Meet The three Largest Landowners In Kansas

What have you learnt concerning the prime landowners in Kansas?

Within the Midwestern United States, Kansas has been nicknamed the Sunflower State. Farmland occupies over 45 million acres in Kansas, making it one of many prime farming states in America. However who’s in command of all that land? Let’s discover out!

Learn on to find who owns essentially the most land in Kansas and the story behind these properties.

1. Federal Authorities — 253,919 Acres

The federal authorities oversees 253,919 acres in Kansas. Meaning Kansas is the third state with the least land owned by the federal authorities. Connecticut has the least quantity of land owned by the federal authorities within the U.S., with 0.3%. Iowa is second, with barely over 0.3%, and Kansas is third, with 0.5%.

The vast majority of federal lands positioned in Kansas are managed by businesses such because the Fish and Wildlife Service and the Bureau of Land Administration. A lot of this land is for forests and parks. Nonetheless, there are different parcels owned by the federal authorities for actions akin to grazing and recreation.

Land possession breaks all the way down to 45.4% of the land owned by the Division of Protection. The Forest Service manages 42.8%. Fish and Wildlife oversee about 11.6%. There are 0.2% of land dealt with by the Nationwide Parks Service and 0% underneath the Bureau of Land Administration.

General, there was a slight lower in federal lands positioned in Kansas. Some parcels have been offered off or given again to the state. Which means Kansas has much less land owned by the federal authorities than it did 30 years in the past. Extra accountability for managing this land is being positioned on the state authorities.

2. Philip Frederick Anschutz — 250,000 Acres

Philip Frederick Anschutz owns 250,000 acres in Kansas. He’s the proprietor of Baughman Farms and is likely one of the largest personal landowners within the nation. Philip was born in Russell, Kansas, on December 28, 1939, and is among the many wealthiest folks in america. He began his profession as a wildcatter and oilman earlier than starting a number of different profitable companies.

Anschutz’s fortune comes from investments in railroads, sports activities groups, media firms, vitality corporations, actual property, and extra. His father and grandfather had been land buyers, and Anschutz adopted their instance. He started investing in ranches in Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming. Finally, he moved into the oil-drilling enterprise too.

In 1970, he bought the 250,000-acre Baughman Farm positioned in Liberal, Kansas, for $10 million. For the reason that buy, he has labored with Kansas to maintain the state’s finest pursuits at coronary heart. Whereas the property isn’t at present underneath an easement, they’re taking measures to guard the land. Within the spirit of being ecologically concious, the farm makes use of crop rotation, renewable vitality sources, and extra.

3. Ted Turner — 42,479 Acres

Ted Turner is the proprietor of the Z Bar Ranch in Kansas. The situation is 42,479 acres and sits proper in south Central Kansas. The ranch has six photo voltaic dwell inventory nicely spots. In full solar situations these wells are in a position to produce as much as 180 gallons per minute! A various array of wildlife name the ranch residence. There are quails, bobcats, coyotes, pheasants, antelope, and extra! Plus, restoration efforts are underway to assist enhance the golden eagle inhabitants. They’re even working to reintroduce the black-footed ferrets.

Kansas Conservation Easements Out there to the Public

The Wehrle easement is likely one of the conservation easements accessible to the general public. This 197-acre landholding in Southwest Kansas protects 162 acres of native prairie grasslands with therapeutic crops.

There’s additionally the Russell easement defending 53 acres of land. The location is residence to 31 acres of fully native prairie. It’s an exquisite spot to see when the solar is rising or setting throughout the broad open areas. The land additionally contains six acres of naturally regenerated wildlife habitat and 16 acres of cropland. The world has a protracted historical past of farming and haying.

Linda Evan’s 860 Acre Land Legacy

There’s an inspiring story behind Kansas’s Evans 2 conservation easement. It begins with Linda Evan’s dedication to preserving the 860 acres of her household’s land. All whereas making an enduring legacy that impacts the conservation of Kansas’ pure atmosphere.

The Lyon and Osage County prairies as soon as belong to Linda’s grandfather Gwilliam Evans. As soon as Linda got here underneath the possession of the land, she started to plan for the longer term. She properly partnered with two allies, people who’ve been serving to make her imaginative and prescient to revive the prairie a actuality. The allies are Alex Lyon from Kansas Wildlife Parks and Tourism and Greg Kramos from the federally funded Companions for Fish and Wildlife.

One of many prime objectives of her challenge was to revive the tall grass prairie, which had been misplaced on account of overgrazing by cattle. After a lot trial and error, Alex Lyon and Greg Kramos discovered an answer – patch burning.

Patch burning is an method that entails burning only one part of the land every year. The cattle grazing the land transfer to the burned space and spend most of their grazing time in that portion of the pasture. As the opposite sections burn, the cattle transfer on, permitting the beforehand burned sections to relaxation and get better.

The strategy was profitable for Linda. The patch-burning technique started bringing again wildflowers and enhancing the habitat for quail and larger prairie chickens. In the present day, Evans Prairie is flourishing! It’s all because of Linda Evan’s dedication to defending her household legacy.

Extra About Kansas’s Nationwide Forests and Historic Websites

Kansas is residence to the beautiful Cimarron Nationwide Grassland. The Cimarron Nationwide Grassland covers 108,175 acres in southwestern Kansas. The land lies inside Morton and Stevens Counties. The world got here to be in 1938 after drought, and subsequent mud storms devastated a lot of the land.

The U.S. Division of Agriculture’s Forest Service administers the forest. They supply a variety of outside leisure actions. Guests can take pleasure in tenting, fishing, climbing, looking, and extra. After visiting the Cimarron, go to the state’s different nationwide websites.

There’s additionally the Oregon Path, Lewis and Clark Nationwide Historic Path, and the Tallgrass Prairie Nationwide Protect in Kansas. Over in Topeka, there’s the Brown v. Board of Schooling Nationwide Historic Website. The two-acre web site was as soon as a public faculty for African-American college students in Topeka. It’s one of the essential landmarks within the historical past of the civil rights motion and a reminder of the battle for racial justice.

Nestled in Western Kansas, simply 110 miles northwest of Wichita, lies the Fort Larned Nationwide Historic Website. This outstanding 410-acre attraction showcases restored Nineteenth-century U.S. Military buildings. It’s one of many best-preserved forts round.

Closing Ideas on Prime Landowners in Kansas

Now you realize concerning the prime landowners in Kansas. The federal authorities and the state’s land belief work collectively to profit the atmosphere and its inhabitants. Conservation efforts embody restoring and defending native grasslands and plant species and increasing entry to pure assets akin to rivers and streams.

This dedication to conservation additionally offers essential financial alternatives for the state’s farmers and ranchers, who can now entry much-needed assets from these landowners. As well as, native colleges and communities profit from the elevated entry to leisure areas supplied by these landowners.

What else ought to you realize about Kansas? The state is filled with fascinating issues to study. From the state’s geological formations to its various wildlife, there are numerous alternatives for exploration and schooling. See one of many articles beneath to study extra about Kansas and its out of doors wonders.

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