Environment & Climate

Cities across Johnson County have spent the last several years and millions of dollars removing doomed ash trees that were dead or dying from emerald ash borer infestations. Now, some local foresters and arborists are warning that another illness could...

From afar, they can look like large collections of plants, growing out of the lake and shooting toward the sky, but there’s a little more to the flora popping up on some Overland Park lakes. Called floating wetlands, these man-made...

Overland Park officials worry that thousands of saplings planted to replace ash trees along city streets in the past couple of years might not be getting the care they need. That could threaten the long-term health and longevity of the...

Just one month into the pilot, the city of Prairie Village is expanding its drop-off composting program. The Prairie Village City Council on Aug. 18 unanimously agreed to purchase three more KC Can Compost smart bins for a total of...

Less than a week after the city of Prairie Village launched its new composting program, participating residents deposited 500 pounds of compost for pickup. Meghan Buum, an assistant city administrator, told the Prairie Village City Council last week that the...

Overland Park could soon join other Johnson County cities in offering compost drop-off locations through a partnership with KC Can Compost. If the city moves forward with the pilot, then self-service kiosks would be set up in the parking lots...

Hearing tales of a bear in Overland Park and southern Johnson County? Well, they appear to be true. Earlier this week, a black bear was spotted near the corner of 199th Street and U.S. Highway 69. Security cameras at the...

Rob Steinmetz, a longtime resident of the Moody Hills neighborhood in northern Overland Park, isn't so sure why the "beautiful" and mature oak tree in front of his yard had to be ripped out. Now, it's just a stump sitting...

Prairie Village residents who want to will soon be able to drop off compost waste at two sites as part of a new pilot program. The Prairie Village City Council on Monday voted 8-4 to approve a roughly $6,000 contract...

As Earth Day 2025 approaches, Johnson County is gearing up for a jam-packed month of environment-forward events. From cleanup and recycling events to citywide garage sales next month, there are several ways to get involved in your community this Earth...

By Julie Denesha When photographer Jim Richardson first pitched National Geographic Magazine on a story about his home state of Kansas, his editors at the time were focused on covering some of the most dramatic scenery in America. “The biggies were...

A new county health services building scheduled for construction this spring will have rooftop solar panels and a water reclamation system using captured rainwater for its toilets, the county commission decided last week. Although they disagreed on the details of...