Kansas Canopy

Tom Hogard's passion for woodworking began in junior high school when he opted to take woodshop. Over the years, he discovered that using salvaged logs or milling his own lumber provided some cost savings for his wooodworking projects. Today, Tom owns and operates his own portable sawmill serving northeast Kansas through salvaging logs that might otherwise end up at the landfill or in a firewood s...

Community Forester Kim Bomberger was celebrating Arbor Day before it was cool. Today, she helps communities and individuals connect to and protect their community forests. On this episode of the Kansas Forest Service Podcast, Kim dives into the history of Arbor Day in Kansas - suggesting ideas for how we can celebrate in a pandemic world that hasn't returned to normal. This episode was originally...

Ag and Natural Resources Extension Agent Chuck Otte was inspired by his family to serve others. They also fostered a fascination with the natural world around him. Today, Chuck inspires and connects those around him by providing expert advice on land management, farming, gardening, livestock health, and bird watching, just to name a few. This episode was originally published February 16, 2021 and...

On this episode of the Kansas Forest Service podcast, Dr. Barden explains the different types of Kansas woodlands. Dr. Charlie Barden is a Professor of Forestry and Extension Forester at Kansas State University. He dedicates his time and research to solving environmental problems with trees. His research provides valuable knowledge to Kansans through a network of K-State Research and Extension Age...

The uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic has many of us searching for ways to bring more joy to our lives as we distance ourselves from friends and family this holiday season. Phil Wegman and Amy Grelinger with the Kansas Christmas Tree Growers Association, share how their members are taking every precaution to ensure your family can safely visit and cut a fresh, Kansas tree this year. A tree that...

In this episode, three of the Kansas Forest Service Community Foresters share why they were drawn to serve Kansans, how they are guided by the KFS mission, and ways for community members to get involved. Whether you are in Metro KC or a rural town in western Kansas, a KFS Forester is available to guide your community through the challenges of protecting and managing your urban forest. This episode...

Kansans are innovative in their approaches to land management and forestry practices. We can learn many lessons by observing the work they are testing on their property for to improve water quality, grazing lands and wildlife habitat. For years, Roger Wells has shared his forward-thinking practices to land management with family, friends, neighbors, and has now partnered with the Kansas Forest Ser...

Wildland firefighting rookie Ryan Armbrust (the full-time Forest Health Coordinator for KFS), recently took an assignment on the Mid-Plains Interagency Handcrew. While on assignment, he was under the watchful eye of seasoned wildland firefighter and KFS District Fire Management Officer, Chris Hanson. In the first bonus episode for the Kansas Forest Service Podcast, Ryan and Chris discuss the lesso...

With 20 years of service to the Kansas Forest Service, Thad Rhodes, Rural Forester in District Five, works with landowners to reach their conservation and wildlife management goals. Driven by a passion for the outdoors and conservation, Thad motivates the landowners he works with by creating a tailored management plan that is manageable to implement. Whether you enjoy big game hunting or bird watc...

The trees in our communities create shade, filter water, contribute to human health, reduce air pollution and much more. Our urban canopies are aging and in decline in many areas, but many are doing their part to protect and expand urban forests. Listen in as Gary Farris, Arborist for the City of Wichita, and Tim McDonnell, Community Forestry Coordinator for KFS, discuss the challenges and importa...

Complex stream systems require tailored approaches to address the conservation and resource concerns of Kansas landowners. Andy Klein and Jarran Tindle are normally found on the streambanks of Kansas, but we persuaded them to share their wealth of experience with us on episode 3 of the Kansas Forest Service Podcast. What does a Riparian Forester do? Andy Klein explains that as a riparian forester,...

As rural areas of Kansas become more developed with homes, business and commercial properties, firefighters face new challenges to defend lives and property from wildfire. Members of the Kansas Forest Service Wildland Fire Management Program bring years of first-hand experience suppressing wildfires that threaten lives and property in wildland urban interface areas. In this episode of the Kansas F...

When you work for the Kansas Forest Service in state that is known for wide open prairies, you get used to people saying – wait, you have trees in Kansas? Yeah, we have trees, but there is much more to the agency than trees. Kansas Forest Service staff are the roots that support the agency and provide service to all Kansans. In the first ever episode of the Kansas Forest Service Podcast, members o...