under the title "Wind Energy Forum 10/15/2002". My notes for Ron's talk include, "[power] lines over prairie cheaper, but endangers grasslands" and "60% of Kansas is cultivated" and "Why sacrifice prairies?"
I would like to think that the talk given by Ron and others during the Wind Energy Forum instilled in me the first spark of the love of Kansas landscapes and the threats facing them. That spark was kindled by my 20 years of working prairie-chickens, and primed me to be open to the possibility of being the Executive Director of AOK when the opportunity arose. Now, I am honored to be able to pass on my knowledge and appreciation of Kansas wildlife and habitats through AOK's education initiatives.
Essay by Jackie Augustine. Photo from the recent 'Spider Walk' at Mount Mitchell Heritage Prairie Park.