Annual Wildflower Weekend > 2012

2012 Annual Wildflower Weekend (AWW)

Location

Winfield, KS; September 21-23, 2012

About the 2012 AWW

Anyone who has been to the AWW in the past knows it is the highlight of the year for those who love native plants and enjoy being around people with the same passion. Our theme this year is: “Native Plants and Insects: Exploring the Relationships.” On Friday we will tour a prairie site and enjoy a free concert. On Saturday morning we hold our meeting which includes the Awards Presentations, Photo Contest, and Silent Auction; in the afternoon we tour the Chaplin Nature Center. Sunday we tour Slate Creek Wetland and a private prairie.

Printable Weekend Itinerary

The Itinerary has complete information about the weekend.

The 2012 AWW Itinerary (PDF) contains all information concerning the AWW. It includes tour locations and directions, weekend schedule, and photo contest rules as well as hotel listings, restaurant listings, and the meal reservations form. KNPS members receive it via USPS about a month before the weekend.

Printable Flyer

Help us publicize the event by printing and displaying the 2012 AWW Flyer (PDF).

Cost

The event is free and open to the public. Attendees are welcome to join us for some or all of the events throughout the weekend.

Instructions

Print the itinerary, make your hotel reservations, and pay your meal reservations (send a check or pay online), and come to the AWW!

Meal Reservations

If you plan to eat with us on Saturday, you need to pay in advance.

Make Meal Reservations for the 2012 AWW.

Photo Contest

The photo contest is a popular part of the AWW. We encourage all members to enter photos. For more information see the Photo Contest Rules & Categories.

Friday Afternoon Tour Site

Private Flint Hills Prairie, 6 miles from Winfield

Marjorie Snyder, KNPS regional leader for the Winfield Region has gained permission to tour the Flint Hills pasture next to her residence. There is a creek that runs through the property with grasslands on both sides of the creek. We will botanize in the pasture and along the road adjacent to it. Restrooms are available at Marjorie’s house. This site is only open to us during our tour.

Friday Evening Concert

Richardson Performing Arts Center, Southwestern College, 100 College Street, Winfield, KS,

A special donation was made to KNPS to bring the Tallgrass Express String Band to play a concert at the Richardson Performing Arts Center.  The Arts Center is located in the Christy Administration Building located off of King Drive. The concert is open to the public with no cost for admission. They perform original songs that are inspired by the prairie. This concert will feature songs about Flint Hills plants and animals like “Big Bluestem: King of the Prairie” and “Wildflower Reunion”. The four-member string band sing and play a variety of instruments including fiddle, banjo, mandolin, guitar, upright bass, dobro, harmonica, and concertina.

Saturday Morning Meeting Site

Wroten Hall, Southwestern College, 100 College Street, Winfield, KS

The annual meeting, silent auction, photo contest, and lunch will be held in the multi-purpose room of Wroten Hall.  Wroten Hall is located on the north side of campus off of Fowler Street.

Saturday Afternoon Tour Site

Chaplin Nature Center, 27814 27th Dr, Arkansas City, 5 mile northwest of Arkansas City

This 230 acre preserve near Arkansas City features a Visitor's Center staffed by a full time naturalist. There are miles of trails through the woods and prairies, and leading to the sandbars of the Arkansas River. See one small remnant prairie. Butterfly tagging will also take place the day of our visit. Sunday Morning Tour Site

Sunday Morning Tour Site

Slate Creek Wetland, Parking Area #3, South Greenwich Rd & East 70th Street, Oxford, KS

This unique area consists of 927 acres consisting of prairie uplands, riparian habitat, and wetlands. We will tour a 20 acre prairie site that was burned this spring. It is located north and west of the private residence on the west side of Greenwich Road. After touring the prairie we will visit some wetland locations. Gene Young of Northern Oklahoma College will tell us more about history of the area and show us around. He has been studying the flora and fauna of the wetlands since the 1980s.

Sunday Afternoon Tour Site

Snyder Ranch, meet at the intersection of 162nd Rd & 291st Rd, Dexter, KS. (162nd is Co Rd 28)

This 9000 acre working ranch, is located 16 miles east of Winfield in Cowley County. Marjorie Snyder will introduce us to the ranch’s history and management practices. This site is only open to us during our tour.

Location Maps

Use these maps to help you find the various public locations where we will be meeting & touring. Private sites are not listed..

Schedule

Friday, September 21

  • 12:00 pm  Fall Board Meeting at the Southwestern College for Board members
  • 2:30 pm  Caravan from Southwestern College to private prairie site
  • 5:00 pm  Dinner at your choice of local restaurants with other KNPS members
  • 7:00 pm Concert: Tallgrass Express String Band at the Richardson Performing Arts Center, Southwestern College

Saturday, September 22

  • 8:00 am  Registration, Set up Silent Auction, Photo Contest, and Merchandise Displays.
  • 9:00 am  Annual Business Meeting
  • 9:45 am  Awards & Election
  • 10:15 am  Refreshment break. Silent Auction continues.
  • 10:45 am  Presentation: “The Flying Flowers of Kansas” by Jim Mason, Naturalist, Great Plains Nature Center and author of the new Pocket Guide to Common Kansas Butterflies
  • 11:45 pm  Break
  • 12:00 pm  Catered lunch
  • 1:00 pm Caravan from Southwestern College to Chaplin Nature Center, Arkansas City
  • 6:00 pm Dinner at your choice of local restaurants with other KNPS members

Sunday, September 23

  • 9:00 am  Caravan from Southwestern College to Slate Creek Wetland
  • 12:00 pm Lunch at your choice of local restaurants with other KNPS members
  • 1:00 pm Caravan from Southwestern College to tour Snyder Ranch, Dexter, KS

Accommodations

The Winfield area has the following motels, B&Bs, and camping. Arkansas City is located 15 miles south of Winfield and motels are listed for it as well.

Motels
Bed & Breakfasts
Camping
  • Winfield Fairgrounds • 1105 W. 9th • 620-221-5525
  • Winfield City Lake • 10348 141st Road • 620-221-5635
Arkansas City Lodging
  • Atrium Garden Hotel • 3232 N Summit, Arkansas City • 620-442-7700
  • Super 8 • 3228 N. Summit, Arkansas City • 620-442-8880
  • America's Best Value Inn • 1617 N. Summit, Arkansas City • 620-442-1400
  • Town House Motel • 426 S. Summit, Arkansas City • 620-442-4000