Grassland Groupies

06/19/2026

Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve seed collection programs will be offered on the following Saturdays: June 20 (tomorrow!), Sept 19, and Oct 24!

These are free, come-and-go events where you can be a part of habitat restoration. Collect seeds alongside The Nature Conservancy and National Park Service staff and learn about prairie management, how to identify native plants and plant seed heads, and take a wander alongside other grassland enthusiasts. Collected seeds will be distributed back on site to help continue to care for one of the most beautiful and endangered ecosystems we have: the tallgrass prairie.

Join TNC and fellow conservationists at volunteer opportunities across the state!

06/16/2026

Thanks to everyone who contributed their colorful perspectives to our Nature's Rainbow at ICT Big Gay Market ! We loved seeing your curiosity and creativity on full display. Also, thanks to the Kansas Wildlife Exhibit for inviting us to hang out at this wonderful event.

06/11/2026

Looking forward to good vibes and great people at the ICT Big Gay Market this Sunday! Stop by our table at Kansas Wildlife Exhibit where we'll be journaling Nature's Rainbow together. 🏳️‍🌈

We have a lot to offer in a more condensed, pet friendly, space this year!! Make a day out of it or just stop in for your favorite vendor and some food. Plenty of food options and vendors to explore!

The day starts at 9:00am and runs till 4:00pm.

June 14th at 720 Nims st
Wichita, KS 67203

There is so much to do at the market this year, we have made a list of fun things to do. Is there enough time to do it all, well there is only one way to find out!! Also, so much local vendor amazingness to experience!

The parking lot will be completely open this year, and the Party Bus will run every 15 minutes from the extended parking behind Botanica further down Museum Blvd/Sims Park dr. to just next to the entrance to the parking lot at Central Riverside Park

Market Buttons are available at M-Care Healthcare /Ace #144 & Leaf & Stone Apothecary #43. You will find a lot of vendors with Market Button Deals and we have a new 2026 design on the buttons this year!

Fairy Finds start at Leaf & Stone Apothecary #43. Get your fairy card and once you find Fairies get your butterfly stickers. When your done stop back by the same tent and show us how much you have found for a prize!

Michael K. Davenport (paint a canvas that is provided), Petting Zoo (fun animals to spend time with), get moving with D.Rob Fitness or play a musical instrument with Riverside Family Music!

Handpan Dan - Daniel Baird will keep the vibe until 2:00 and then we will have a local 12-piece Jazz Band finish up the day!

We are overly excited to see you all and grateful for everyone that has come to support over the years. Also a HUGE THANK YOU to our Local and Intentful Sponsors GROW Plant Bar KMUW Ellis Photos Photography Tye Dye Mania and Triple A Bakeraaay Danny’s Pet Grooming 🥰 and another HUGE Thank You to Kansas Wildlife Exhibit for supporting us over the years! These folks show us that we can rely on our local businesses to support, create space or offer services that are safe for our community!

We'll see you there!!

06/10/2026

Now this endangered species will have protected habitat across six states! 🐝🎉

Since the rusty patched bumble bee was listed as endangered in 2017, conservationists, scientists, and advocates have worked to ensure that habitat protection remains a priority. Healthy habitat — safe places to find food, raise young, and survive the winter — is essential for this species to recover.

Fish and Wildlife is designating critical habitat for the rusty patched bumble bee in select counties of Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Virginia, West Virginia and Wisconsin. While this doesn’t protect from all threats, it importantly prohibits the federal government from taking any action that destroys or adversely modifies designated areas.

This is a big win for conservation! Thank you to the many people involved, including folks in federal and state agencies, universities, conservation organizations, and our Bumble Bee Atlas volunteers!

Learn more about this announcement ➡️ beecityusa.org/blog

06/09/2026

A huge thank you to everyone who joined us and The Xerces Society on National Prairie Day to learn Bumble Bee Atlas and participate in citizen science out among the tallgrass!

We had 43 trainees in total help us to capture and ID dozens of (admittedly very chilly) bumbles on a cool and overcast morning. Though the bees were a bit sleepy, our bug chasers brought some EXCELLENT energy!

06/02/2026

June 1st through 7th is International Nature Journaling Week (INJW), a chance for us to connect with nature and other nature journalers the world over! This event is about honoring what's at the core of nature journaling: presence, gratitude, hope, and curiosity.

We invite you to check out the INJW website for resources on how to participate, like this incredibly helpful page for the "reluctant artists" among us. If you do take a beat and journal this week, we'd love for you to share it with us!

Nature journaling is not about making art, it is about connecting with nature. This page is for those nervous about sketching, and will help you change your mindset.

05/14/2026

We're glad to hear the KCC call for the Buffalo Flats Transmission Line project to find a route of lower impact instead of cutting through unbroken Flint Hills grassland! Damaging our highly-endangered tallgrass prairies just to meet a power demand is essentially setting fire to the house to keep ourselves warm.

Kansas utility regulators handed a win Tuesday to landowners concerned about a transmission line bisecting large swaths of prairie grassland.