Natural Resource Management

Reestablishing native vegetation on Public Land is a long-term goal of the Clinton Lake Corps of Engineers’ Natural Resource Management program.

Long term is an understatement. There is much more than the initial planting of trees, grasses, and forbs (wildflowers) to reestablish forests, savannas, and prairies. Climate, soils and prescribed burning (planned fires) will sort out the plants over time. Poorly adapted plants will die out. Well-adapted plants that are in the general area but not planted on the specific spot will seed themselves in to take their proper place.

Clinton Lake is located in an area once classified as true prairie, with tall and mid-grasses predominant. The land surrounding Clinton Lake is characteristic of the Kansas Agricultural Region with gently rolling hills, which have been farmed or grazed and cleared of timber. Extensive agricultural practices have broken up the large expanses of native grasses and the agrarian uses have placed the soil into crop production. Invasion by woody plants has replaced much of the native prairie.

The Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks manages much of the wildlife lands around Clinton Lake. Over 9,000 acres are included in these wildlife lands. KDWP leases land out for agricultural purposes with the stipulation that food, cover and habitat diversity are provided for wildlife.

With the Clinton Lake project approaching twenty years of age, and reestablishment of native vegetation complete, most of the natural resource management practices have shifted toward maintenance of existing areas.