Lawrence Nature Park, Douglas County
The Kelly-Varvil and Lichtwardt Conservation Easements are part of a 100-acre nature preserve owned by the City of Lawrence. They feature public hiking trails. These easements protects an oak-hickory woodland with steep ravines and a tributary of Baldwin Creek, and contains an ecologically significant savannah as well as unique limestone outcroppings. The entrance to this park is 1680 East 1100 Road, Lawrence, KS 66044.
A Conservation Legacy
With the generosity and vision of Betty Lichtwardt and her family, the Kansas Land Trust was able to conserve 100 acres of woodlands and savannah that now serve as the Lawrence Nature Park. This short video describes the importance of this project, in Betty’s own words. The Kansas Land Trust was saddened to hear of her passing on March 2, 2024. Read more about her life and legacy here.
History of Lawrence Nature Park
The Lawrence Parks and Recreation Department initiated discussion in the mid 90s with property owners who at the time owned property in the northwest area of Lawrence. The Lichtwardt family expressed interest in donating 40 acres of their land to the City of Lawrence as parkland, but with stipulations in the form of conservation easements to be held by the Kansas Land Trust (KLT), which would limit the land use and types of facilities permitted. This provided the City with a vision of creating a large natural preserve for future residents of Lawrence.
The first step in the process was to make the preserve accessible to the public with the proposed restrictions. The City of Lawrence purchased 23 acres of land south of the Lichtwardt property in 1999. This site will serve as a neighborhood park and be used for parking, restrooms, shelter and a gathering place for visitors to the nature preserve. In December 2000, the City of Lawrence purchased 20 acres of land immediately west of the Lichtwardt property from Wendell and Gerald Dickey. In 2001, the City purchased 14 acres also with a conservation easement west of the Dickey property, from Francis Kelly and Cheri Varvil. The western edge of this property would have a public access area also to the nature preserve. The addition of these three properties allowed Lawrence to expand its conservation effort, which will preserve natural corridors for future residents.
In 2001, Bob and Betty Lichtwardt finalized their donation of 40 acres as a conservation easement to the Kansas Land Trust and City of Lawrence. Natural trails on this site would be named the “Thomas-Hunter Walking Trails” in memory of Lyell Jay, Ethel Sanborn Thomas, and Wanda Sanborn Hunter.
Through a partnership with the Kansas Land Trust and city staff efforts, the City of Lawrence acquired nearly 100 acres of park area, which provides the citizens of Lawrence with a nature preserve. This was the first time the City of Lawrence collaborated with a conservation organization (Kansas Land Trust) to create a natural preserve prohibiting any future development on the property.
Information provided by the City of Lawrence, Kansas
