In 1994, Max and Eweleen Good enrolled the first Wetland Reserve Easement (WRE) in Kansas on their Labette County property. Max discovered the new program through an Audubon newsletter and signed up immediately.
Their 10-acre wetland quickly transformed the landscape. Water stayed on the property longer, and wildlife doubled — ducks, geese, reptiles, amphibians, and new plant species they had never seen before. Schools and visitors now tour the site by appointment to learn about wetlands and biodiversity.
The project led to more conservation. With help from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Goods restored additional acres of native prairie, now home to more than 200 species. They even documented their work in a 308-page book filled with hundreds of photos.
For Max and Eweleen, the goal has always been simple: create habitat, share it with others, and leave the land better for the future.