Past Events Upcoming Events
***SATURDAY, JANUARY 21, 2012 *** MPF EVENT
10AM until as long as volunteers wish to work
Stilwell Prairie Work Day
Those wishing to camp on-site Friday and/or Saturday night are welcome to do so, but no supplies will be available. Be sure to be prepared for cold weather.
You can make a hands-on difference in conserving prairie! Volunteers with chainsaws and loppers are needed this coming Saturday to combat trees and brush at MPF's Stilwell Prairie in Vernon County. MPF's Prairie Operations Manager Richard Datema will direct volunteers to areas on the prairie needing clearing; most of the work will involve cutting 10-inch or smaller diameter trees with chainsaws, although some lopper work will be needed, too.
Situated along a ridgetop, Stilwell provides a pleasing view of the Little Osage River Valley and the Marmaton River Valley. More than 350 plant species have been documented at Stilwell, which also provides habitat for many birds and other animals. Volunteer help will bring us closer to our Stilwell restoration goal.
If you have it, please bring your own equipment and safety gear. MPF will provide herbicide for treating cut stumps, and Kansas City WildLands will be lending some equipment for the day's work.
Directions: (T36N, R33W, S3) Vernon County. One mile east of Richards on Route H, then one mile north on gravel road.
More information about Stilwell Prairie and a map (scroll down to Stilwell). Driving time from downtown Kansas City to Richards is just under two hours.
RSVP to info @ moprairie.com (remove spaces) or 888-843-6739
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2011
9AM 2nd Annual Lichen Glade Work Day
Join Missouri Master Naturalists to help restore this Nature Conservancy-owned glade.
Volunteers with an interest in glade restoration and a good pair of gloves are needed to cut oak sprouts on this 34-acre Missouri Natural Area, 6 miles WEST of Osceola on Hwy. B in St. Clair County.
PROVIDED: herbicide, loppers, water. A warm, hearty meal will be served to volunteers.
RSVP to larry.rizzo @ mdc.mo.gov (remove spaces) or matt.hill @ mdc.mo.gov (remove spaces). More information about Lichen Glade and a map.
***SATURDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2011*** MPF EVENT
2 to 4PM Getting to Know Your Raptors: Bird of Prey Basics
MPF Technical Advisor Jeff Cantrell will lead this free workshop at
Prairie State Park near Liberal, MO. Jeff will cover easy field identification tips and the life history of our prairie raptors. Field experience will follow the classroom session to experience these beautiful birds in their element. Weather permitting, there may be an opportunity for short-eared owl viewing at a nearby conservation area after the class.
To register, contact Jeff at 417-451-4158 (work) or 417-476-3311 (home); or
at swampcandle1 @ yahoo.com. (remove spaces)
***SATURDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2011*** MPF EVENT
4:30PM Missouri Prairie Foundation Annual Meeting AGENDA
MPF members attending will vote on the proposed slate of board nominees (or proposed alternatives).
ELECTION OF BOARD MEMBERS
Nominees to fill board of director vacancies:
Wayne Morton
Steve Mowry
Mike Skinner
Van Wiskur
5PM Annual Member Wine & Cheese Reception on the Prairie
You are invited to the Annual Prairie Day Reception in Cole Camp, Missouri, hosted by the Missouri Prairie Foundation and the Hi Lonesome Chapter of the Missouri Master Naturalists.
Enjoy complimentary wine & cheese and music from Prairie Strings on a beautiful private prairie just outside of town.
Reception is complimentary. Donations at the door are welcomed. All contributions will support the Missouri Prairie Foundation’s prairie conservation efforts.
Come as you are after enjoying Prairie Day and Oktoberfest events in Cole Camp. Afternoon prairie walking and wagon tours, bird mist netting, storytelling, stargazing, and camping are also available. Prairie paintings for sale, too! Complete schedule of events in town and on the prairie.
Directions: Cole Camp is approximately 20 miles south of Sedalia. To reach the reception from Cole Camp, take Hwy. 52 west and go 0.75 mile. Turn north on Klink Road (gravel) at the propane distributor. Go 1.5 miles and turn west on Hi Lonesome Road. Go 0.5 mile to a gate on the south side of the road. Watch for signs and the big tent.
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2011
2PM Coppermine Hollow Glade Hike Join Natural History Biologist Susan Farrington for a guided hike of this Ozark treasure. Meet at 2PM at the Missouri Department of Conservation Forestry Office in Eminence, located about one mile north of Hwy. 106 on Hwy. 19. The hike is free, but please RSVP BY September 16 to Susan at susan.farrington @ mdc.mo.gov (remove spaces) or 417-255-9561 ext. 307.
You can read Susan's article on this magical place in the Summer 2011 issue of the Missouri Prairie Journal.
PHOTO: Native silver plume grass and rough blazing star at Coppermine Hollow Glade in Shannon County. Photo by Susan Farrington
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2011 THIS WORKSHOP IS FULL
10AM to 3PM Prairie Botany Workshop at Tucker Prairie
We've had an overwhelming response and registration is full for this workshop. We hope to organize future prairie botany workshops around the state so more can participate.
Don't miss this opportunity for in-depth botanical training with Justin Thomas, director of the Institute of Botanical Training.
This one-day workshop will take place completely in the field and will focus on the dominant and characteristic plant species that are found in Missouri's prairies. Considering the time of year, special attention will be given to composites and grasses. While the ultimate goal will be to see and discuss as many species as possible, time will be spent familiarizing students with the terminology, vegetative characters and ecological notes needed to study and understand these fascinating plants beyond the scope of the workshop.
This workshop is offered at cost for $24--a great value! Additional contributions to the Missouri Prairie Foundation are gratefully accepted. Make checks payable to the Missouri Prairie Foundation, P.O. Box 200, Columbia, MO 65205 and mail by September 9. Include name and contact information (e-mail and/or phone) with payment.
Directions: Tucker Prairie is in Callaway County, directly south of I-70, 2.5 miles west of the I-70 & Hwy. 54 junction. Directions and parking location will be sent to attendees. Dress for a day in the field. Bring a sack lunch and a folding chair. Questions? Call Justin Thomas at 317-430-6566.
SEPTEMBER 16 to 18, 2011
33rd Annual Wildflower Weekend in Lawrence, Kansas
“Native Plants and Landscapes of Northeast Kansas”
Native plant enthusiasts from across Kansas will converge for the Kansas Native Plant Society’s 33rd Annual Wildflower Weekend. The meeting will be a unique opportunity to explore and learn about the amazing diversity of native plants and their habitats in northeast Kansas, where the forest and grassland biomes of North America meet. Visits to a variety of prairie, forest, and wetland sites are planned. Weekend itinerary
SEPTEMBER 12 to 14, 2011
International Grasslands Symposium; Kansas State University will sponsor the international symposium, entitled "Grasslands in a Global Context." The symposium is planned to celebrate important milestones reached at Konza Prairie Biological Station (KPBS) and the associated Konza Prairie Long-Term Ecological Research (LTER) program.
AUGUST 15-17, 2011
America’s Grasslands: Status, Threats, and Opportunities” conference
The National Wildlife Federation and South Dakota State University are pleased to announce that registration is now open for the upcoming “America’s Grasslands: Status, Threats, and Opportunities” conference, to be held in Sioux Falls on August 15-17. The conference will bring together biologists, policy experts, ranchers, federal and state agency staff, representatives of elected officials, and conservationists for a two days to discuss the latest information on the status, threats and opportunities related to North American grasslands in order to raise the national profile of this endangered ecosystem and inform those interested in developing a roadmap for its conservation. The event will be immediately followed by a “Grasslands Policy Summit” on August 18th sponsored by the National Wildlife Federation, Ducks Unlimited, The Nature Conservancy, and World Wildlife Fund.
We welcome you to visit our website and register for this important event. We have an impressive array of speakers lined up for the conference, so be sure to check out our conference agenda.
THURSDAY, JULY 9, 2011
10AM to 4PM (rain or shine) A Day in the Garden--Inauguration of Native Plant Outdoor Laboratory at Lincoln University MPF members are invited to participate in the inauguration of the newly established Native Plant Outdoor Laboratory on the campus of Lincoln University in Jefferson City.
Where: Lincoln University, Allen and Foster Hall (outdoors), 900 Chestnut Avenue, Jefferson City, Missouri 65101
Activities: free garden tours, tips on raising goats, pot your own flowers and vegetables, make a bracelet with native plants, sample native edibles, learn about insects. Refreshments will be provided. For more information contact
Nadia Navarrete-Tindall at (573) 681-5392 or Navarrete-TindallN @ LincolnU.edu or Amy Gooding at GoodingA @ LincolnU.edu. (remove spaces)
SATURDAY, JULY 16, 2011
1:30PM Butterfly Walk at the Prairie Garden Trust near New Bloomfield with leader Donna Brunet. MPF members invited! To RSVP, email Henry Domke
henry @ henrydomke.com. (remove spaces)
SATURDAY, JULY 16 & SUNDAY, JULY 17, 2011
Sat 10AM TO 4PM & Sun 11AM TO 4PM Butterfly and Bluegrass Festival
Help spread the word about prairie and MPF at the "Butterfly and Bluegrass" festival in Close Park, Springfield, Missouri. If you can volunteer a two-hour shift on Saturday, July 16 from 1AM to 4PM, or on Sunday, July 17 from 11AM to 4PM, please contact MPF volunteer Ric Mayer at 417-995-3943 or
mayer @ springfieldmo.gov. (remove spaces)
FRIDAY, JULY 29, 2011
Prairie Star Restoration Farm Tour
Join MPF board member Jan Sassmann and her husband Bruce on a tour of their 120-acre property in Osage County. Learn how they converted fescue fields to native species, restored savanna and quail habitat, and more. If your schedule allows, stay on for a potluck supper and tent camping.
When: Friday, July 29, 2011. Tour: 4PM. Potluck supper: around 6PM.
Tour attendees are welcome to tent camp on site, and attend the summer board meeting of the Missouri Prairie Foundation the next morning at 9AM.
Where: Prairie Star Restoration Farm in Osage County, between the towns of Bland and Belle, Missouri (roughly 80 miles from the I-44 and 270 intersection in St. Louis).
Directions: Find the junction of Hwy. 28 and State Road NN between the towns of Bland and Belle. Turn north on NN. Travel 2.0 miles on NN, turn on the first gravel road on the right, Co. Road 741. Travel 0.2 miles and turn left into the first farm gate. The address is 117 Co. Road 741, Bland, Missouri 65014.
Please RSVP to Jan Sassmann at 573-368-1827 so we know how many are coming.
***SATURDAY, JULY 30, 2011***
Board Meetings
Prairie Star Restoration Farm, Bland, MO.
Summer Events at Prairie State Park
Prairie State Park is near Lamar, Mo. in Barton County. At nearly 4,000 acres, it is Missouri's largest publicly owned prairie. To register for the events below, call the park at 417-843-6711 or e-mail prairie.state.park @ dnr.mo.gov. (remove spaces)
SATURDAY, JUNE 4: Wildflower Hike at 10AM. We move into early summer and the wildflower display is an explosion of color. Wildflower identification, wildflower lore, and uses will be discussed on this guided hike.
SATURDAY, JULY 2: Wildflower Hike at 10AM Summer is in full swing now, see some of the jewels of the prairie in bloom. Wildflower identification, wildflower lore, and uses will be discussed on this guided hike.
SUNDAY, JULY 9: Bison Hike at 10AM. Take a trip back in time and see one of our most magnificent mammals on this guided hike. Learn bison biology, Native American uses besides food, herd dynamics, prairies, and much more as you go along with an experienced naturalist.
SATURDAY, JULY 23: Falconry with Meagan Duffee 7PM. Meagan Duffee will present a program about using falcons for hunting.
FRIDAY, JULY 29: Prairie State Park Public meeting at 7PM. Find out about what is going on at the park and what the future will be bringing as well. Visitors are welcome to join park staff for a guided Evening Stroll on the prairie.
SATURDAY, JUNE 25, 2011
8AM Field trip to Taberville Prairie Natural Area and Wah’Kon-Tah Prairie Conservation Area. Opportunity to learn about and discuss prairie ecology and management. We will view upland prairie natural communities on a variety of soil types that have been managed with prescribed burning, haying and the currently contentious path-burn grazing with cattle. We should see a wide diversity of plants, insects and birds. Our field trip will include sites that have been managed with patch-burn grazing in the past, sites currently receiving this management and sites that have not been managed in this way.
The field trip crew will meet at 8am at America’s Best Value Inn in Nevada, MO. Call 417-667-6777 to make a motel reservation. The motel is just west of the intersection of Austin Blvd. and Highway 71 in Nevada.
Dress for the weather and bring water.
We will be joined on the prairie by Len Gilmore, wildlife management biologist, and Malissa Underwood, botanist, with the Conservation Department.
Please RSVP by June 20 to Mike Leahy, Conservation Department natural areas coordinator, at Mike.Leahy @ mdc.mo.gov (remove spaces) or 573-522-4115 x3192.
***SUNDAY, JUNE 26, 2011*** MPF EVENT
10AM to 1PM Tour of Prairie Fork. See The Missouri Prairie Journal, pg 19 for details. Join fellow MPF members for an early summer walking tour of Prairie Fork in Callaway County. Part of the area is owned by the Mo. Dept. of Conservation, and 200 acres are owned by the Missouri Prairie Foundation. See firsthand the reconstruction success of the area and enjoy the many blooming wildflowers. Tour will finish at noon. Bring a sack lunch and eat on site if you wish. RSVP to info @ moprairie.com (remove spaces) or 888-843-6739 so we know how many are coming.
Directions: On Interstate 70, take Exit 161, go north to Williamsburg and at four way stop, go left (west) on Hwy. D for about 2.5 miles, then go left (south) on Hwy. D crossing over I-70. Continue south on Hwy. D for about 1.5 miles. Turn into the drive for the first house on the left; you will see a white house and a red and white barn.
Buckeye butterfly on rattlesnake master at Prairie Fork. Photo by Jeff Demand.
***SATURDAY, JUNE 18, 2011*** MPF EVENT
MPF 45th Anniversary Dinner with Dr. Kelly Kindscher
MPF turns 45 this year, and to celebrate, we are hosting a casual, ticketed dinner and glade hike in Kansas City's Swope Park. We are pleased to announce that Dr. Kelly Kindscher will be our special guest speaker. Dr. Kindscher, of the University of Kansas, is a noted ethnobotanist, author, and researcher with a wealth of prairie experience. Don't miss it!
Location: Lake of the Woods Lodge within Swope Park, 7310 Oakwood Drive, Kansas City, MO 64132
4:30PM: Guided hike at nearby Rocky Point Glade (park and meet at the lodge)
6:00PM: Social and refreshments at the Lodge
6:30PM: Casual dinner featuring Jack Stack barbecue served with sides, local breads, and locally grown salad greens. Vegetarian option available.
After-dinner talk by Dr. Kelly Kindscher. Sample teas brewed from plants of the prairie, as well!
Dinner cost per person: $25
RSVP by mailing payment by June 8 to Missouri Prairie Foundation, P.O. Box 200, Columbia, MO 65205-0200. Please provide your name(s), address, email address, phone number, and if you request a vegetarian entree (s).
Directions to Camp Lake of the Woods Dining Lodge: From Hwy. 71, head east on Gregory Blvd. Where Gregory turns left at the Lake of the Woods, veer right onto Oldham Road. From Interstate 435, take the Gregory Blvd. exit and head west for approximately 1 mile. Gregory will turn left at the Lake of the Woods and then turn a sharp right at the Oldham intersection. Take a left here onto Oldham. Continue for approximately 1/2 mile. The Camp entrance will be to the left, a little east of Shelter House 7. Go up the hill road, turn left, and keep going down this road to "Lake Lodge."
MPF thanks The Roasterie for donating coffee for the event, and Great Harvest Bread Company for donating locally made bread for the event.
NOW THRU JUNE 11, 2011
Wildlife Photography Exhibit by MPF Board Member Glenn Chambers
Enjoy the stunning wildlife photography of Glenn Chambers---renowned artist, filmmaker, and photographer, as well as MPF board member---on exhibit now at the Missouri State Historical Society, Hallway Gallery, Ellis Library, University of Missouri Campus, Columbia, Mo.
The exhibit features more than 40 wildlife photographs. The exhibit is free and open to the public during all opening hours at the Society: 8AM to 4:45PM Monday through Friday, and 8AM to 3:30PM Saturdays. The Society is on the ground floor of the East wing of Ellis Library on the University of Missouri Campus with entrances on Hitt St. and Lowry Mall.
Contact information: http://shs.umsystem.edu; phone: 573-882-7083
SATURDAY, JUNE 11, 2011
9AM TO 2PM, Lincoln University's Native Plant Outdoor Laboratory Inauguration in Marshall, Mo All are welcome to attend this free event!
The newly established Native Plant Outdoor Laboratory is a collaborative project between Lincoln University Cooperative Extension's Native Plant Program, the Nicholas Beazley Aviation Museum, Inc., the Martin Community Center, and the Missouri Department of Conservation with funding provided by the Buckner Foundation of Marshall, Missouri, and Lincoln Cooperative Extension. The Outdoor Laboratory is located at the Martin Community Center and Nicholas Beazley Aviation Museum, 1985 South Odell, Marshall, Mo, next to the Marshall Airport.
After the inauguration, garden tours, exhibits, and hands-on demonstrations will be offered and traditional El Salvadoran snacks will be available until 2:00PM. The demonstrations will include information about the value-added uses of Missouri native plants. The mission of the Outdoor Laboratory is to provide an accessible location for students, teachers, residents, and visitors to learn to identify native plants while at the same time provide a beautiful garden for the entire community to enjoy. Signage and publications will be available in English and Spanish.
For more information please contact Nadia Navarrete-Tindall at (573) 681-5392 or email Navarrete-TindallN @ LincolnU.edu (remove spaces) or Sue W. Bartelette at BarteletteW @ LincolnU.edu (remove spaces).
***FRIDAY, JUNE 3, 2011*** MPF EVENT
10AM to 4PM Educators’ Journaling Workshop at Golden Prairie. This is a FREE workshop. See The Missouri Prairie Journal, pg 27 for details.
Formal and informal educators are invited to register for this free workshop led by MPF technical advisor Jeff Cantrell: "In the Shadows of the Osage: An Educator Journaling Workshop," Golden Prairie, near Golden City in southwestern Missouri. Jeff will lead participants through the basics of nature journaling. Participants can then use journaling as a tool to investigate and explore Missouri prairie life, history, and management. The workshop is free to all educators, but registration is required. To register, contact Jeff Cantrell at 517-451-4158 or
jeff.cantrell @ mdc.mo.gov (remove spaces). If they wish, participants may camp out and stay on for MPF's Second Annual Prairie BioBlitz (see below).
***SATURDAY, JUNE 4 & 5, 2011***
Board Meetings
Golden Prairie, near Golden City. MPF’s 2nd Annual Prairie BioBlitz will be held at Golden Prairie this weekend as well. AGENDA
***SATURDAY & SUNDAY, JUNE 4 & 5, 2011*** MPF EVENT
2nd Annual Prairie BioBlitz at Golden Prairie
"These are the people I want to be around--these are people who care!" overheard at BioBlitz 2011
Free event—great for families, scouts, and nature enthusiasts of all ages!
AT PRAIRIE BIOBLITZ 2010, PARTICIPANTS UNCOVERED MORE THAN 240 SPECIES OF PLANTS AND ANIMALS, INCLUDING A STATE-LISTED RUSH PREVIOUSLY UNDOCUMENTED FROM PRAIRIES, MANY BLOOMING ORCHIDS, AND 20 SPECIES OF BUTTERFLIES.
See photos from BioBlitz 2010 HERE.
You are invited to participate in the Missouri Prairie Foundation’s Second Annual Prairie BioBlitz on June 4 and 5, 2011, at Golden Prairie near Golden City in Barton County. At this beautiful prairie—a National Natural Landmark—take part in intensive nature study with experts on mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles, bees, butterflies, moths, plants and more, and help inventory species on this 320-acre original prairie owned by the Missouri Prairie Foundation. An interest in nature is all that is required!
After a potluck picnic dinner, we’ll enjoy stargazing with a telescope and tent camping on the prairie. Additional surveying and inventory work will carry over on the morning of June 5.
What MPF provides: a big tent for eating under, chairs, tables, and portable toilets.
What you should bring: tent camping supplies, outdoor clothing, sunscreen, flashlight, field guides and camera if you wish; and drinking water, plates, utensils, and a dish to share at the potluck dinner. You may also want to bring food for breakfast on June 5 and snacks. A stove will be available for making coffee in the morning.
RSVP for the BioBlitz by emailing info @ moprairie.com (remove spaces) or calling 1-888-843-6739. When you RSVP, be sure to indicate which field study groups you want to join (one per time period, see the schedule below).
Directions to Golden Prairie: From Golden City, Mo., head south on Hwy. 37 for two miles, to County Road SE 90 Lane. Here, turn left (west) on County Road SE 90 Lane and go two and a half miles to the northeastern corner of Golden Prairie. Look for the big tent on the prairie. Parking is along the road.
Map of Golden Prairie.
When you RSVP, be sure to indicate which field study groups you want to join (one per time period, see schedule below).
Saturday, June 4, 2:00pm
Justin and Dana Thomas—vascular plants
Mike Arduser—native bees
Phil Koenig—butterflies and moths
Shelly Cox—true bugs
Ron Oesch—snails
Tom Priesendorf—aquatic invertebrates and fish
Saturday, June 4, 4:00pm
Set out small mammal traps with Debby Fantz
Saturday, June 4, after dark
Elizabeth Hamilton—bats
Nocturnal insects—various leaders
Sunday, June 5, 7:30am
Rochelle Renken—birds
Brian Greene—amphibians, reptiles
Debby Fantz—check small mammal traps
Nels Holmberg—bryophytes (mosses, liverworts, hornworts)
Sunday, June 5, 10:00am
Phil Koenig—butterflies (additional session, if there is interest)
***SECOND HALF OF MAY, FIRST HALF OF JUNE *** MPF EVENT
Mead’s milkweed survey on MPF prairies. MPF Board member Mike Skinner is organizing a group to survey for this federally listed plant. Email Mike Skinner mike.skinner6680 @ gmail.com (remove spaces) if you would like to participate or call 417-268-5704.
SATURDAY, MAY 21, 2011
Native Pollinators Workshop organized by Lincoln University’s Native Plant Program. Workshop will be held at the MU Southwest Research Center in Mount Vernon, Mo. Jennifer Hopwood with the Xerces Society to speak. Outing to Woods Prairie to follow. For details, call 573-681-5392. Flyer and Registration Form
SATURDAY, MAY 14, 2011
2 to 4PM Reception for Glenn Chambers
(Wildlife Photography Exhibit) State Historical Society of Missouri, Hitt Street at Lowry Mall, Ellis Library ground floor, University of Missouri-Columbia. FREE, open to the public, family friendly. No RSVP is necessary.
Evite HERE. Please share with friends and family by email using INVITE PEOPLE in the list on the right at the link
OR send the link:
http://www.socializr.com/event/711508121/576808992
Contact information: http://shs.umsystem.edu; phone: 573-882-7083
Join us to honor and learn from wildlife photographer Glenn Chambers. Internationally known, but perhaps more importantly, this artist enjoys a devoted fan following here in Missouri and has the respect of conservationists and naturalists throughout the Midwest. Wildlife Photography by Glenn Chambers will remain on exhibit through June 11.
Glenn Chambers has been photographing wildlife for over fifty years. His settings extend from his own backyard to the arctic north, and his subjects range from tiny hummingbirds to gigantic polar bears. After beginning his career as a biologist, his employers at the Missouri Department of Conservation recognized his talent as a photographer, and this talent allowed him to champion the Department’s objectives while exploring his own fascination with living things. Chambers sees beauty and drama in the everyday behaviors of animals, and his photographs often engage viewers’ imaginations, reflecting various aspects of the natural history of his subjects.
Always aware of conservation issues,Chambers often incorporates and emphasizes the natural habitats of the animals he photographs. This focus lets the artist not only represent the beauty of these landscapes, but also their significance. In some cases, both the animals and their habitats are disappearing, and Chambers’ photos allow his audience to become aware of these fragile ecosystems and appreciate their importance.
***SATURDAY, APRIL 23 & 30, 2011*** MPF EVENT
7AM to 1PM (both dates) MPF Annual Spring Plant Sale at Kansas City Market, City Market, 5th and Walnut, Kansas City. Purchase quality natives for your home landscaping and help MPF raise funds at the same time. Email MPF Vice President Doris Sherrick bdjdsher @ fairpoint.net (remove spaces) or
call 816-779-6708 if you can volunteer at the sale.
SATURDAY, APRIL 30, 2011
7AM Spring bird walk at the Prairie Garden Trust near New Bloomfield. MPF members are invited! To RSVP, email Henry Domke henry @ henrydomke.com (remove spaces).
SATURDAY, APRIL 16, 2011
Trip to Prairie Impressions Exhibit at the Beach Museum of Art in Manhattan, Kansas
The Print Society of the Nelson-Atkins Art Museum in Kansas City is
organizing a trip to the Beach Museum of Art in Manhattan, Kansas to visit the Prairie Impressions exhibit. Led by Bill North, senior curator, Beach Museum of Art. Free for Print Society members; $10 for nonmmembers. Meet at the Nelson-Atkins Museum at 9AM. Return will be late in the day. Contact the Nelson-Atkins Museum at 816.751.1278 to make a reservation and for more details.
SATURDAY, APRIL 9, 2011
10AM Free Guided hike to see the bison at Prairie State Park.
Be prepared for a long hike over rolling terrain. Weather can be highly variable. Call the park at 417-843-6711 to register for this free hike.
THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2011
8AM TO 3:30PM Missouri's Energy Future Conference
The Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry is organizing this conference in Jefferson City. Included in the topics to be addressed are environmental regulations and how they affect utilities, and renewable energy success stories. Prairie enthusiasts interested in promoting the bioenergy potential of native prairie plants, or who have concerns about how renewable energy sources could affect native grasslands may wish to attend the conference. Registration information and more details.
FRIDAY, APRIL 1, 2011
4PM A program entitled "Prairie Butterflies: their need for (and vulnerability to) Ecological Management" is planned at Missouri State University in Springfield. Ray Moranz, researcher at Oklahoma State University will present the program, which is free to the public. The program is part of the MSU Biology Department seminar series. Moranz plans to explain how experiments with ecologically designed disturbances such as grazing and fire affected native butterflies, including the regal fritillary. The lecture is reserved for Room 3 in Temple Hall at MSU. No RSVP is needed.
TUESDAY, MARCH 29, 2011
7:30 to 9:00pm "Patch-burn grazing: Is it right for Missouri's remaining high quality prairies?" This event is FREE.
Location: Living World building, St. Louis Zoo.
Free parking in the North parking lot
Part of the St. Louis Zoo lecture Series, this lecture will be delivered by Paul Nelson, Ecology and Land Management Planner with the U.S. Forest Service. Mr. Nelson will talk about the implementation of patch-burn grazing (a rotational system alternating grazers such as bison or cattle and the use of prescribed fire) on tallgrass prairies within Missouri, some of the last remaining fragments of a once-dominant ecosystem, and discusses some of the successes and dangers associated with this management practice. This program is presented as a joint venture between the St. Louis Zoo, Forest Park Forever, and the Missouri Native Plant Society.
FEBRUARY 28 TO MARCH 24, 2011
Exhibition of Prairie Plant Watercolors by George Olson
Artist to donate percentage of sale proceeds to MPF!
The George Caleb Bingham Gallery of the University of Missouri-Columbia will host an exhibition of watercolor paintings of prairie plants by the botanical artist George Olson. Mr. Olson's work has been exhibited at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History, the Phoenix Art Museum, the Missouri Botanical Garden, the Brooklyn Botanical Garden and many other venues. Reception on February 28, 5PM to 7PM.
Map and directions to gallery.
SATURDAY, MARCH 5, 2011
9AM to 2PM Workshop ~ Invasive and Nuisance Species
Burr Oak Woods Nature Center, Blue Springs, Missouri
Detailed schedule HERE. As the number of introductions of invasive plants and animals escalates, it will be essential that you are familiar with the most destructive. This workshop is designed for volunteers and will feature information on plants, insects, animals, mussels, etc.,that refuse to stay put. A $10 registration fee is required. Lunch will be provided. Deadline is February 23. For more info, please call Mark Van Patten at 573.522-4115 ext. 3892 or email Mark vanpatten @ mdc.mo.gov (remove spaces).
***SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2011*** MPF EVENT
1:30PM to 3PM MPF Member tour of the Missouri Botanical Garden’s world-renowned herbarium and library. This is a FREE walking tour. Join guides Dr. George Yatskievych, director of the Flora of Missouri Project, and librarian Doug Holland for a special tour emphasizing prairie plant specimens and prairie-related books. The Garden’s herbarium houses 6.2 million pressed plant specimens and the library nearly 200,000 items, including many rare books and
works of art. Don’t miss this tour with incredibly knowledgeable guides! Meet at the entrance to the Garden’s Monsanto Center, where the library and most of the herbarium collection are housed, at 4500 Shaw Avenue in St. Louis. The Monsanto Center is two blocks west of the main garden. Group is limited to 50 (half will visit the herbarium and half the library, then switch). RSVP HERE or 573-356-7828.
***FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2011*** MPF EVENT
4:30PM Short-Eared Owl Hike with Naturalist and MPF Technical Advisor Jeff Cantrell at Shawnee Trail Conservation Area in Barton County near Mindenmines. This is a FREE hike. Meet at the Conservation Area. To register, call Jeff at 417-629-3423 or email here or here. Upon registration, Jeff can confirm details and a carpooling option from Joplin.
***SATURDAY, JANUARY 29, 2011*** MPF EVENT
10AM MPF Winter Board Meeting; Boone County Historical Society,
3801 Ponderosa St., Columbia, MO 65201. Phone: (573) 443-8936.
MPF members are invited to attend the first quarterly board meeting of 2011. Questions about the meeting? Contact Carol Davit or 573-356-7828.
SATURDAY, JANUARY 29, 2011
9AM Lichen Glade Work Day
Join Missouri Master Naturalists to help restore this Nature Conservancy-owned glade. Volunteers with an interest in glade restoration and a good pair of gloves are needed to cut oak sprouts on this 34-acre Missouri Natural Area 6 miles of Osceola on Hwy. B in St. Clair County.
PROVIDED: herbicide, loppers, water. A warm, hearty meal will be served to volunteers. RSVP HERE. More information about Lichen Glade and a map.
***THURSDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2010*** MPF EVENT
9AM to 12PM Work Day at Prairie Fork Expansion Area and the adjacent Prairie Fork Conservation Area in Callaway County
(rain/snow date Thursday, December 16)
Work may include fence removal, broadcast seeding, transplanting, and invasive plant removal. Wear protective clothing and bring gloves. Tools will be provided. We’ll have a potluck lunch inside following the work; bring a dish or sandwich fixings to share. RSVP HERE or 1-888-843-6739 so we know how many to expect, can give directions, and contact you in case of adverse weather.
Volunteers at the 2009 Prairie Fork Work Day cut brush, mixed seed and enjoyed a potluck lunch.
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2010 - THIS WORKSHOP IS FILLED. Please see February 11 for another of Jeff's Workshops.
9AM to 12PM Raptors Workshop led by Naturalist and MPF Technical Advisor Jeff Cantrell. This FREE workshop on the natural history and identification of raptors, is for novice birders and will be held at Prairie State Park. Meet at the Prairie State Park Visitor’s Center. Bring a sack lunch if you want to eat on-site. Space is limited so please register early. Open to all beginning birders or anyone who wants to brush up on their birds of prey. Jeff is an active member of HawkWatch International and will be using some of their education materials. A bonus for those who are interested: Jeff will go to a nearby conservation area that day to view short eared owls at 4:30PM.
To register, send contact information to Jeff Cantrell: office 417-629-3423; home: 417-476-3311; or jeff.cantrell@mdc.mo.gov. Jeff will then send registrants confirmation notices.
***SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2010*** MPF EVENT
1pm-4pm MPF workday at Jerry Smith Park prairie in Kansas City
(rain/snow date Saturday, November 20)
MPF members and other volunteers can help improve this original prairie remnant gem by removing invasive shrubs and trees to help the prairie plants thrive. This workday is held in partnership with Kansas City WildLands. Meet at the Jerry Smith Park entrance, 1PM. Wear protective clothing and sturdy shoes. Please bring work gloves, loppers, hand tools and a refillable water bottle if you have them; extra gloves and tools will be available on site.
A brief presentation about this prairie and other natural communities of the Upper Blue River Conservation Opportunity Area will precede the work.
Volunteers at this special workday will receive a free MPF tote bag, a copy of the Kansas City WildLands book and other information about the Upper Blue River Conservation Opportunity Area.
If you have questions and to RSVP please call or write to Linda Lehrbaum, Kansas City WildLands manager, 816-561-1061 x116 or Linda@bridgingthegap.org.
Weather Advisory: If the temperature is below 28 degrees F or there is snow or rain on Saturday, November 13, please call 816-561-1061 x116 or email linda@bridgingthegap.org after 10 am that day. THERE WILL BE AN AUTOMATED RESPONSE IF THE WORKDAY IS POSTPONED. No automated response means the workday is on. (rain/snow date Saturday, November 20)
Directions: Take I-435 to Holmes Road. Proceed south on Holmes to 139th Street (immediately south of the Blue River bridge). Turn left (east) on 139th Street. The Jerry Smith Park entrance is 0.75 mile on the left. See a map and more information about Jerry Smith Park.
We look forward to working with you on the restoration Jerry Smith Park prairie. The work we do in November will help this original prairie thrive for years to come.
(The Nov. 13 Jerry Smith Park prairie workday is separate from the Kansas City WildLands Annual Honeysuckle Battle on Nov. 6, to be held on Jerry Smith Park prairie and four other Kansas City WildLands sites.)
Two of the many volunteers who helped cut honeysuckle and had fun at the
2009 work day at Jerry Smith Park prairie.
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2010
5:30PM-9:00pm 2010 Whitney and Anna Harris Conservation Forum
MPF and other conservation organizations will be represented with informational booths at the 2010 Whitney and Anna Harris Conservation Forum, at the Shoenberg Auditorium and Ridgway Center, 4344 Shaw Boulevard, Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis.
This year's forum program is "Global Climate Change: Impacts on Wildlife and Human Society."
Dr. Stephen Jackson, Professor of Botany, University of Wyoming
"Ecological and societal consequences of climate change: Forecasts from the past"
Dr. Patricia Parker, E. Desmond Lee Professor in Zoological Studies
Department of Biology, University of Missouri-St. Louis
"Public health and climate change: Who, when, and where?"
Dr. Lea-Rachel Kosnik, Department of Economics, University of Missouri-St. Louis "The two most important economic implications of climate change"
Dr. David Robertson, Department of Political Science, University of Missouri-St. Louis "Why is it so difficult for the American government to deal with climate change?"
Forum co-sponsors: Whitney R. Harris World Ecology Center, University of Missouri-St. Louis, Saint Louis Zoo, Missouri Botanical Garden and Academy of Science-St. Louis
OCTOBER 26-29, 2010
37th Annual National Natural Areas Conference in Missouri
This annual national conference brings together natural area conservation professionals, students and other dedicated, passionate conservationists.
There will be a special MPF-cosponsored Prairie Ecology and Management workshop on Oct. 27 and a guided prairie field trip on Oct. 28. Visit the conference web site for full details.
Workshop speakers include:
Patch-Burn Grazing & Grassland Conservation--Samuel Fuhlendorf, Oklahoma State University
Nesting Ecology of Grassland Birds--James Herkert, Illinois Dept. of Natural Resources
Prairie Plant Ecology--Kevin James, National Park Service
Mead's Milkweed Occurrence & Management--Emily Horner, biologist
Hydrology & Water Quality Characteristics of Tallgrass vs. Agricultural Soils--David Heimann, USGS
Prairie Invertebrate Ecology and Management--James Trager, Shaw Nature Reserve
***SUNDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2010*** MPF EVENT
1PM to 4PM Photography Show at Prairie Star Restoration Farm
MPF Board Member Jan Sassman and her husband Bruce invite MPF members to enjoy a Photography Art Show at their 120-acre Prairie Star Restoration Farm outside of Bland, Mo. See the work of photographers who participated in this summer's Prairie Star Restoration Farm Invitational Photography Challenge.
Enjoy the show, reception, and wine and cheese tasting.
Event sponsored by Quail Forever.
Directions: Find your way to Highway 28 and Bland or Belle. Halfway between the two towns is blacktop State Road NN. The road travels north. Take NN for 1.9 miles to the first gravel road on the right. Turn right on County Road 741 and travel a short 1.2 miles to green metal gates at the Prairie Star Farm Barn driveway. Address is 117 Osage County Road 741. For more information call Jan at 573-368-1827.
***SATURDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2010*** MPF EVENT
2nd Annual Missouri Prairie Foundation & Audubon Missouri Cole Camp Prairie Day Reception
You are invited to the 2nd Annual Cole Camp Prairie Day Reception at a private prairie outside of Cole Camp on Saturday, October 9 at 5PM. Enjoy complimentary wine and cheese and enjoy classical music from the Prairie Strings Quartet.
You are also invited to take part in the following on October 9:
2pm Wagon Ride / Prairie Tour with prairie owner Dr. Wayne Morton
4:30PM MPF Annual Meeting AGENDA
Audubon Missouri and the City of Cole Camp have organized a number of Prairie Day activities, coinciding with Cole Camp’s Oktoberfest, on Saturday, October. 9. Their schedule and related map (note that the "Walking Tour 2PM and Wagon Rides 3PM at Dr. Wayne Morton’s Prairie” on the schedule has been combined into a Wagon Ride/Prairie Tour at 2PM).
Camping on Dr. Morton's prairie is available as well. There is no organized pot luck dinner following the reception; you may wish to bring dinner with you or eat in town if you wish to stay and camp Saturday night.
Cole Camp is approximately 20 miles south of Sedalia. To reach the
reception from Cole Camp, take Hwy. 52 west and go 0.75 mile west. Turn north (right) on Klink Road (gravel) at the propane distributor. Go 1.5 miles and turn west (left) on Hi Lonesome Road. Go 0.5 mile to a gate on the south side of the road. Watch for signs and the big tent.
***SUNDAY, OCTOBER 10, 2010*** MPF EVENT
9AM MPF Board of Directors meeting the same location AGENDA
A few of the many guests who enjoyed the 2009 Cole Camp Prairie Day Reception.
OCTOBER 5 - 8, 2010
7th Eastern Native Grass Symposium Flyer (PDF)
“Native Grasses on Working and Natural Landscapes”
Knoxville Marriott Hotel, Knoxville, TN
The Eastern Native Grass Symposium features a special emphasis on working landscapes that will include sessions on biofuels, ecosystem restoration, forage, seed production/landscaping, land reclamation (mines, landfills, etc.) wildlife management and other topics of interest for native grasses in the eastern United States and Canada.
Several field trips are being planned to sites in East Tennessee that will include the recently completed cellulosic biofuels production facility, the first of its kind in the United States, associated biomass production fields (switchgrass), forage production fields, the largest oak savannah restoration project east of the Mississippi, a pine savannah restoration site, wildlife management areas, and more.
The symposium will be held in downtown Knoxville,Tennessee at the Knoxville Marriott. You may register on-line and click on the links named “Native Grass Symposium” and “Register On-Line Now.” Rates will go up after August 25. A credit card is required to register on-line. If you would prefer to pre-register using a check, you may do so by sending your payment, along with a printed registration form (see above link to obtain a copy) to: Eastern Native Grass Symposium Registration, Attn: Lisa Cashion, 2431 Joe Johnson Drive, Rm 274 EPSB, Knoxville, TN 37996-4563
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2010
10AM TO 4PM Prairie Day Shaw Nature Reserve, Gray Summit MO
Enjoy this popular, biennial event near St. Louis!
COST: $3 Missouri Botanical Garden members and Shaw Nature Reserve passholders; $5 nonmembers; $1 for children 12 and under
Hitch up the wagons and head out to Prairie Day at Shaw Nature Reserve in Gray Summit. This fun-filled family event portrays prairie heritage through activities and demonstrations, and showcases the Reserve’s 250-acre re-created tall grass prairie. Hike with a naturalist through the prairie to learn about prairie life, check out the teepee, play pioneer games, listen to a live band, and watch weavers, spinners and other craft demonstrations.
Some of the exhibits include mammals, reptiles and amphibians, and insects. Living history characters will re-enact the lives of early prairie inhabitants. An archaeologist and a flint-knapper will display and interpret artifacts of prairie life. Native plant nurseries will sell wildflowers and seeds.
Hungry? Visit the concessions to purchase bison burgers, homemade baked goods, root beer, and kettle corn. Come join the fun!
SPONSORS: Missouri Department of Conservation, Shaw Nature Reserve
Shaw Nature Reserve of the Missouri Botanical Garden, in Gray Summit, Mo., is located south of Interstate 44 at exit #253; watch for signs to the designated parking area. INFO: (636) 451-3512
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2010
10AM to 2PM IN TOUCH WITH NATURE FIELD DAY IN JEFFERESON CITY
Come out to Lincoln University's Busby Farm and enjoy native plant garden tours, farm animal petting zoo, fish i.d., wagon tours, and more!
Lincoln University Cooperative Extension invites you to attend its third annual field day at Alan T. Busby Farm located on Goller Rd. off US-54 W, 5 minutes from Jefferson City.
Great for families! Presenters include LU staff/faculty, Missouri Department of Conservation, MU-Extension, and others local groups. During this field day visit exhibits, get involved with hands-on demonstrations, and take part of walking or wagon tours.
Activities include native plant garden tours, dutch-oven cooking demonstrations and food tasting, storytelling, pet zoo with chicken, goats and sheep, mini-pet zoo with amphibians and fish, insect id, and more. Learn about prairie and woodland native plants beneficial for pollinators and other wildlife. Environmental education activities will be offered for children.For more information about this event and if you or your group are interested in having an exhibit please contact Nadia Navarrete-Tindall or Kathy Wildhaber.
Directions to the farm: From Columbia, head on US-63, merge onto US-54 W/US-63 S via the ramp to Jefferson City. Continue to follow US-54 W for 7.9 miles, after passing Neighorn creek, take the left side of the road on a long hill, turn left just at the crest of the road on Monticello Rd. (opposite small Phillips gas station) and right on Goller Rd. Once on Goller Rd. look for signs and balloons.
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2010
10AM to 4PM Biennial Prairie Jubilee Event ~ FREE!
Prairie State Park 128 NW 150th Lane, Mindenmines MO (Barton County)
Enjoy many activities on Missouri's largest publicly owned, original prairie--almost 4,000 acres!
Enjoy many prairie-related stations, demonstrations and activities, including: Living History Loop, Historic Children's Games, Bison Tours, Civil War Drill Stations, Nerf Cannon Demonstration, Period Music, Bison Chip Throwing Contest, Native Plants for Sale, One-Room School, BBQ Bison Lunch, Face Painting, and an Indian Flute Demonstration. For more information contact the park at (417) 843-6711.
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2010
Overnight campout on the prairie
call (417) 843-6711 or email prairie.state.park@dnr.mo.gov
Prairie State Park 128 NW 150th Lane, Mindenmines MO
*****AUGUST 1-31, 2010*****
Global Fayre Fundraiser for MPF
Global Fayre is a fair trade gift store at 324 S. Campbell, Springfield MO and is offering 10% of sale proceeds to MPF, including in-store and on-line purchases. Free shipping!
HOURS:
Tuesday through Thursday 10AM to 6PM
Friday and Saturday 10AM to 7PM
Phone: 417-873-9792; info@globalfayre.com
FRIDAY, AUGUST 27 & SATURDAY, AUGUST 28, 2010
MoBCI Conference; Conference theme: How does climate impact birds and "weather" we can make a difference. 
The Missouri Bird Conservation Initiative, of which MPF is a member, will hold its annual conference in Columbia, MO, August 27 and 28. The conference focus is on climate change and effects on birds; speakers include University of Missouri Climatologist Pat Guinan and Greg Butcher, Director of Bird Conservation for the National Audubon Society. For a complete conference schedule Missouri Bird Conservation Initiative.
***FRIDAY, AUGUST 20, 2010***
Dinner to honor MPF Co-Founder Bill Crawford and to benefit MPF.
All MPF members and supporters are invited to honor the work of Bill Crawford at this dinner to be held in Columbia. Bill co-founded MPF in 1966 and is a 43-year veteran of the Missouri Department of Conservation, where he served as chief of wildlife research for 30 years.
Also an accomplished historian, Bill continues to be a driving force behind the museum of the Boone County, Missouri, Historical Society. He has many stories to share about managing and protecting prairie wildlife in Missouri-and he promises to read from Washington Irving's 'A Tour of the Prairies', published in 1835.
Please join the fellowship of prairie and wildlife enthusiasts from around the state, enjoy dinner, celebrate Bill's August birthday, honor his life's work, and benefit the prairie protection work of the Missouri Prairie Foundation.
Location: Peachtree Banquet Center, 120 E. Nifong, Suite D, Columbia
Directions: South side of Columbia, just west of the Nifong and Providence intersection. Drive west from Providence on Nifong and turn left just before the Breaktime Gas Station. The banquet facility is on the right side of the street in Peachtree Plaza.
Meat and vegetarian entrees will be served.
Tickets are $45 per person and include drinks. Mail checks to:
Missouri Prairie Foundation
P.O. Box 200
Columbia, MO 65205
If you can not attend, you can still support MPF by sending a special donation to the address above in honor of Bill.
FRIDAY, AUGUST 13, 2010
8:30AM to 3PM Native Pollinators Workshop, Columbia, Mo. Participants will be introduced to native bee identification and learn how to create habitat using native plants at Bradford Farm. Contact Nadia Navarette-Tindall or call 573-681-5392 for more information.
Organized by Lincoln University with participation from MPF, the Xerces Society University of Missouri, Mo. Dept of Conservation, Mo. Native Seed Association.
***SATURDAY, AUGUST 7, 2010***
1:15 TO 3:15pm; Learn about butterflies and walk through the wetlands, woodland, forest and reconstructed prairie of the Prairie Garden Trust in New Bloomfield. 
Join leader Donna Brunet for a 1- to 2-hour butterfly walk (Slow pace on fairly level ground) at MPF members Henry and Lorna Domke's Prairie Garden Trust in New Bloomfield, south of Fulton and north of Jefferson City. View 51 butterfly photos that Henry has taken in the last three months. To RSVP and for directions, contact Henry or call 573-295-6349.
SATURDAY, AUGUST 7, 2010
Nature & Agriculture in the City
Learn how to integrate prairie plants in urban agriculture in the heart of Kansas City.
The Native Plants Program at Lincoln University invites you to attend its second annual "Nature and Agriculture in the City" field day located at 4233 Forest Avenue, Kansas City, MO.
This event is open and free to everyone. Presenters from Lincoln University and the University of Missouri will have exhibits and offer hands-on demonstrations. During this field day visit a work-in-progress garden for native pollinators and other wildlife, established with Missouri prairie species.
Topics to be discussed include fall gardening, food preservation, making cordage with native plants, raising chickens, composting, natural dyes, creating habitat for pollinators, and more. Volunteers will prepare recipes with fresh produce for visitors to taste.
A special program prepared in collaboration with the Missouri Prairie Foundation, the Center for Equitable Education (CEED), and K.C. Wildlands will teach students and other visitors about careers in natural resources and agriculture.
For more information about this event, please contact Nadia Navarrete-Tindall. The day of the event call 573-289-2018. Parking is available for visitors on Forest Avenue.
SATURDAY, AUGUST 7, 2010
Wildflower Hike Prairie State Park 128 NW 150th Lane, Mindenmines MO
FRIDAY, AUGUST 6, 2010
Downtown Friday Art Walk
Global Fayre will participate in the Art Walk. MPF board member and photographer Glenn Chambers will be in person at the store, and a display of his prairie grouse images will be on exhibit through the month.
TUESDAY, AUGUST 3, 2010
National Prairie Park for Kansas?
Free meeting presented by Kansas City Star Journalist and Editorial Board member Matt Schofield
Discovery Center, 4750 Troost, Kansas City
MPF members and others interested in prairies are invited to attend the Thomas Hart Benton Group of the Sierra Club August 3 General Meeting program featuring "Kansas Needs a National Prairie Park" presented by Matt Schofield.
In 1987, two Rutgers University researchers ignited a prairie fire by suggesting much of the high plains, including a large swath of Kansas farmland, should be returned to its natural state-what they called a Buffalo Commons. The idea, which envisioned parts of ten prairie states being transformed into a massive short-grass prairie national park, was derided as impractical, impossible and un-American. It was called city-logic. Farmers questioned why the Easterners hadn't suggested returning New York City to its wild roots. But in the decades since, the population decline that spurred the plan not only continued, but accelerated. The already-stressed Ogallala Aquifer, the sole source of water for much of the region, has dried up faster than anticipated. Irrigated farmland has become dry, low-production farmland. Local economies of the high plains have dwindled. Today, Buffalo Commons-far from threatening an iconic American lifestyle-may instead be a savior to the region. Which is why The Star has a suggestion: A new national park in Western Kansas.
During 26 years as a journalist, speaker Matt Schofield has reported in more than 60 countries, from Iraq to Mozambique, Cambodia to Canada. But the Buffalo Commons issue to especially close to his heart. After years traveling and writing about the region, he came to think about the dwindling Tall Grass Prairie, and the dwindling lifestyles available to those living on the high plains. Matt Schofield joined the paper in 1984 and has served as a regional correspondent, senior writer, war correspondent, foreign correspondent based in Berlin and deputy national editor. A 1983 journalism graduate of the University of Kansas, he is a former Harvard University Nieman Fellow. He is a recent addition to The Star's Editorial Board.
AUGUST 1–5, 2010
The 22nd North American Prairie Conference will be held at the University of Northern Iowa. The conference organizers invite prairie professionals and enthusiasts to experience the Iowa prairies, the Cedar Falls metro area, University of Northern Iowa and the Tallgrass Prairie Center. In keeping with the conference theme, “Restoring a National Treasure,” there will be opportunities to observe prairie restorations and reconstructions. Participants will be able to discuss the latest prairie research, explore remnant and restored prairies on field trips, and view local and national exhibits. For more information and to register, visit North American Prairie Conference.
***SATURDAY , JULY 31, 2010***
MPF Board Meeting & Tour
Mystic Plains Conservation Opportunity Area
MPF's Runge Prairie, Adair County
MPF Meeting Agenda for July 31 2010 (PDF)
The tour will include a visit to the prairie pictured above, an original, privately owned prairie in Adair County. Photo by Frank Oberle.
All MPF members are invited to the summer MPF Board of Directors' meeting at 9AM at Runge Prairie. Members are welcome to tent camp on the prairie Friday and Saturday night (but be advised that the terrain is steep), or may wish to camp at nearby Thousand Hills State Park.
At 1PM, John Murphy, Private Lands Conservationist with the Missouri Department of Conservation, will lead a driving tour from Runge Prairie to restored and/or reconstructed prairie projects in the area.
Directions to Runge Prairie: From Kirksville, take US 63 South to Hwy. 11. Follow Hwy. 11 west for 5 to 7 miles and then turn north on High Ridge. (If you pass Highway Y, you've gone too far.) Go about a mile on High Ridge; it will "T" at Timber View. Turn right (east) on Timber View. Runge Prairie is approximately 1.2 mi on south side.
SATURDAY, JULY 24 & SUNDAY, JULY 25, 2010
Butterfly Festival at Close Memorial/Nathanael Greene Park in Springfield. Enjoy educational classes on the butterfly life cycle, photography, and activities for children, including a caterpillar petting zoo. MPF and other nonprofit organizations will provide educational materials.
FRIDAY, JULY 23, 2010 & SATURDAY, JULY 31, 2010
Explorer Day Camp Preregistration is required
call (417) 843-6711 or email prairie.state.park@dnr.mo.gov
Prairie State Park 128 NW 150th Lane, Mindenmines MO
SATURDAY, June 5 & JULY 3, 2010
Wildflower Hike, Prairie State Park,128 NW 150th Lane, Mindenmines MO
***SATURDAY, JUNE 19, 2010***
Prairie Photography Workshop with Photographer and MPF Member Henry Domke at the Prairie Garden Trust in New Bloomfield. Join acclaimed photographer Henry Domke for a walk through the reconstructed prairie at the Prairie Garden Trust in Callaway County and learn prairie photography tips. This event is geared to amateur photographers, but participants should be very familiar with their camera equipment. (Henry recommends reading camera owner's manuals again before the workshop.) Bring a sack lunch and eat on site following the walk if you wish. Henry's photography
***SATURDAY, JUNE 19, 2010***
Botany Walk at Wayne Morton’s Prairie with the Osage Plains Missouri Native Plant Society Chapter, just outside Cole Camp. MPF board member Wayne Morton’s 400-acre prairie just across the road from Hi Lonesome Prairie outside of Cole Camp, Missouri, will be the site for this botany walk. Meet at the library in Clinton at 9 am and carpool or meet on site at 10 am To reach the prairie from Cole Camp (Cole Camp is approximately 20 miles south of Sedalia), take Hwy. 52 west and go .75 mile. Turn north (right) on Klink Road (gravel) at the propane distributor. Go 1.5 miles and turn west (left) on Hi Lonesome Road. Go .5 mile to a gate on the south side of the road. Many members of the group will eat lunch together in Cole Camp following the walk.
SATURDAY, JUNE 5, 2010
Frisco Highline Trail Widflower Ride through MPF's La Petite Gemme Natural Area. Join the Polk County Bike Club and Ozark Greenways to celebrate National Trails Day. The 35-mile trail is the second longest rail trail in Missouri, connecting Bolivar to Springfield and passing through the 37-acre prairie gem. A variety of bicycling distances will be available, and the trail is suited for all ages and cycling abilities. Join the fun, see the sights, and find the wildflowers. Registration fee: $25 pre-registration on-line or by mail or $30 day of the ride, however, additional donations are greatly appreciated. Proceeds benefit Ozark Greenways Frisco Highline Trail maintenance. For details and updates, visit Ozark Greenways, which is organizing the event. Frisco Highline Trail
SATURDAY, JUNE 5, 2010
A Day With Natives Native plant workshop. See how natives can be used for sustainable wildlife habitat, landscaping, and grazing operations. Map to Hamilton's
***SATURDAY, JUNE 5, 2010***
Guided Hike of Valley View Glades Natural Area with Bill Davit.
Join MPF board member Bill Davit for a walk through this 225-acre glade in Jefferson County is owned by the Missouri Department of Conservation. Glade coneflower (Echinacea simulata), Missouri evening primrose, and other wildflowers should be at peak blooming. Bring a sack lunch if you want to eat on site following the walk. Consult a map to the area.
***SATURDAY, JUNE 5, 2010***
Dedication of Jerry Smith Park Prairie trail in Kansas City
All MPF members and supporters are invited to the dedication of a hiking trail in this oringinal remnant prairie within the city limits of Kansas City. MPF produced and helped fund interpretive panels for the trail, and has also helped eradicate invasive plants for several years at this urban prairie owned by Kansas City Parks and Recreation. Watch e-news for more details later in the month.
Location: Trailhead at South entrance of JSP, off of 139th Street, just West of Prospect. Entrance is signed.
***SATURDAY, MAY 29, 2010***
Quarterly MPF Board of Directors Meeting at Penn-Sylvania Prairie
***SATURDAY, MAY 29 - SUNDAY, MAY 30, 2010***
Penn-Sylvania Prairie BioBlitz Detailed Schedule (flyer)
Picnic and Campout; This is a FREE event.
Across the country, nature lovers and professional biologists are teaming up to identify as many species as possible (the "bio") in an area over the course of 24 hours (the "blitz"). MPF is hosting our own version. Join experts in many natural history fields to study, locate, identify and document prairie amphibians, reptiles, birds, ants, butterflies, moths, bees, beetles, small mammals including bats, land snails, vascular plants, mosses and liverworts on this biologically rich, original Missouri 160-acre prairie owned by MPF in Dade County.
***SUNDAY, MAY 23, 2010***
Bird Walk & Botany Walk with Dr. Paul McKenzie, biologist with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, at Tingler Prairie Conservation Area. Not only is Dr. McKenzie an expert on birds, but also sedges and many other plant groups. Meet Paul at the parking lot of Tingler Prairie Natural Area in Howell County. This is the only publicly owned prairie in the lower Ozarks, and has a hiking trail system. The area protects of 10-acre wet mesic prairie natural community, a shallow marsh and a five-acre sinkhole pond (Tingler Lake) with its associated plant community, including the state endangered waterleaf. The wet mesic prairie is the site of two varieties of the state endangered green orchid and numerous sedge species. The shallow marsh is also an unusual plant community for the region.
***FRIDAY, MAY 14, 2010***
MPF Float Trip on the Jacks Fork
Join MPF President Stan Parrish on a 20-mile float from Buck Hollow to Alley Spring. Enjoy this beautiful stream bordered by cliffs that provide habitat for many species of prairie plants.
***SATURDAY, APRIL 17 & 24, 2010***
MPF Spring Plant Sale at Kansas City Market
5th and Walnut, Kansas City. Purchase quality natives for your home landscaping and help MPF raise funds at the same time.
SATURDAY, APRIL 10, 2010
Bison Hike, Prairie State Park, 128 NW 150th Lane, Mindenmines MO
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 24, 2010
Dr. Wes Jackson will speak at the Linda Hall Library (5109 Cherry Street, Kansas City) Free and open to the public. Dr. Jackson is president of The Land Institute in Salina, Kansas. The purpose of the institute is to develop an agricultural system with the ecological stability of the prairie and a grain yield comparable to that from annual crops. Among his many awards, Dr. Jackson received the Right Livelihood Award in 2000, considered by some to be the "alternative Nobel prize." His lecture topic will be "We Can Now Solve the Oldest Environmental Problem." Sponsored by the Friends of the Linda Hall Library.
***SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2010***
Exclusive Tour of KU Ornithology Collection, Lawrence, Kansas. 10am MPF member Mark Robbins, ornithology collections manager of the University of Kansas Natural History Museum, offers MPF members a behind the-scenes tour of the museum’s ornithology collection. The collection houses more than 100,000 specimen birds from around the world, including extensive collections from the Great Plains, Southwestern U.S., Mexico and South America. Don’t miss this opportunity to tour the collection with Mark as your guide. Limited to 20. Meet in at the Visitor Services Desk on the 4th floor of the Natural History Museum, Dyche Hall, 1345 Jayhawk Blvd., Lawrence, KS 66045. directions.
***JANUARY 29 & 30, 2010 & FEBRUARY 26 & 27, 2010***
Landscape Design with Missouri in Mind
If you want to learn how to use native plants to improve your landscape and create habitat for desirable wildlife, you’ll want to reserve a spot at Landscape Design with Missouri in Mind, a day-long workshop offered January 29 and 30, 2010 at the Rolla Technical School in Rolla, and February 26 and 27, 2010 at University of Central Missouri – Warrensburg.
Keynote speaker Dave Tylka is an expert on using native plants to beautify property and attract wildlife. His book, Native Landscaping for Wildlife and People, gives step-by-step instructions for integrating native plants into yards and small acreages. Tylka’s approach to using native plants is practical and systematic, an approach that will appeal to landscape professionals and home gardeners alike.
Other workshop sessions include an introduction to natural habitats, how to put the right plant in the right place, how to reconstruct a prairie and how to select the best native trees for a landscape. During the final session attendees will have the opportunity to put what they have learned into practice.
Landscape Design with Missouri in Mind is sponsored by Grow Native!, a joint program of Missouri Department of Conservation and Missouri Department of Agriculture, along with the Rolla Technical Center and University of Central Missouri.
To learn more about the workshop, and to register, click on the respective location link. Page one is the agenda, page two is the registration form.
Rolla:
http://grownative.org/documents/GNLDMMRolla.pdf
information about the Rolla area
Warrensburg:
http://grownative.org/documents/GNLDMMWarrensburg.pdf
information about the Warrensburg area