17 February 2005

Governor Announces Tallgrass Purchase

Governor Kathleen Sebelius, the president of the Kansas Park Trust, announced today that the trust has purchased the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve from the National Park Trust.

“I am thrilled this land will be preserved and protected for future generations to use and enjoy,” the Governor said.

Located in the heart of the Flint Hills, the preserve consists of nearly 11,000 acres of tallgrass prairie and represents one of the world’s most endangered ecosystems.

“This is a unique national park unit, and we are pleased that it will pass to the Kansas Park Trust,” said Paul Duffendack, chairman of the National Park Trust.

This transaction will be the first of two. Next month, the Kansas Park Trust will convey ownership to the Nature Conservancy. The National Park Service will continue to administer the park.