Let's Welcome Ken Peaker as the new Conservation Director for 2010, after he gets some training on how to update this section you will get up to date with what is happening all across Kansas with Conservation.

 

 

 

 

This picture depicts some of the 125+ fish habitats the Shawnee Mission Bassmasters placed in Lake LaCygne  last fall as a Club Conservation Project. 

 

 

The structures were built from a combination of bought and donated materials and placed with the cooperation of the State Biologist in charge of the lake.  The club built the habitat by working a couple of hours an evening for 3 evenings one week last summer.  By working over 3 evenings we allowed members to show up on a night that fit in their schedule.  The habitats were all placed in the lake on a Saturday and took just a few hours to complete.  Our club had been saving materials for some time so the cost to build the habitat was kept to a minimum.  This and projects like it can be completed with planning and careful preparation by any club for a minimal amount of effort and cost.

If any club has an idea for a Conservation Project and would like assistance with it, please contact me and I will be happy to assist in any way I can.  The Kansas Bass Federation has limited funds available to assist clubs with projects involving Conservation of the Natural Resources of the State of Kansas.  If you would like help with your project please submit your ideas along with the projected cost so it can be evaluated to determine the amount of matching State Conservation Funds available.

In planning a Conservation Project remember that Conservation is more than fish habitat.  Projects may include bank clean-up during a draw down, bank stabilization, organizing a battery or tire round-up for proper disposal, adopting a section of highway or park near your favorite lake for clean-up, installing line collection containers at your local boat ramp, planting water willows along selected shorelines, or working with a Park Ranger to clear out unwanted cedars from the park that could be used for sunken habitat.  Bass Times features the Conservation Efforts of Bass Clubs in its monthly publication and is a wonderful place to get ideas that your club could implement in and around our State waters.

During the course of this year I will be working with Chris Horton of BASS to develop a Conservation Project that we as a Federation will submit for a National grant.  The project must be submitted prior to beginning any work and all funds must be spent as outlined.  If anyone has any ideas they would like for me to consider while working with Chris on obtaining a grant please let me know.   All ideas are welcome and appreciated.  It is likely that the proposed project, if approved for a grant, would be started in 2011.

I look forward to serving as your State Conservation Director and working with you to improve the quality of our State’s Natural Resources.

Sincerely;

Ken W. Peaker

Conservation Director, Kansas BASS Federation Nation

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