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Baker Wetlands

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CONSERVATION STATUS AND THREATS
Public Access: Yes
Conservation status: Other
Adjacent Land Use: Upland Prairie/Meadow/Grassland
Approximate natural buffer width: 20-50 ft
If Other: Registered Natural Landmark under the provisions of the Historic Site Act by the NPS in 1969
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GENERAL INFORMATION
Criteria: 
  • Protects biological diverse wetland flora, fauna and/or their habitat
  • Supports significant numbers of wetland-dependent fauna, such as water birds or fish

One of the most diverse habitats in Kansas, the Baker Wetlands encompasses 927 acres of rich, natural wildlife. Students, faculty, and nature lovers have identified 278 species of birds, 98 other vertebrate species, and 487 plant species at the Wetlands — and these counts grow with each adventure. Further, this exceptional environment gives students the unique opportunity for increased exploration and education about biological and ecological processes. 

https://www.bakeru.edu/wetlands/

 

Exemplary Ecosystem Services:
  • Maintains ecological connectivity/cohesion
  • Aesthetic/cultural heritage value/ provisioning
  • Recreation (birdwatching, ecotourism)
  • Flood storage/mitigation
  • Education
ECOLOGY
Approximate size: 375.144
General wetland characterization: 
  • Inland Fresh Meadow
  • Inland Shallow Fresh Marsh
  • Inland Open Fresh Water
Adjacent Water Bod(ies): Stream
Name of body of water: Wakarusa River
Surficial Geology:

-Paleozoic Era, Carboniferous system, Pennsylvanin subsystem, pd (Dougals gp)

-Cenozoic Era, Quaternary system, QGD (Glacial drift) and Qal3 (Alluvium-lat piest. and Holocene)

If Adjacent to Stream, insert stream order: second order
Soils:

Kennebec silt loam, wabash silt clay, reading silt loam, gymer silt loam, and woodson silt loam.

FLORA AND FAUNA
Dominant flora: Prairie Cordgrass, Narrow-leafed Cat-tail, Reed Canary Grass, Shoreline Sedge, Creeping Spikerush, Switchgrass, Short-beaked Sedge, Rice Cutgrass, Wolf's Spikerush, Bur Marigold, Long-leafed Pondweed, Fox Sedge, Short-point Flatsedge, Pale Smartweed, Marsh Elder, Rough Barnyard Grass, Black Willow, Buttonbush, False Indigo, Halbert-leaved Rose Mallow, Roughed-leaved Dogwood, Green Ash, Eastern Cottonwood

Unique flora: unknown

Dominant fauna: Great Blue Heron, Canada Goose, Wood Duck, Mallard, Red -bellied Woodpecker,Downy Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, White-crowned Sparrow , Bull frog, Common Carp, Golden Shiner, Bluntnose Minnow, Northern Cricket Frog, Bullfrog, Snapping Turtle, Ringneck Snake, Western Rat Snake, Eastern Cottontail, Hispid Cotton Rat, White -tailed Deer, Striped Skunk

Rare fauna: unknown


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