Blue River Cleanup Targets Trash, Invasive Species

A restoration project is underway along the Blue River watershed, a collaborative effort by four nonprofit partners: The Heartland Conservation Alliance, Bridging The Gap, Deep Roots, and Mid-America Regional Council. The groups signed the contracts officially in May. “The day that we got our signed contract sent to us from the city kind of felt…

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The End of the Pesticide Arms Race?

To spray or not to spray, that’s the question for farmers. Pests can be the make-or-break factor for a season’s harvest. Between 20% to 40% of global crop production is lost to pests annually, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Conventional chemical pesticides have traditionally addressed this challenge, but their…

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Hundreds of Bee Species Face Decline in Missouri and Kansas

Augochlora pura, the Pure Golden Green Sweat Bee, rests on a yellow coneflower in the MU Extension Garden at Burr Oak Woods Conservation Area outside of Kansas City on July 23, 2025. The pure golden green bee can be seen pollinating flowers from April to October. (Abigail Landwehr | Flatland)

To Tom Schroeder, every bee is a work of art.  His own words, backed up with hundreds of photos in his camera roll from the prairies and woods of Kansas City WildLands. With more than two decades of volunteering with the group, he’s become a bee enthusiast– but not an expert, he’ll clarify. “We’re the…

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New Johnson County Sculpture Memorializes ‘Trail of Death’

Michigan-based artist Aaron Squadroni sits inside Fire Keepers Circle, the art installation he and Leah Yellowbird created at Heritage Park in Olathe, Kansas. Squadroni was putting the finishing touches on the sculpture in advance of the ribbon cutting scheduled for Saturday. (Chase Castor | Flatland)

It’s common for Aaron Squadroni to interact with people interested in his art. But usually it’s completed work in a gallery, not an unfinished piece near a lake. Squadroni, along with Leah Yellowbird, created Fire Keepers Circle, a new public artwork commemorating the Potawatomi Trail of Death. The piece is in Heritage Park in Olathe.…

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Nick’s Picks | Batteries, Recall, Butterflies and More …

Monarch butterflies rest on branches.

Panasonic Plant Grand Opening Panasonic’s $4 billion Kansas battery plant finally begins operations this week. The company is hosting a grand opening ceremony today in De Soto with state and local leaders. The project is jam-packed with superlatives: At full capacity, the plant can churn out 66 lithium-ion batteries per second. But it’s unclear if…

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