It’s been a while since we touched base, but important things are happening in KC’s Line Creek Forest. So, we have good news and bad news.

Good news:

• Thanks to your support and involvement, the building permit for Park Hill School District’s extensive development in the Line Creek Forest was reduced and several contingencies were added. The proposed sports fields which would have eradicated much of the northern part of their forested acreage were removed from the permit in order to receive approval.

Bad news:

• We were not able to secure an official conservation plan for any part of Park Hill’s forested acreage (yet). Reminder: Park Hill has designated much, if not all, of their forest acreage “for future sale or development.” In the last few weeks, they started their second development project in some of the older parts of the forest, destroying and burning trees, and cutting down a wide swath of trees near the low-water trail crossing at the creek for sanitary sewer lines.
• The cost for the second building project is skyrocketing, and the school board recently approved another 3.6 million for the project. This is the second budget increase for the project, which started at 17 million, was increased to 23 million in 2018 and is now up to 26.6 million. Building in the forest is EXPENSIVE, and has presented many challenges related to topography, wildlife and archeological artifacts of the ancient Hopewell Culture. The extra 3.6 million was taken from the district's operating reserve since there is none of the $110 million dollar bond money left. 

So what now?

• We are still working to encourage Park Hill to develop a conservation plan for some of their forested property, and manage their costs.
• School board elections are happening next week (April 2). If you live in the Park Hill School District, we encourage you to vote for new school board candidate, Julie Stutterheim, who will not only be a strong advocate for our students, parents and teachers, but also our community and environment. Julie has been involved with the Save the Last KC Forest initiative since the beginning, and will ensure Park Hill makes fiscally and environmentally responsible decisions with their building projects and budget. You can learn more about Julie here: JulieforParkHill.com 
• Also, the forest property to the north of Park Hill’s land is not currently under threat for development. Our goal? To ensure its permanent preservation by working with landowners and legislators. That’s why we are traveling to Jefferson City (our capitol) next month to meet with our elected officials and share the history and environmental importance of KC’s Line Creek Forest, some of the last remaining original woodland forest in our area.

Stay tuned for more information about the election and the trip to Jeff City!