KU Environmental Studies Interns Advance Blue River Restoration with Soil and Vegetation Surveys in Kansas City

This summer, KU Environmental Studies interns, including current students and recent graduates, completed baseline surveys for the Renewing the Blue ecosystem restoration project along the Blue River in Kansas City, Missouri. Student teams led by Scott Schulte, Dr. Bob Hagen, and Dr. Terri Woodburn, collected and analyzed soil samples and surveyed vegetation using a custom-made procedure developed by Dr. Hagen and tested by Field Ecology students this past spring. Dr. Woodburn and Schulte helped interns analyze soil samples at the KU Edwards Campus Environmental Laboratory.  The American Rescue Plan Act-funded project, led by Heartland Conservation Alliance and Kansas City Wildlands for the City of Kansas City, aims to restore up to 240 acres of riparian habitat, enhance green infrastructure along key segments of the Blue River, and expand the urban tree canopy in surrounding neighborhoods—ultimately building a healthier, more resilient watershed for Kansas City.