Baker Proud Summer 2018 - 21

BAKER PROUD | Summer 2018 21

-Jenny Kilburg, education and outreach specialist

dad always considered the Baker Wetlands to be not only
for Baker's academic and professional benefit, but also to
be a community asset held as a public trust."
Today the Baker Wetlands has fulfilled that goal. "The
first year we opened the Discovery Center we recorded
over 11,000 visitors, the second year over 16,000. We are
only in our third year," Roger said. "Many of the visitors
are from Lawrence, but a significant number of visitors
come from out of state to visit friends and relatives. "We
have become a destination to bring their visiting friends
and relatives to."
Observation tower overlooking the Wetlands to the south

"The reason I chose the age 5 and under is to spark
an interest in nature at a very young age. I want to show
them how to play and learn outdoors, that not everything
must revolve around a TV or tablet," Kilburg said.
In addition, Kilburg plans and hosts a free public
event about every other month. These have included a
Halloween Hike, wood cookie ornament decorating event,
a Random Acts of Kindness Seed Bomb event, in which
visitors constructed mud balls filled with native seeds and
tossed them into the Wetlands and prairie, and Family Fun
Day. In May she partnered with the University of Kansas
Natural History Museum to host a Bugblitz, where families
captured and studied insects.
Kilburg plans these events with an eye toward balancing fun and education. Many of the events are built
around a nature education component such as native
plants, aquatic invertebrates, birds in the community, the
importance of the wetlands environment, and biodiversity
in the wetlands. "Some of these events are just for fun like
the Halloween Hike and the ornament decorating event.
They bring people out who have never been here and
might never have come for a 'nature' event," Kilburg said.
In July, Dr. Irene Unger will join the Baker biology
faculty. "I believe that she will have the opportunity to
connect the Wetlands more closely to the Baldwin campus
of Baker University. She will be our on-campus advocate,"
Roger said.
It's undeniable that the Wetlands is a unique resource
for the university. "No other university in the Midwest
owns and manages a wildlife and research area like this,
especially wetlands," Roger said. But he also added, "My

"I feel blessed every day that I get to work
at an amazing place that has so many
special memories for other people."

-Jon Boyd
Jon seconds this sentiment, "I feel blessed every day
that I get to work at an amazing place that has so many
special memories for other people. To be a part of something that can impact someone in a positive way is just
amazing. The Wetlands is a great place to reach the community and get the Baker name out into the community
in a positive way."

Saturday, June 30 | 2-4 p.m.

50 years of B
aker Wetlands
history and the 42-year career
of Dr. Roger Boyd.
Refreshments will be served.
RSVP to jon.boyd@bakerU.edu

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Baker Proud Summer 2018