Year: 2025

“The Naturalist’s Toolkit” “The Naturalist’s Toolkit” theme will help give our chapter a shared focus for 2026. We hope to create a more connected and intentional experience for all members with a theme that will be used as a guide for planning our chapter meeting topics and beyond. We hope this theme can help spark…

By JL Johnson 2021 On Saturday, November 15 Linda Lehrbaum and I aided in the burning of what might have been the smallest “full treatment” prescribed burn in the KC area. The prairie restoration in our targets was roughly the size of a suburban backyard. No less, KC Wildlands volunteers received a full safety briefing…

By Jim Hinds 2017 On November 1, the 2025 class of Osage Trails Master Naturalist trainees graduated to becoming interns.  The students and their capstone projects of the class of 2025 are: Alanna Treu – Loess Bluffs honeysuckle management Alex Gareis – KCP&R native landscaping Amelia McDaniel – HTA education tree walk Briana Anderson –…

Capstone Project report By Jim Brady The alarm goes off at 3:15 and with a shower and travel mug of coffee, I’m headed north to be at Dunn Ranch by 6:15 am. I am participating in a Prairie Chicken Lek Survey. This cooperative work between the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Missouri Department of Conservation…

On April 24, Frances Cain (2015) was presented with the Conservation Educator of the Year award at the  Jackson County Parks + Recreation Volunteer Appreciation Dinner. Frances was recognized for her fabulous efforts as chapter liaison to Kemper OutdoorEducation Center. In this picture, Frances stands between Sarah Gauld and Michelle Newman from the parks department.

Capstone Project Report By Jenna Wilkins 2024 For our Missouri Master Naturalist capstone project, Chhaya Kolavalli and I organized a volunteer workday at Jerry Smith Remnant Prairie to remove invasive species, particularly bush honeysuckle and Callery pear. Our partner organization was KC WildLands, who has led efforts to restore the 40 acres of prairie since…

By JL Johnson (2021) Nesting season is upon us, which means our chapter’s newly formed Project NestWatch Team is excited to tackle the first of what could be many projects for 2025, and beyond. On Saturday, 3/15 a few members of the newly formed team (formerly referred to as taskforce) ventured out to explore the…

MDC’s Online Field Guide: Spotted salamanders are considered abundant in Missouri but are rarely seen. Found in forested areas in the southern two-thirds of the state, they spend most of their lives hidden under logs, rocks, leaves, or inside the burrows of small mammals. On warm, rainy nights in late winter and early spring, these…

By Chhaya Kolavalli (2024) My partner and I just got back from 3+ weeks on my family farm in India. We saw 79 species of birds, including an Indian Roller, and a Scaly Breasted Munia.