Wetland Destruction

The location of the project in proximity to the Haskell-Baker wetland complex is startling. A single 2-lane road separates the project site from the western portion of the Baker wetlands, and a stream that bisects the project site feeds runoff directly into the Baker wetland's basins.  Wetlands are one of the most endangered habitats in the United States and wetland destruction has only increased in the past 10 years due to agriculture and development.  Wetlands provide critical habitat for many endangered animals and plants. For this development specifically, 7 threatened or endangered species are thought to be potentially impacted by development: the northern long eared bat, the tricolored bat, the pallid sturgeon, the western prairie fringed orchid, the monarch butterfly, the western regal fritillary, and Mead's milkweed.  To the left we have also compiled a short list of known species on site that are going to be destroyed.

IMPACTS OFF SITE

Beyond the destruction of wetlands on the actual property, we have massive concerns about New Boston Crossing affecting the current Haskell-Baker wetland complex. 288 species of birds, 98 other vertebrate species, and 492 plant species have been identified using the Haskell-Baker wetlands as permanent or temporary habitat. Species on the Species in Need of Conservation (SINC), Threatened, and Endangered list of Kansas that been found in the Haskell-Baker wetland complex include: 

• Least tern (Sterna antillarum ) Endangered 

• Eastern Narrowmouth Toad (Gastrophryne carolinensis), Threatened 

• Piping Plover (Charadrius melodus ) Threatened

• Snowy Plover Charadrius alexandrinus) Threatened

• Black Tern (Chlidonias niger ) SINC

• Eastern Whip-poor-will (Antrostomas vociferus) SINC

• Boblink (Dolichonyx oryzivorus) SINC

• Southern Bog Lemming (Synaptomys cooperi) SINC

• Short Eared Owl (Asio flammeus)  SINC

• Ferruginous Hawk (Buteo regalis) SINC

• Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos)  SINC

• Henslow's Sparrow (Ammodramus henslowii)  SINC

• Yellow-Throated Warbler (Setophaga dominica)  SINC

• Cerulean Warbler (Setophaga cerulean) SINC  

The Baker owned portion of the Haskell-Baker wetlands was designated a National Natural Landmark in 1969. It also hosts the remaining virgin wet prairie in the Wakarusa River Valley. The Wakarusa Wetland complex is also designated a Special Aquatic Life Use Water by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE). A Special Aquatic Life Use water is defined by Kansas State law as 

"Special aquatic life use waters" means classified stream segments that contain combinations of habitat types and indigenous biota not found commonly in the state, or classified stream segments that contain representative populations of threatened or endangered species, that are listed in rules and regulations promulgated by the Kansas department of wildlife and parks or the United States fish and wildlife service. 

We still have no concrete understanding of how the Haskell-Baker wetlands was altered due to the completion of the SLT, much less how this fragile and complex ecosystem will be altered due to rapid development in the region. Haskell and Baker land stewards have been hard at work the past few years trying to right mismanagement/neglect of the land and understand how the landscape can recover after the creation of the SLT. Creating a development right next to this fragile complex can destroy years of careful love and labor in a short 6 months. We have little to no information from the developer for mitigation plans, for long term conservation plans, or even how they're collaborating with Baker (the same entity that tried to sell their wet meadow for development) to mitigate harm to the Haskell-Baker wetland complex. You can read the developer's noncommittal responses to questions presented at the public meeting on 10/29 here. 

Wetlands have always been important cultural sites, both for the First Peoples and for those of us here now. By destroying and degrading wetlands, we remove the ability of our children and future generations to experience the job of interacting with the complex web of life found in a wetland. We remove the ability to experience outside recreation in natural spaces, the joys of observing migratory creatures, of learning about plants and their roles in our culture.

The location of the project in proximity to the Haskell-Baker wetland complex is startling. A single 2-lane road separates the project site from the western portion of the Baker wetlands, and a stream that bisects the project site feeds runoff directly into the Baker wetland's basins.  Wetlands are one of the most endangered habitats in the United States and wetland destruction has only increased in the past 10 years due to agriculture and development.  

POSSIBLE IMPACTS 

• Increased invasive species pressure from disturbance and development. The newly established mitigation lands near the Baker University Discover Center are already battling invasive species pressure as they fight to establish. This development would introduce more non-native species and provide the necessary disturbance for invasive species propagation. 

• Increased chemical pollution runoff from parking lots (oil leaks, antifreeze leaks from cars)

• Increased trash from sporting events and public access

• Potential PFA shed from the artificial turf used for the soccer fields

• Noise and light pollution from the outdoor soccer fields that can disrupt and alter migratory bird habitat 

• Potential child burials disturbed in the greater Wakarusa River Floodplain