About Us
Big love for the Little Arkansas River
One Touch Of Nature Makes The Whole World Kin.
– William Shakespear
Our mission is to protect the Little Arkansas River, facilitate restoration, prevent damage and restore clean water for people and nature.
In 2017, the popularity of a relatively new walking path revealed the previously hidden beauty and value of riverfront property to developers who saw opportunities to exploit a deeply coveted landscape. Almost before we knew it a plan was hatched to acquire the new bike path, cut down the ribbon of trees along the river and build a five-story low income apartment building. This unique area was a triple listed historic site, with a designated wildlife park located on an island just fifty feet off the shoreline. Adjacent to the proposed site stands the historic Minisa Bridge, a state landmark. Across the bridge is the historic North High School. We had to move fast, or we would lose one of the most historically important locations and one of the most environmentally sensitive areas, and rendering the multi-million dollar capital improvements spent on the bridge restoration, the additions to the school and walking/bike path a waste of money and effort.
We needed to fight back.
Today, we are Wichita’s only voice dedicated specifically to the Little Arkansas River. True to our roots, we continue to stand up for this part publicly owned and part privately owned river. But that’s not all – over the years, we have acquired deep expertise in a wide range of issues from preventing destructive, inappropriate development, to preserving urban wildlife habitats as we engage in assessing the affects agriculture has on our drinking water.
Numbers Speak For Themselves
Our founding members...
Madeline McCullough, Vice President, Communications, Chair
Beth Harshfield, Treasurer, Environmental Science Chair
Susie Cunningham, President