Northland Boom may be just starting...

[RjRobb2]

Originally Posted by ykamom

I can't comment about people's behavior in regard to green space in KC, but I have to say, just because green space is not "used" doesn't mean it is not valuable. Perhaps you are just trying to be provocative when you say that? I mean, there are preserved lands all over the country that very few people "use," but they serve a purpose in terms of creating healthy environment/ecosystems, ecological diversity, etc, etc. And if people ever do decide to wake up and get off the couch, they might have a green place to visit!
Many people out there can speak much more intelligently on this topic than I can, but I will say that preserving green space isn't all about recreation and how much it is utilized. There is a much bigger picture, as others have mentioned.

Exactly. Even in an open field of grass there are tons of plants and animals that use that as their habitat. To me, that is far more important than people using it for recreation.

[Crosstimbers Okie]

If the deer and turkey didn't have any food or habitat, there wouldn't be so many of them. Take a walk at 1AM in the area between Happy Rock Park and Brighton. You'll count close to 100 deer on some nights within an area the size of a quarter section. Deer and turkey, like people, prosper when agricultural land is developed. Deer do not care for Maple trees. They much prefer Oak for the acorns... Corn and Soybeans for protein and calories. Browse from the brush that grows in open fields.

Deer and turkey are not people. What's pretty to them isn't necessarily pretty to people.

[ykamom]

Again, others know much more about this than I do, but an overabundance of any one species (humans, deer, crows, rats) often indicates a lack of environmental diversity. So although there may be deer and turkey, plenty of other things that might thin those population have not thrived in the developed landscape. That's why, in places like suburban CT, deer are looked upon as vermin by many people. With no natural predators, they are taking over the place.

I agree it doesn't have to be pretty, to be of value. That is part of the problem, I think. I saw that inTexas, for example. In some places it is a lot harder to argue for land preservation because people look at the land and, it doesn't look much better that the parking lot that is planned. But just because it isn't pretty or useful for recreation doesn't mean it doesn't serve an environmental function.

[GraniteStater]

Originally Posted by Crosstimbers Okie

If the deer and turkey didn't have any food or habitat, there wouldn't be so many of them. Take a walk at 1AM in the area between Happy Rock Park and Brighton. You'll count close to 100 deer on some nights within an area the size of a quarter section. Deer and turkey, like people, prosper when agricultural land is developed. Deer do not care for Maple trees. They much prefer Oak for the acorns... Corn and Soybeans for protein and calories. Browse from the brush that grows in open fields.

Deer and turkey are not people. What's pretty to them isn't necessarily pretty to people.

Completely false. Wildlife concentrate in the FEW REMAINING GREEN SPACES because of too much overdevelopment and sprawl.

[Crosstimbers Okie]

Completely false. These deer and turkey are healthy and abundant. They eat well.

There would be plenty of predators to thin what automobiles don't get if Gladstone and KC would alow archery hunting in the area.

[brewcrew1000]

They are abundant because they have less room to roam around because of urban sprawl. Its like being in a room and the walls are caving in on you little by little, eventually you will have nowhere to go.

[kcmo]

Originally Posted by RjRobb2

What are you talking about? I have lived here my entire life and I see green space being used all the time. Just last week when we got a blast of nice weather, there was people everywhere. In the spring, summer, and fall when it isnt raining or storming, the parks are full. My daughters birthdays are in August and we always have their parties at a local park and if we dont book a shelter far enough in advance, we wont get one.

Not all green space can be utilized. A lot of it is private property. But, the parks are always busy when the weather allows for it. Unfortunately, the weather here does not allow for parks to be used comfortably for many months of the year. It is either too damn cold or too damn wet and muddy.

This is just like your comment about very little bike racks on cars when I see bike racks on cars every single day. People do use the green space in Kansas City so I am not sure where or what you are talking about.

What specific parks are you talking about? Up north, Happy Rock and Macken Park are among the largest and they are very busy on days that are fairly nice. Oak Grove Park is always packed.

There are some open fields that are unused and not park that I see people flying kites, kicking around soccer balls, and people having their dogs all the time. When I was younger and most of my friends were single, we use to go to some open green spaces at night to drink beer, listen to music, and throw around a glow in the dark frisbee. We would take trash bags, pick up everything and leave without a sign anyone was there. Those were good times and I might have to plan something like that this summer.

It's all relative man. Just like people thinking that KC has traffic or that it's difficult to find parking in Downtown KC, both of which are laughable.

If KC were like other towns, Penn Valley Park would be bursting at the seams on weekends, the riverfront park would be busy...ah never mind. Like I said, it's all relative...

[RjRobb2]

Originally Posted by kcmo

It's all relative man. Just like people thinking that KC has traffic or that it's difficult to find parking in Downtown KC, both of which are laughable.

If KC were like other towns, Penn Valley Park would be bursting at the seams on weekends, the riverfront park would be busy...ah never mind. Like I said, it's all relative...

And what I am telling you is that you are wrong. People do utilize green spaces in KC. Do you think we have some disease that stops us from liking the outdoors and parks in KC? People are people. I see people all the time filling up parks when the weather allows for it. And in winter when we get even a single decent day, the parks are packed with people. There are days when I take my daughter to the park and we have to drive to another because the park we originally wanted to go to was so full of people it would have been uncomfortable.

You continually make blanket statements about the entire city like you are the know-all of everything KC. You dont even live here.