Hidden Gems at Cheyenne Bottoms with Curtis Wolf | Wetlands Kansas

Sep 8

1 min read

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wqv48Im8z2s

Curtis Wolf is the director of the Kansas Wetlands Education Center at Cheyenne Bottoms near Great Bend, Kansas. A lifelong Kansan, Curtis grew up in Hays and earned both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Fort Hays State University. He later moved to Barton County, where he taught biology at Barton Community College before joining the Kansas Wetlands Education Center as its first director.

For more than 17 years, Curtis has helped lead the Kansas Wetlands Education Center in its mission to connect people with the natural resources found at Cheyenne Bottoms. The center serves as a visitor, nature and education center, offering interactive exhibits, live animal ambassadors, nature trails, educational programs and guided experiences. Curtis and his team conduct hundreds of programs each year, helping students and visitors understand wetlands, biodiversity and the importance of protecting Kansas’ natural resources.

Curtis is especially passionate about place-based education and helping people discover the remarkable ecosystem in their own backyard. Cheyenne Bottoms is the largest wetland on the interior of the United States and an important stopover for thousands of migrating birds, as well as monarch butterflies and other wildlife. Through his work, Curtis hopes to foster a greater appreciation for Cheyenne Bottoms and demonstrate why protecting Kansas’ wetlands matters—

not only for wildlife, but for the people and communities that depend on these unique ecosystems.

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