Conservation Education & Community Programs

Hands-on programs that connect our community to conservation.

Education and Outreach

Our district supports and promotes conservation education throughout Johnson County, Kansas. Through workshops, youth programs, field days, and community events, we help residents learn how soil, water, agriculture, and wildlife are connected to our everyday lives.

Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for updates on upcoming workshops, field days, and educational opportunities

The Soil Tunnel Trailer

The Soil Tunnel Trailer is a self-contained, 12’ x 8.5’ enclosed educational exhibit designed to bring the underground world of soil to life.

Inside the trailer, visitors walk through an immersive underground environment that illustrates how soil functions as a living ecosystem. One wall displays the natural history of soil with three-dimensional worms, roots, and other organisms. The opposite wall demonstrates how human activity can impact soil health through examples such as pollution and septic system contamination.

Hand-crafted prairie and wetland plant replicas are displayed on the top of the trailer, while the exterior features hand-painted soil profile horizons.

The trailer is:

• Handicap accessible
• Designed for visitors of all ages
• Used at schools, county fairs, field days, and community events
  

Envirothon

Envirothon is North America's largest high school environmental education competition. Students test their knowledge and skills in five subject areas:

• Soils and Land Use
• Forestry
• Wildlife
• Aquatic Ecology
• Rangeland Management

The Johnson County Conservation District supports any team within the county. Currently, Olathe North High School hosts the Johnson County team, which competes in Regional and State competitions every spring.

Slice of Agriculture

Coming soon...Slice of Agriculture is an educational field trip designed to help fourth-grade students understand where their food comes from and how agriculture connects to conservation, nutrition, safety, and the environment.

Because pizza is a favorite food among students, the program uses pizza ingredients as a fun and engaging way to explore agriculture.

During the field trip, students rotate through eight interactive stations where they learn about:

• Wheat used for pizza crust
• Tomatoes used for sauce
• Dairy cows that produce milk for cheese
• Pigs raised for pepperoni

These hands-on stations are led by agricultural professionals and conservation partners who demonstrate real-world farming practices. The goal of the program is to inspire curiosity, appreciation, and understanding of Kansas agriculture.

Get Involved

Interested in bringing conservation education to your school, event, or community group?


We can help connect you with the right resources and partners.