Special Use Permits and Reservations

Fishing

Except as provided below, fishing shall be in accordance with the laws and regulations of the State of Kansas (36CFR2.3).

• Kansas residents age 16 through 74 must possess a valid Kansas fishing license.
• All non-residents 16 and older must possess a valid non-resident license at all times to fish in Kansas.
• Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism provides a downloadable Fishing Regulations Summary.
• Our Fishing page contains more information on locations, regulations, and restrictions within the preserve.

Research Permits

• Research Permits - for scientific and collecting activities - follow this link to register for a research permit at the preserve.

Reservations

• No advance reservations are needed to visit the preserve.
• Ranger-led Group and School Tours need scheduled at least two weeks in advance.
• Bus tours are cancelled until further notice.

Special Use Permits

Certain types of activities require a special use permit. These include many types of organized gatherings, distribution of printed material and other public expressions of opinion, and other activities that are controlled or prohibited. See the following definitions and examples to determine if your use might be included.

A special park use is defined as a short-term activity that takes place in a park area, and that:

1. provides a benefit to an individual, group or organization rather than the public at large;
2. requires written authorization and some degree of management control from the National Park Service (NPS) in order to protect park resources and the public interest;
3. is not prohibited by law or regulation
4. is not initiated, sponsored, or conducted by the NPS; and is not managed under a concession contract, a recreation activity for which the NPS charges a fee, or a lease.

Examples include: weddings, other ceremonies, scattering of human cremains, or public assemblies, etc.

Examples of a First-Amendment Activity include: a church service or Freedom-of-Speech activity

Special Use Permits

Special uses require a permit. Primary consideration will be given to potential resource damage and to anticipated disruption of normal public use. Park staff will help ensure that your event runs smoothly and without interfering with park operations, resource protection, or the public's enjoyment of the park. For more information about special use permits, contact the Chief of Interpretation at (620) 273-6034. Permit applications, certificates of insurance, and correspondence may be faxed to (620) 273-8660. Please follow the link below to learn how to apply for a permit.

• How to Apply for a Special Use Permit
  Download, print, and complete the forms below as they relate to your request. Mail the completed application to the address found at the top of the form.

• General Special Use Permit Application (pdf 1.15 MB)
  
• Filming and Photography Special Use Permit Application (pdf 889 KB)
  
• 1st Amendment and Materials Distribution Special Use Permit Application (pdf 794 KB)

* Check Cashing Notice -please download this Word document (14KB)

Special events, group gatherings, First Amendment activities, and weddings

Sporting events, festivals, concerts, weddings, cultural programs, First Amendment activities, and group gatherings for social and community events are examples of special uses that require permits. All weddings and ceremonies require permits, regardless of the group size. Weddings at the preserve are authorized only at the Lower Fox Creek Schoolhouse, as it was once a community building and a wedding could have conceivably been performed. To preserve the building, a set of rules (including maximum participants) has been established for resource protection.

• Please review the Wedding Permit Rules and determine if they are compatible with your event plans.
  
  

The image shows the grassy area northeast of the visitor center used for all First Amendment activities.

Film, Photography, and Sound Recording Permits on Preserve Land

Who Needs a Permit?

You will need a permit for your filming, still photography, or sound recording activity in the following situations:

• Large groups (9+ people): if your group has nine or more people participating in the activity.
• Certain filming activities: if your activity doesn’t meet the requirements for an incidental activity or a small group, a permit will be required. This includes situations where the filming involves equipment other than handheld or a tripod, or if the activity is likely to disrupt the park experience, harm natural resources, or occur in a highly congested area.
• Special conditions: if your filming could potentially cause damage to resources, create unreasonable disruptions to the park experience, or pose a health or safety risk, a permit will be necessary.

Who Does Not Need a Permit?

You will not need a permit for your filming, still photography, or sound recording activity in the following situations:

• Small groups (5 people or less): if your group has five or fewer people participating in the activity, and it meets the following requirements:
  • The activity does not intrude on the experience of other visitors and does not disturb or negatively impact natural resources, cultural resources, or environmental or scenic values.
  • The activity is conducted in a location open to the public.
  • The person conducting the activity does not require the exclusive use of a site or area.
  • The person does not conduct the activity in a localized area that receives a very high volume of visitation. See below for details.
  • The person conducting the activity only uses handheld equipment and/or a tripod or monopod.
  • The activity is not likely to result in additional administrative costs being incurred by the Park with respect to the filming or still photography activity, as determined by the Park.
  • The person conducting the activity complies with other applicable Federal, State (as such term is defined in section 3 of the EXPLORE Act), and local laws (including policies and regulations). This includes all laws relating to the use of unmanned aerial equipment.
• Incidental to an authorized activity: if the activity is incidental to, or documenting, an event or activity already authorized or allowed in the park (i.e. wedding, family reunion).

Who Might Need a Permit?

For some low-impact activities involving 6 to 8 individuals, you may qualify for a de minimis use authorization instead of a full permit.

Localized Areas With High Volume of Visitation

During the summer season, the ranch headquarters area of the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve is considered a high visitation area. We are currently reviewing visitor use data to determine if additional locations receive a very high volume of visitation. In the interim, if you are planning on filming, photographing, or recording in the aforementioned area, or an area where your filming activities may impede the experience or access of other visitors, please contact us before submitting your permit application.

Fees

Application Fee

An application fee of $100 must be paid at the time of submitting the application and is non-refundable. Payment may be made via a check (payable to Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve) to the following address: Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve, 2480B KS Hwy 177, Strong City, KS 66869.

Monitoring Fee

Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve staff must monitor certain filming, photography, and sound recording activities. This includes, but is not limited to, projects with large crews or extensive equipment, those that may cause resource damage, or those that could impact visitor use.

Upon approval of the application, if it is deemed that a monitor should be assigned to your project, there will be a cost recovery charge based on the monitor’s hourly rate from the time they start at their duty station until they return from monitoring. The assignment and estimate will be provided prior to the final permit being issued and the balance calculated after the activity is completed.

How to Apply

Download and fill out the special use permit application to go along with your non-refundable application fee (see Application Fee above).

Applications may be mailed to: Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve, 2480B KS Hwy 177, Strong City, KS 66869.

Filming, photography, and sound recording permits are considered in the order they are received. Allow 2 to 4 weeks (depending on project type and the volume of requests) to process an application and issue a permit.

What About Photography Workshops?

If you are planning a photography workshop, you may need a commercial use authorization. See the commercial use authorization page for more information.