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Development And Conservation Along Kansas City's 'Invisible' Blue River Watershed

By Brian Ellison,

Chris Young, Luke X. Martin

Published July 7, 2020 at 3:47 PM CDT

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Volunteers work to clean up the Blue River in 2015. The watershed is home to about half a million people, covering roughly 270 square miles.

In most parts of the Kansas City area you don’t have to go far to spend time in nature. But growth and economics can often rise to challenge those green public spaces.

One such area feeling that tension recently is the Blue River watershed, straddling the Kansas-Missouri state line.

Jill Erickson, executive director of the Heartland Conservation Alliance

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Brian Ellison

As a host and contributor at KCUR, I seek to create a more informed citizenry and richer community. I want to enlighten and inspire our audience by delivering the information they need with accuracy and urgency, clarifying what’s complicated and teasing out the complexities of what seems simple. I work to craft conversations that reveal realities in our midst and model civil discourse in a divided world. Follow me on Twitter @ptsbrian or email me at brian@kcur.org.

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Chris Young

Chris Young is an Assistant Producer for KCUR’s Up To Date. Contact him at chrisy@kcur.org.

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Luke X. Martin

As culture editor, I help you embrace what makes Kansas City fun and vibrant, whether it’s a championship sports franchise or a little-known wonder. I work with reporters to ensure KCUR stories on art, culture, and race fully reflect our diverse home so readers and listeners can take full advantage of what the metro has to offer. Email me at luke@kcur.org.

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