- 2026 Chapter Theme
“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 ideas, encourage participation, and prompt collaboration by providing a springboard from which we can delve into the topics in a cohesive, albeit interesting way.
Our topics will be centered around the tools we use, skills we develop, knowledge we build upon, and equipment on which we rely as naturalists. Our goal is for this theme to celebrate growth and practical capability by helping members feel confident and equipped in the field and community by providing ways to explore our understanding and share with others.
Theme highlights (these are examples, actual program topics may be different):
Skills-
actions we perform as naturalists
Identification (plants, birds, trees, fungi, etc)
Nature journaling (recording observations, sketches, notes)
Recognizing ecological patterns
Reading tracks and signs
Knowledge-
foundation that informs our actions as naturalists
Local ecological challenges and stewardship needs
Conservation principles and restoration practices
Wildlife needs and behavior
Tools & technology-
resources that help us expand our knowledge and skills
Field guides
Apps
Gear and equipment essentials and how to use
Practices-
intentional ways we apply our skills and knowledge into meaningful action
Citizen science projects
Public outreach (interpretation, building awareness)
Ethical engagement and land stewardship (minimizing disturbance, leaving no trace, appropriate harvesting)
- A Burning Desire for Native Prairies
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 and overview of safe burning practices from Hunter Moore, KCWL program manager. The local fire department had a pumper on standby, and the sheriff’s department sent a deputy to observe. The formality was welcomed because even small fires can get out of hand without proper planning and care.
The area to be burned had built-in firebreaks including a parking lot which circled on three sides. The remaining area featured a rock formation perfectly situated to provide a natural break.
We began with a backing fire (into the wind) and the ignition plan seemed similar to ring head. The northeast corner featured a steep incline into the wind which gave a brief but intense flare up in the direction of already spent fuel.
With our native warm season grasses (NWSG) now dormant there are sure to be a number opportunities to lend a hand. No experience is necessary, but MDC does offer a great training course (eligible for ADV) through their partner Hunter-Ed: http://short.mdc.mo.gov/ZoU. If you’d like to get on KCWL’s email list, send Hunter a note at hunter.moore@bridgingthegap.org and tell him you’re a MMN.
- New Master Naturalists for 2025
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 – HTA champion tree photography
Danny Cady – Lakeside tree Information signage
Erin Turner – KC Wild Lands Alex George wetland management
Gabi Exendine – KC Wild Lands Jerry Smith prairie management
Gretchen Thum – Discovery Center educational booth
Janée Church – KC Wild Lands Jerry Smith prairie management
Jess Magaña – KC Wild Lands Alex George wetland management
John Church – Wild Souls build bat houses
Kathy Smith – Deep Roots plant signs for garden tours
Katie Correa- KCP&R native landscaping
Lindsay Hoyt – MPF Snowball Hill guided hike
Matt Bunch – HTA tree inventory
Max Eiberger – Wild Souls complete eagle enclosure
Mike Stofiel – Wild Souls complete eagle enclosure
Nate Blanton – Stream Team north of the river site selection and activity
Nate Yates- Loess Bluffs Honeysuckle Management
Nicole Martin – Burroughs Audubon wind curtain workshop
Nikki Gaylord – MDC Regional Office clean and replant garden beds
Owen Smith- JCP+R prothonotary warbler nest boxes
Sarah Mayerhofer- Lakeside invasive species education wall
Shannen Cisneros- Stream Team research and write habitat information for webpage
Sharon Ramsey- Lakeside coyote information signage
Sophia Hahn – HTA tree inventory
Stephanie Spacek – Discovery Center Educational Booth
Susan Brisch – MDC Regional Office clean and replant garden beds
Teala Sadler – HCA Blue River Nature Guide guided hike
Trisha Reilly- Platte Land Trust tree inventory
If you see any of them at their projects, be sure to say hello!
- Prairie Chicken Lek Survey
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 and The Nature Conservancy (Dunn Ranch) is to monitor the restoration effort of, and provide data on habitat requirements for, the Greater Prairie-chicken.
The survey period is between March 20 and April 20. Two types of survey methods are used; a route-based survey driving between numerous known or potential leks, and a blitz-style survey when monitors one lek site for an extended period of time. The blitz-style survey is more labor intense as each lek requires at least one monitor. The area around Dunn Ranch had a total of 11 leks to be checked.
The data had to be collected from 30 minutes before to 2 hours past sunrise. With the route-based survey, each lek was scanned for 5 minutes. For the blitz-style survey, each lek is monitored for a minimum of 20 minutes. The added staffing required for the blitz was provided by college students from Missouri. Data collected consisted of date and time, GPS location of site, the number of birds seen or heard, male or female, wind speed, wind direction, temperature, cloud cover, and habitat. Data was provided to the Boone Wildlife Research Station in Iowa for analysis.
During the late ninetieth century, Greater Prairie-chickens were on of the most abundant gamebird in southern Iowa and northern Missouri. Market hunters and locals regularly hunted them for food and profit. Taking 25 to 50 birds a day was common with some market hunters taking up to 250 per day. With hunting and a change in agricultural land use, prairie chickens saw a significant decline. Today, according to the MDC, there are estimated to be fewer than 100 birds in Missouri spread between two sites. One centered around Dunn Ranch and the other in west-central Missouri.
A route-based survey was held on April 3, with 5 birds reported, 3 males and 2 females. On April 14, a blitz-style survey was conducted with no birds reported although one was sited after the survey was complete at Pawnee Prairie. On April 16, a second route-based survey resulted in one male being reported. During the surveys I was able to identify not only prairie chickens but 41 additional species of birds.
These ongoing surveys show a decline in the Greater Prairie-chicken population since the relocation effort by Iowa and Missouri in 2017. The data indicates a population of only about 20-30% of the initial counts from the start of the restoration. It is possible that population exist outside of the monitored locations but there have not been adequate resources to investigate. This is an interesting project and population numbers have shown the ability to rebound but more information is needed on conservation management for this now rare species.
- Master Naturalist Wins Award
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 Outdoor
Education Center. In this picture, Frances stands between Sarah Gauld and Michelle Newman from the parks department.