THE KANSAS FIELD CONFERENCE: DEMONSTRATING NATURAL RESOURCE ISSUES TO STATE LEGISLATORS AND GOVERNMENT DECISION-MAKERS

Like many states on the Great Plains, Kansas faces natural resource challenges related to such issues as groundwater declines, mature oil and gas production, carbon dioxide sequestration, and climate change. Part-time legislators, many new to their jobs and juggling a range of pressing responsibilities, ultimately make critical decisions about the state’s natural resources. Because of their technical nature, these decisions benefit significantly from input by geoscientists. Connecting lawmakers and scientists, and informing decisions with credible science, is a time-consuming and never-ending process, but one that is central to introducing research results into the public arena. The Kansas Geological Survey, a division of the University of Kansas, conducts an annual three-day field conference to provide legislators and other decision-makers with field opportunities to observe natural-resources issues first-hand, allowing them to develop a more informed and nuanced understanding of natural resource policy. For example, during a recent conference, the Survey and its co-sponsors showed participants the impact of stream bank erosion on reservoir sedimentation, both from the ground and from the air. These distinct perspectives brought into focus the magnitude of a significant policy issue: the reduced lifespan of major federal reservoirs and the costs of rehabilitating or replacing them. Perhaps more importantly, the relationships built during the conferences carry through to the legislative sessions. Those relationships, which must be constantly renewed, include not only legislators, but legislative staff and leaders from other state, federal, and local agencies. The result of this project has been decision-makers that are more informed, better legislation and regulation, and enhanced credibility for the agencies and organizations that are willing to take that added step of natural resource education and communication.