Mike Hayden, Secretary, Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks

   “Sustaining Kansas Water Resources – How are We Doing?”

   Tracy Streeter, Director, Kansas Water Office

   “Kansas Reservoirs as Sustainable Infrastructure”

   Josh Svaty, Secretary of Agriculture, Kansas Department of Agriculture

   “The Structure of Sustainability”

   Karl Brooks, Regional Administrator, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 7

   “National Perspective on Water Sustainability”

   Lawrie Kirk, Visiting Fellow, Center for Public Awareness of Science, Australian National University

   “Taking a More Strategic Approach to Science Communication”

Breakout sessions will focus on the ABCs of watershed sedimentation, defining sustainability for the High Plains Aquifer, water quality, watershed conservation effects assessment, municipal water sustainability, sustainable nutrient management, reservoir sustainability, and implementing sustainability policies and practices.

The conference registration fee is $90. A special $25 fee is available for students. Detailed conference information and online registration are available at www.dce.k-state.edu/conf/waterfuture.

The Water and the Future of Kansas Conference is made possible due to support from the following sponsors:

         Kansas Water Resources Institute

         Kansas Center for Agricultural Resources and the Environment

         K-State Research and Extension

         U.S. Geological Survey

--Steven Graham sgraham@ksu.edu

Long Term Outcome (Condition)
Increase the economic viability of businesses and producers who are involved in Wildlife and Natural Resources Management. Agritourism is becoming an ever-growing industry and can include wildlife and hunting; educating businesses on how to relate to this area can be of major importance.

Involvement in the hunting industry can also give producers another source of income from the ground they already own. Finding a niche in the market whether it be from raising a crop or livestock can also be directed towards putting their efforts into wildlife management.

The ultimate outcome for the program is to increase the economic growth of the district through the hunting industry, as well as, improve on the quality of the wildlife in the area.

Evidence:

- The number of acres in hunting leases have increased throughout the year.
- The amount of "Quail Guzzlers," that help provide a water source to upland game birds, have increased.

Students learned how to prepare bread and sunflower recipes through hands-on programs.

Medium Term Outcome (Behavior)

Evidence:
Students took home information from the Kansas Day programs to share with parents. They also took part of their food item, if they did not eat it all before they got home.

Long Term Outcome (Condition)

Northwest Kansas residents will base their consumer buying decisions on the crops grown in Kansas, how they are grown, effects on health by eating these crops, and perceptions about organically grown crops.

Evidence:
Students took whole grain recipes home and shared the healthy foods with their families.

Increase Community Capacity

Rossville PRIDE: Representatives from Kansas PRIDE met with members of Rossville PRIDE and me to look at their accomplishments since 2002. Rossville PRIDE has completed many community projects including:

• Healthy Ecosystem Healthy Community program in which they created a rain garden to remedy a severe drainage problem near the shelter house of Rossville City Park.
• Get It! Do It! Grant for the promotion of heath and physical activity which helped to fund a sand volleyball court in Rossville City Park. Upon completion of the courts, sand volleyball tournaments have been held resulting in a greater level of physical fitness for participating youth.
• Upon completion of the sand volleyball courts, a community survey was developed (by K-State Research and Extension - Shawnee County) that asked for input on future park improvements. Survey results indicated the need to improve the playground equipment and shelters, and maintain the horse shoe pits.
• Successful grant applications were submitted to the Kansas Department of Commerce for a Small Communities Improvement Program grant and to the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. These grants were used to purchase new playground equipment, tables and benches, and to do improvements on the old limestone shelters. 
• The playground equipment was constructed in only five days with the assistance of more than 400 volunteers. At the end of the five days, the community felt a great sense of pride at the completion of the project.

The success of these projects has developed a “we can do it” attitude along with the desire to continue seeking bigger and better things for their community. --Marie Blythe mblythe@ksu.edu