HEARTLAND CONSERVATION ALLIANCE

CONSERVATION AND POLICY: HEARTLAND CONSERVATION ALLIANCE (HCA) ACHIEVED SIGNIFICANT CONSERVATION MILESTONES BY SECURING LAND AND ENSURING LONG-TERM PROTECTION OF NATURAL AREAS.SECURED THE ORGANIZATION'S FIRST CONSERVATION EASEMENT (28.4 ACRES) FROM THE CITY OF KANSAS CITY, MO, AT THE MUNICIPAL FARM CONSERVATION SITE IN SEPTEMBER 2024, ENSURING ITS PERMANENT PROTECTION. HCA NOW SERVES AS THE MONITOR FOR THIS EASEMENT.ACQUIRED 98 ACRES OF LAND IN THE FLOODPLAIN ALONG THE BLUE RIVER, ESTABLISHING THE BLUE RIVER NATURE PRESERVE, TO PROTECT AND RESTORE VITAL WILDLIFE HABITAT AND WATER QUALITY. THIS ACQUISITION QUADRUPLED HCA'S LAND HOLDINGS.ADVANCED THE UPDATE OF THE BLUE RIVER REPORT CARD BY HAVING SIX TEAMS GRADE 14 WATERSHED HEALTH INDICATORS. THE FINAL REPORT IS EXPECTED IN 2025.CONTINUED RESTORATION EFFORTS AT THE 40-ACRE HEARTLAND OVERLOOK PRESERVE, REMOVING INVASIVE SPECIES AND PLANTING/SEEDING NATIVES ON 8.2 ACRES. THIS WORK INFORMS HCA'S LEAD ROLE IN A FUTURE $5 MILLION ARPA RIPARIAN RESTORATION GRANT.WORKED TO SECURE A $2.7 MILLION CONTRACT UNDER A SEPARATE MDNR ARPA STORMWATER GRANT AWARDED TO THE CITY OF KCMO TO RESTORE 140 ACRES OF THE BLUE RIVER RIPARIAN ZONE.

EDUCATION AND OUTREACH: HCA'S EDUCATION AND OUTREACH PROGRAMS CONNECTED COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO THE BLUE RIVER AND ITS GREEN SPACES THROUGH GUIDED EXPERIENCES AND VOLUNTEER STEWARDSHIP.THE BLUE RIVER NATURE GUIDE (BRING) PROGRAM HOSTED 12 GUIDED NATURE EXPERIENCES (HIKING, KAYAKING, YOGA) AT FIVE LOCATIONS, SERVING 289 PARTICIPANTS.TRAINED 11 GREEN GUARD ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDS TO HELP PROTECT THE WATERSHED.THE SECOND ANNUAL BLUE RIVER DISCOVERY DAYS FESTIVAL AT MINOR PARK WELCOMED OVER 100 PARTICIPANTS.HOSTED 28 VOLUNTEER WORKDAY EVENTS (INVASIVE SPECIES REMOVAL, TRASH CLEANUP) THAT ENGAGED 161 VOLUNTEERS.153 PEOPLE PARTICIPATED IN MLK DAY NATURE WALKS.PROVIDED 31 CONSERVATION LANDSCAPING CAREER TRAINING SESSIONS TO SUPPORT CORNERSTONES OF CARE'S BUILD TRYBE CONSERVATION LANDSCAPING JOB TRAINING PROGRAM.