Released: February 21, 2006

New Kansas Forester Promoting Plantings Alongside Waterways

MANHATTAN, Kan. – Trees once guarded the streams and rivers that made living in Kansas possible.

Having such trees back in place is Debbie Goard’s No. 1 goal as the Kansas Forest Service’s new statewide riparian forester.

Goard believes every Kansan can play a part in improving and maintaining the state’s water supplies. As part of that, she hopes to help residents become more aware of Kansas’ water problems, learn to reduce pollution, and understand that “forests do have a place by Kansas rivers. They were here before, and getting them back is one of the best things we can do to improve water quality.”

Trees help filter out the pollutants washing from urban concrete, roofs, fertilized lawns, farms and feedlots, she explained.

“They’ll do their job if we just let it happen,” Goard said.

During floods, trees also protect the land itself, she said. Following the widespread flooding in 1993, Kansas State University Research and Extension scientists examined aerial photographs of the Kansas River to compare streambanks before and after the flood. Many acres of land had been lost.

“The only real exceptions had riparian areas with trees. The trees had protected the land, as well as the waterway. And, the riparian areas themselves had actually gained ground, due to the depositing of sediment,” the forester said.

Goard has first-hand knowledge of many of those areas. Before moving into the position of watershed forester, she spent a year and one-half working with the Kansas Forest Service on the state Forest Inventory and Analysis.

Before that, she earned bachelor’s degrees in both forestry and biology from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst and a master’s degree in forest hydrology from Oregon State University.

“Now I’ll be working with towns, rural residents, government agencies – anyone interested in managing or establishing riparian trees,” Goard said. “I can discuss ideas with them, do any needed technical analyses and provide a written plan. I can help them find cost-share programs, connect with conservation agencies and even locate equipment to use.”

Goard will be working from Throckmorton Hall on the K-State campus in Manhattan. She’s available by telephone (785-532-3061) or e-mail (dgoard@ksu.edu) to set up riparian-area discussions.

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K-State Research and Extension is a short name for the Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service, a program designed to generate and distribute useful knowledge for the well-being of Kansans. Supported by county, state, federal and private funds, the program has county Extension offices, experiment fields, area Extension offices and regional research centers statewide. Its headquarters is on the K-State campus, Manhattan.

Story by:
Kathleen Ward
kward@oznet.ksu.edu
K-State Research& Extension News