Tallgrass preserve gets major boost

Thank you, Fred C. and Mary R. Koch Foundation, for donating $1 million to the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve in the Flint Hills. The grant, announced Tuesday, will go toward paying off a loan used to buy the 11,000 acres in Chase County and will help protect this important prairie ecosystem for generations to come.
Posted by Phillip Brownlee

14 Comments

  1. Joe Williams
    Posted April 5, 2006 at 9:46 am | Permalink

    Sweet

  2. Ben Huie
    Posted April 5, 2006 at 9:52 am | Permalink

    If this goed through it will also benefit other landowners in the region. Removing at least some of the demand for mined groundwater will reduce pressure on the aquifer.

  3. BB
    Posted April 5, 2006 at 10:08 am | Permalink

    Oh, no!!!! KOCH people donated some more money to the community. Why do we accept it when the KOCH money is suppose to be so bad?

  4. WarH8r
    Posted April 5, 2006 at 2:57 pm | Permalink

    Considering how much the Koch’s have made off Bush’s wars, it’s the least they could do . . .

  5. ksfarmgrrl
    Posted April 5, 2006 at 2:59 pm | Permalink

    I wonder if they got a tax break on that donation? Or were they just giving back to show their appreciation for bush’s tax cuts?

  6. Julie
    Posted April 5, 2006 at 3:14 pm | Permalink

    Why can’t this just be a goodwill gesture? Do they have to have ulterior motives?Well, ok they probably do have other motives, but still I do appreciate their latest generosity.

  7. Joe Blow
    Posted April 5, 2006 at 8:54 pm | Permalink

    Didn’t think you bastards would be grateful. I’m right again!

  8. WarH8r
    Posted April 6, 2006 at 10:10 am | Permalink

    Considering they helped elect Bush and profit from his wars, no, I’m not that grateful when they volutarily do something good.

    Kansas has the least amount of parkland in the entire United States, because of people like the Koch’s.

  9. WarH8r
    Posted April 6, 2006 at 10:11 am | Permalink

    How about I shoot dead one of your family members, JoeBlow, and then pay for the casket.

    Should you be “grateful?”

  10. WarH8r
    Posted April 6, 2006 at 10:13 am | Permalink

    BTW the above hypothetical is purely a thought-experiment. I in no way meant it as any kind of a threat, nor would I ever threaten someone.

  11. J R
    Posted April 6, 2006 at 10:36 am | Permalink

    I’m glad they did it.

    I am sure goodness of heart or environmental concern was not the motive.

  12. JWink
    Posted April 7, 2006 at 7:34 pm | Permalink

    This 11,000 acres, of course, is the real prairie grass, ranch land portion of the beautiful old historic Z-Bar Ranch a few miles northwest of Strong City/Cottonwood Falls in Chase County. The smaller site which contains the Z-Bar limestone ranch house, huge limestone barn and other out buildings is already property of the National Park Service.

    The loan needs to be paid off to put the 11,000 acres of surviving prairie grass ranch land surrounding the ranch improvements into the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve to save it for the public for future years.

    This whole ownership issue has been the source of a Chase County citizens and landowners disagreement for years with good arguments on both sides. But preserving this portion of the Flint Hills by the federal government is probably the best option over the long run.

    So thanks to the Fred C. and Mary R. Koch Foundation for this timely contribution to Kansas citizens and history.

  13. Pancho Villa
    Posted April 7, 2006 at 9:21 pm | Permalink

    Rarely do the super rich give money for aultrustic movtives, it’s either for a tax breaks or to get their name on something.

  14. JWink
    Posted April 8, 2006 at 5:06 pm | Permalink

    With all due respect, please keep in mind that Fred C. Koch and wife, Mary R. Koch, have been deceased for many years. This contribution is from a trust in their name.