Sustainable Beautification

In 2008, Keep Kansas City Beautiful expanded its focus to educate the public on the importance and benefits of sustainable beautification. Sustainable landscaping is the planting of climate-appropriate, non-invasive plant species in rain gardens, community gardens and ornamental landscaping that thrive despite erratic weather patterns and require minimal maintenance. Inspired by a need for community revitalization and problems with storm water overflow in the metro area, KKCB set out to empower community members to build a sustainable and more beautiful Kansas City.

Keep Kansas City Beautiful efforts have sustained success as a result of working with our fellow community members as empowered partners. We work with neighborhoods, community organizations, individual citizens, businesses and government. Our approach to each project is collaborative, creating a sense of community ownership from a project’s beginning, through its implementation and beyond. Our collaborative approach encourages the building of a sustained movement rather than the completion of a single project.

In 2008 and 2009, KKCB worked in collaboration with partners to plant 36 sustainable gardens, providing hands-on education to more than 230 volunteers, who gave more than 1,000 volunteer hours to beautify the Kansas City metropolitan area.

Services We Provide

• Planning Support
• Project Management
• Volunteer Recruitment and Management
• Project Publicity
• Event Planning and Coordination

2010 Sustainable Beautification Projects

Each year Keep Kansas City Beautiful selects a few collaborative projects to complete in Kansas City. This is what we have planned for 2010. Find out how to get involved with these project.

Dreamscape Makeover
Our annual entry contest to win $10,000 of sustainable landscaping - design, materials and installation contributed by our dedicated partners. Tickets will be available March 27, 2010 through July 1, 2010. More information

Basehor Community Library Rain Garden
Landscape Architect partner Michael Ashley, Millers Landscaping, Basehor Master Gardeners and the Basehor Community Library worked with KKCB to install a large rain garden and butterfly garden for residents to enjoy. The garden will complement the library’s green design and sustainable stormwater features in their parking lot.

Project Change final event : Building a Park at the Ivanhoe Community Center
KKCB has partnered with Project Change for the 2010 final group project. We will work with the Ivanhoe neighborhood to implement their plans for Nutter Park - a place for kids and adults to enjoy, right next to the community center.

Operation Breakthrough Outdoor Classroom
Through a grant from Keep America Beautiful and UPS, KKCB will complete the landscaping in the outdoor classroom that was begun in the summer of 2009. The Outdoor Classroom will be a children’s nature oasis in the center of the urban core.

Testimonials

“The experience and commitment of KKCB to local beautification projects strengthened our coalition of companies and non-profits, enabling us to fulfill our ambitious goal of transforming a formerly vacant lot into a verdant oasis for Kansas City’s urban youth.”

~ Frank Bergh, EIT, LEED-AP, Electrical Engineer, Project Change Team Captain
KKCB Projects: Operation Breakthrough Outdoor Classroom, Margaret Kemp Park Revitalization

“I have had the distinct pleasure of working closely with the local organization, Keep Kansas City Beautiful (KKCB). KKCB is undertaking several important projects that focus tremendous efforts on community improvement, beautification and sustainability education for the entire Kansas City area. Through community outreach and promoting green solutions for outdoor environments, KKCB is leading the way for teaching the public about sustainable practices that will improve our lives and benefit many.”

~ Michael T. Ashley, Landscape Architect
KKCB Projects: Dreamscape Makeover Design, English Landing Park, Benton Beautification

“This classroom is a space that will be used by almost 350 early childhood children and 250 school age children to not only see nature, but learn about it, experience it and grow with it. Over 95 percent of our children live in the inner city surrounded by asphalt streets and concrete courtyards. An outdoor classroom has beautified not only a dilapidated vacant lot, but opens the eyes of our children to a new way of learning and caring.”

~ Aileen Murphy-Swift, MSW, Early Childhood Program Director
KKCB Project: Operation Breakthrough Outdoor Classroom