Kansas Field Conference
Geoscientists want to be involved in public policy decisions, but often don't know how to reach policy makers. Providing policy makers with hands-on field experiences involving natural resources-related issues is an effective method of educating this difficult-to-reach group.
As part of a public outreach effort, the Kansas Geological Survey initiated the Kansas Field Conference in 1995 to educate policy makers about natural resources issues in Kansas. The Conference targets state legislators, governmental agency officials, business leaders, environmental leaders, and others in positions that make or influence state policy. The primary objective is to present policy makers with balanced, unbiased information about Kansas's natural resources. Through a field experience that visits sites where natural resources are produced or used, participants gain first-hand knowledge from local operators, regulators, and others who are affected by, or carry out, their decisions. Cosponsors (usually other state agencies) are recruited to broaden the Conferences' topics and help defray expenses.
In addition to educating State policy makers, the Conference benefits the KGS and other agencies. It raises the KGS's visibility within the Legislature, improves relationships with other state agencies, and informs policy makers about what the KGS does and how it can be utilized. The experience also helps the KGS plan future research and service activities.
Learn more about past field conferences below
2023 Southwest Kansas
Southwest Kansas: History, Industries, and Adaptation; 2023 Kansas Field Conference Field Guide (pdf) by Blair Schneider, Kansas Geological Survey, Open-file Report no. 2023-56, 62 p.
2022 Southeast Kansas
Southeast Kansas: History, Industries, and Transformation; 2022 Kansas Field Conference Field Guide (pdf), by Blair Schneider, Kansas Geological Survey, Open-file Report no. 2022-22, 90 p.
2020 Northwest Kansas
The 2020 Kansas Field Conference was a virtual event due to the COVID-19 pandemic. You can see the videos produced for this event on our Youtube page.
2019 South-Central Kansas
Oil, Salt, Wetlands, and Other Regional Resources; 2019 Kansas Field Conference Field Guide, by Susan Stover and Catherine S. Evans, KGS Open-file Report no. 2019-5, 90 p.
2018 North-Central Kansas
New Developments in Agriculture, Water Management, and Local Economies; 2018 Kansas Field Conference Field Guide, by Susan Stover and Catherine S. Evans, KGS Open-file Report no. 2018-15, 78 p.
2017 Northeast Kansas
Shaped by Glaciation and the Missouri River; 2017 Kansas Field Conference Field Guide, by Susan Stover and Catherine S. Evans, KGS Open-file Report no. 2017-47, 68 p.
2016 West-Central Kansas
Natural Resources, Economics, and Decisions for the Future; 2016 Kansas Field Conference Field Guide, by Susan Stover and Catherine S. Evans, KGS Open-file Report no. 2016-23, 72 p.
2015 East-Central Kansas
Managing Resources for Economic Growth and the Environment; 2015 Kansas Field Conference Field Guide, compiled by Susan Stover and Catherine S. Evans, KGS Open-file Report no. 2015-4, 72 p.
2014 Central Kansas and the Arkansas River Valley
Surface Water, Wetlands, and Petroleum Industries; 2014 Kansas Field Conference Field Guide, edited by Shane A. Lyle and Catherine S. Evans, KGS Open-file Report no. 2014-4, 78 p.
2013 South-Central Kansas
Oil Exploration, Water Allocation, and Range Management; 2013 Kansas Field Conference Field Guide, edited by Shane A. Lyle, Catherine S. Evans, Rex C. Buchanan, and Robert S. Sawin, KGS Open-file Report no. 2013-3, 78 p.
2012 Northwest Kansas
Water Conservation and Consumption, Energy and Transportation, and the Agricultural Economy; 2012 Kansas Field Conference Field Guide, by S.A. Lyle, C.S. Evans, R.C. Buchanan, and R.S. Sawin, KGS Open-file Report no. 2012-4, 84 p.
2011 Topeka, Lawrence, and Kansas City
Water as Infrastructure, Population Growth, and Sustainability, by S.A. Lyle, C.S. Evans, R.C. Buchanan, and R.S. Sawin, KGS Open-file Report no. 2011-8, 109 p.
2010 Flint Hills, Cross Timbers, and Verdigris River Valley
Water/Energy Nexus, Rangeland and Stream-Corridor Management; 2010 Kansas Field Conference Field Guide, by S.A. Lyle, C.S. Evans, R.S. Sawin, and R.C. Buchanan, KGS Open-file Report no. 2010-8, 77 p.