BOD Spotlight: Gary Haden

How did you get started in AOK?

I had been a member of the National Audubon Society since the 1970s and had been active with Topeka Audubon Society when I lived there, so I was aware of AOK’s existence since its inception.  I was drawn to AOK when Ron Klataske and I discussed AOK’s Sanctuaries Initiative.

What is your background? Have you always lived in Kansas (or Nebraska)?

I grew up on a small farm in Ellsworth County and then became the first member of my family to attend college, when I enrolled at K-State.  My wife and I lived in New Jersey and the Republic of Korea while in the U.S. Air Force and then I worked on newspapers in Pocatello, Idaho, and Mankato, Minnesota, before returning to Kansas in 1978, where I found a job on the Wichita Eagle.

What is your most memorable AOK experience?

My most memorable experience have been with spending days with two different individuals who are interested in AOK as a possible home for their land.  It’s fun to spend time with kindred spirits who appreciate natural landscapes.

What is your greatest conservation concern?

Loss of habitat and species diversity due to such factors as overpopulation, climate change and general lack of consideration for plants and animals as we go about our daily lives.

What gets you excited about nature?  What is your passion?

Saving the 170-year-old bur oak trees on our farm in Morris County for posterity is a driving force for my Carolyn and me but seeing wildlife in their natural environments is a passion for me.  We’ve loved our travels to Tanzania, Peru, Costa Rica and Guatemala.  Ecuador is next in 2022; I want to see displaying Cocks of the Rock. 

What is your favorite spot in Kansas (or Nebraska)?

I love walking our nature trail along Clarks Creek in Morris County, but I also love our house and enjoy sitting back and watching K-State football or basketball.

How did you connect with nature growing up?

I started carrying a .22 rifle while hunting with our dog when I was eight years old, so I learned about the habits of wildlife and began to take note of birds and other wild things that were around me.

What accomplishments are you most proud of?

Carolyn and I will be married 53 years in August.  We never made much money, but we saved and invested wisely and we are comfortable in retirement.  I value long-term friendships and commitments and am proud that where I’ve changed as I’ve grown and aged it’s mostly been for the better. 

Gary: Why are you considering donating land to AOK?  

I’ve fallen in love with the huge bur oaks and other mature trees we have on our property and I would like to make them available others after we are gone.  One bad owner of property can doom it too oblivion.  AOK presents an opportunity to keep it as we know it.