Prescribed fire is one of the most effective tools for managing Kansas landscapes, but it can also be one of the most challenging for landowners to implement on their own. That is where prescribed burn associations (PBAs) come in.

In this episode of the Kansas Canopy Podcast, we will visit with Scott Lamb about the newly formed Kaw Valley Prescribed Burn Association. Scott explains what a PBA is, how these grassroots organizations help landowners safely and effectively use prescribed fire, and the training and resources available to members.

Whether you're a landowner, natural resource professional, or simply curious about prescribed fire, this episode provides an inside look at how neighbors are working together to steward Kansas landscapes.

Join us as we talk with Ozark Chinquapin Foundation president and founder, Steve Bost. Steve talks about the history of this once prevalent species and what the foundation is doing to restore it in its native habitat.

• Learn more about the foundation: https://ozarkchinquapinmembership.org/board-of-directors/
• View the photos referenced in the episode: https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjCVvMF

In this episode of the Kansas Canopy Podcast, we sit down with GIS Analyst Chester Hubbard to explore how mapping technology is being put to work for Kansas landowners, communities, and firefighters. From tools that help you map your own property to interactive dashboards tracking wildfire activity, Chester shares how GIS is making complex data more accessible and actionable.

• View the Map My Property Tool: https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/d961bea01a7c4cb49d62bcec971394fc
• View the Big Map: https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/5d430d2618d94c0f873c5175a8dd07cf
• Sign up for the newsletter: https://kfs.myflodesk.com/klkuvgulw5
• Contact Chester: https://www.kansasforests.org/about/meet_our_staff/staff/chesterhubbard.html

Eastern redcedar is one of the most talked-about trees in Kansas, valued by some, frustrating for others, and expanding rapidly across the landscape. But what if we could change the way this tree reproduces?

In this episode of the Kansas Canopy Podcast, we talk with Kansas State University graduate student Emily Rowe about her research exploring the possibility of developing male-only eastern redcedar trees. The goal: maintain the benefits of this hardy native species while limiting its ability to spread.

While the path to male-only cedars has proven more complicated than expected, Emily’s work has uncovered important breakthroughs in eastern redcedar propagation and genetics. She shares what researchers have learned so far, the challenges of working with this species, and how this research could shape the future of redcedar management in Kansas and beyond.

If you’ve ever wondered whether science could help solve the redcedar problem, this episode offers a fascinating look behind the research.

• Learn more about eastern redcedar: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3G3VtVcaCd4s8ehwgQWdWx?si=OVKRIsd8RBOJJWQ5dKRxgA
• Ode to Eastern Redcedar Art Project: An Ode to Eastern Redcedar | Facebook

In this episode, we talk with the Kansas Riverkeeper and Executive Director of Friends of the Kaw, Dawn Buhler, about the past, present, and future of the Kansas River.

From improving public access and organizing river cleanups to protecting riparian forests and water quality, we explore how this prairie river connects communities across the state and how every Kansan can play a role in caring for it.

• Friends of the Kaw: https://kansasriver.org/
• Events with Friends of the Kaw: https://kansasriver.org/eventcalendar/
• Streambank Stabilization: https://www.kansasforests.org/forestry/streambankstabilization.html

In this episode of the Kansas Canopy Podcast, Volunteer and Partnership Liaison Brady Wolken takes us behind the scenes of the Kansas Champion Tree Program and its dedicated volunteers. From measuring some of the largest trees in the state to learning how to identify species and document their stories, these citizen scientists help preserve Kansas’s living landmarks. We explore why champion trees matter, how they connect us to the history of our state, and how spending time with these giants fosters a deeper respect for nature, and a sense of pride in caring for it.

• 5th Grade Arbor Day Poster Contest: https://www.kansasforests.org/programs/postercontest.html

• 200-year-old Kansas Champion Pecan: https://www.kansasforests.org/events/calendars_and_articles/statechampionpecan.html

• What Tree is This Guide: https://www.arborday.org/tree-identification

Improving wildlife habitat, timber harvest, and recreationare among the top reasons landowners are calling north central rural district forester Thad Rhodes. In this episode of the Kansas Canopy Podcast, Thad guides us through the what, how, and why of timber stand improvement projects, sharinghis perspective on how forestry objectives have evolved over the last 20 years.

• Learn more about Timber Stand Improvement: https://bookstore.ksre.ksu.edu/download/improving-your-woodland-for-timber-production_L725

•  Woodland Management for Wildlife: https://bookstore.ksre.ksu.edu/download/forest-management-for-wildlife_MF2899

• Contact your rural district forester: https://www.kansasforests.org/about/meet_our_staff/ruralforestry.html

In this episode, we are joined by Christopher Hanson, Workforce Development Specialist at the Kansas Forest Service. Christopher breaks down the wildland fire career path—from getting RED CARD qualified to pursuing advanced roles—while sharing what makes Kansas wildfire unique.

He also highlights training opportunities offered by KFS, the importance of fitness and mental resilience, and how mentorship and statewide programs help grow the next generation of fire professionals.

• Firefighter Training: https://www.kansasforests.org/fire/wildlandfiretraining.html
• About the Fire Program: https://www.kansasforests.org/about/meet_our_staff/firemanagement.html

Forests aren’t just for trees—they’re vital habitats for bats, too. In this episode, Rural and Community Forester Chelsea Hanson joins us to explore how thoughtful forest management can support healthy bat populations across Kansas.

From protecting roost trees and managing riparian buffers to using prescribed fire and timber harvests wisely, Chelsea explains how forestry practices can create better conditions for bats to roost, forage, and thrive.

Tune in to learn how landowners and communities alike can help keep Kansas’s forests—and its bats—healthy for generations to come.

• KDWP: https://ksoutdoors.gov/Wildlife-Habitats/Wildlife-Conservation
• NRCS: https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/state-offices/kansas
• K-State Extension Bat Information: https://www.wildlife.k-state.edu/species/bats/
• Merlin Tuttle's Bat Conservation: https://www.merlintuttle.org/

Emerald ash borer (EAB) has forever changed the future of ash trees in North America — and Kansas is no exception. In this episode, Forest Health Coordinator Shad Hunfnagel of the Kansas Forest Service explains how this invasive insect arrived in the U.S., its devastating impacts on communities and ecosystems, and what options landowners still have to protect or manage their ash trees. We’ll explore why EAB is so difficult to detect, what Kansans can do to slow its spread, and whether there’s any hope for ash trees in the years ahead.

Learn more about EAB: https://www.kansasforests.org/

Sign up for the Kansas Canopy Newsletter: https://kfs.myflodesk.com/klkuvgulw5