Salina Land Preserves Pastures and Scenic Views

The Kansas Land Trust protects just one piece of land in Saline county: the Stauffer easement, also known as Heritage Hill. This 20 acres of native pasture was protected in 2002 by four Stauffer siblings to honor their parents Kenneth L. and Mary Bell Stauffer. The protected land was once part of a 500-acre farm where K.L. and Mary raised their family. Mike Stauffer, the youngest and only living sibling of the four siblings who protected the land, says that the view from Heritage Hill, which is situated northeast of Salina, is one of the things that makes the property special.

"It's a great view. You can see the Saline river valley, Iron Mound, the Salina grain elevators and Marymount College, and to the east, you can almost see Solomon," Mike said.

Brian Stauffer, Mike's nephew, has worked with Mike over the years to maintain the 20 protected acres. Brian said that some of his favorite memories of the land were the yearly hunting trips he would take there as a child with his brother and his father, James Stauffer. Unfortunately, Brian said that due to surrounding farming practices, the bird population in the area has dwindled since his childhood trips to his grandparents' land.

"There are a few quail around and maybe a pheasant or two, but back when I was a kid there were hundreds of birds around," Brian said. "I'd like to figure out ways to bring them back. I try to do my little part on those 20 acres."

When Brian sees the development that has popped up around Salina, Lindsborg and McPherson, he says it brings home the value of protecting land in Kansas.

"The landscape is changed now forever," Brian says. "We should be trying to keep the landscape the way it was. We can clean it up and make it look more like it was when our ancestors were there."