Heartland Conservation Alliance has been working with Build Trybe, MO Hives and Habitat Architects to organize the KC Conservation Crew. On Thursday April 29 and Sunday May 2, the crew began advanced training with project partners at Alex George Wetland and Blue Valley Park. Youth from Build Trybe participated in the advance training through the end of May with the goal to provide skills in conservation, restoration and site management.
Alex George Wetland is one of Heartland Conservation Alliance’s action areas. Native habitat and trails are threatened by invasive species, a lack of resources for management, pollution from runoff, and infill development. Neighborhoods along the Blue River in this Action Area experience severe flooding. The Crew learned about invasive species removal. On Thursday they led a local Girl Scout troop in removing .04 acres of honeysuckle from the area.
Under leadership of Native Lands' Courtney Masterson, six volunteer stakeholder committees have been meeting and reviewing data for the 2021 Blue River Report Card. The draft report will be completed this summer and shared with stakeholders for feedback. The final report will be published this fall.
Heartland Conservation Alliance has been meeting with the community advisory board in Foxtown East Neighborhood as part of the Restoring Vacant Lots program. The advisory board finalized the re-use plans for four vacant lots and are submitting the plans and an application to the KC Land Bank requesting to purchase the land. In the upcoming weeks, HCA will begin working closely with the neighborhood to plan Green Guard Stewardship Training to provide skills and resources for restoring the lots.
The next Conservation Work Group meeting is Thursday, 5/20/21 at 4pm.
The next Policy Work Group meeting is Friday, 5/28/21 at 3pm.
If you are interested in joining a Work Group, contact Jill Erickson, jill@heartlandconservationalliance.org