ALEX KIMBALL WILLIAMS, COURTNEY KING, AND DR. DAN WILDCAT HOST PANEL ON THE WAKARUSA WETLANDS
ALEX KIMBALL WILLIAMS, COURTNEY KING, AND DR. DAN WILDCAT HOST PANEL ON THE WAKARUSA WETLANDS
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Dozens of people attended a forum on Saturday hosted by the Kansas City branch of the Party for Socialism and Liberation, bringing together students, educators and activists from Haskell Indian Nations University to discuss the cultural and environmental importance of the Wakarusa Wetlands.
The Community Speaks Out
The Community Speaks Out
OCT 2025
In October, the Lawrence-Douglas Planning Commission held a meeting about the Comprehensive Plan Amendment that the developer proposed. This is one component of the many steps the developer has to complete before they can actual break ground (to learn more about the process click here). Despite over 25 public speakers and an hour and 20 minutes of passionate advocacy, the Planning Commission voted to approve the Comprehensive Plan. Community members brought up concerns including: flooding, pollution to the Haskell-Baker wetlands, the historical and cultural significance of the Wakarusa Wetlands, the breaking of our local floodplain regulations, and the fact that the plan being altered is over 18 years outdated. While the representatives for the developer attempted to dismiss these concerns, the truth remains: they are bulldozing acres of wetlands, they're filling in the floodplain and they're introducing light, noise, and physical pollution into a delicate and endangered environment. These negative effects of development cannot be sequestered to just the plot of land they want to develop and no level of mitigation can right this and historical wrongs in this region. Numerous groups have voiced their concern about this project over the past 3 years-read their testimonies here.
Recording of the 10/22/25 Planning Commission meeting. To better understand all the moving heads of the hydra known as New Boston Crossing, visit our overview page.
After the Wakarusa River Vision Plan Open House, Ken Lassman, the author of the Kaw Valley Almanac, penned a column about the importance of the Wakarusa River Valley as a wildlife corridor. He also created a boundary within iNaturalist that follows the boundary that the County has identified for the Wakarusa River Valley. We encourage all to download iNaturalist on your phone and take pictures of flora and fauna. You'll learn our about our natural world and provide very important citizen science data.
A Majority of Wetlands Left Unprotected
A Majority of Wetlands Left Unprotected
Updated: June 3, 2025
The majority of the wetlands on the property were assumed under the jurisdiction of the United States of Army Corp of Engineers (USACE) after they were first identified. However, following the Sackett decision of 2023, where the Supreme Court severely reduced protections for wetlands that have no continuous surface water connection. In short, wetlands that were previously under the USACE's regulations are no longer under these protections. The state of Kansas has no additional regulations for wetlands and the City of Lawrence only has regulations about wetlands that are considered under the USACE's jurisdiction. These wetlands highlighted in orange to the left are now unprotected and can legally be destroyed any day without any oversight or consequence. To understand more information about the Sackett decision, please click here.
Listen to our member Melinda and Michael discuss this project with Teresa Wilke on EcoRadioKC! Teresa reminds us that this fight is historical in nature, the fight for the Wakarusa Wetlands has spanned decades. She also speaks from personal experience about housing and continued foundational problems living in the Yankee Tank tributary. Micahel reminds us that this developer, Phil Bundy, has attempted to develop this plot of land for over a decade and how the permit is questionably violating our current floodplain regulations. Melinda also explains the process that allowed the illegitimate permit to be approved and the concerns with putting subsidized housing in the floodplain.
To open in browser, click here.
A Win for SWRV!
A Win for SWRV!
May 28th, 2024
The Baker University Board of Trustees "voted" not to sell the 17-acre wet prairie ecosystem north of the Discovery Center, "[f]ollowing extensive data gathering and deliberation."
Though this news has put SWRV and the greater community at ease, Baker never responded to the Haskell National Board of Regents' opposition letter, asking for Historical Haskell Lands back, once again, disrespecting the Indigenous community.
More on the story here.
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