Chapter News

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 area around Longview Lake Shelter 9. The shelter is a sort of “home base” for a two-mile loop, and part of the broader 7-mile (one way) Longview Lake trail system. 

The six of us braved the 37 degree cold to learn about bluebird nesting preferences, and to scout the area for potential nesting box sites. After a cold and wet, but fun and leisurely walk we had discovered and documented 13 individual sites as well as a few large areas to propose to Jackson County Parks and Rec (JCPR) for final sign off. Slen Rogers from the 2024 class has graciously volunteered to take our tentative agreement with JCPR to formal approval by putting together a detailed proposal as a capstone project. Thank you, Slen!

Nesting boxes, poles, baffles and hardware will be procured shortly after final sign off, and installation will follow shortly after. Of course our journey does not end with installation. Boxes will need to be monitored, cleaned between broods, and maintained. An option exists to obtain a 1:1 box match through the Missouri Bluebird Society to further expand our impact at the shelter 9 site.

There will be many opportunities to contribute to, and learn from, the Project NestWatch Team at this location and others. Examples include: Scouting additional locations, working with partners to bring on or expand additional properties, writing proposals, procuring boxes and materials, managing matching grants, installing and/or maintaining boxes, and most importantly regularly monitoring and cleaning boxes through nesting season. Those who want to monitor boxes as a part of our chapter’s team will need to become Certified NestWatchers through Cornell’s Lab of Ornithology (a quick online course) and have a Volunteer Service and Project Approval Form approved which team leadership will help folks to navigate for batch approval. Finally, watchers will need to attend a chapter information session and work with others in the team to coordinate monitoring.

Keep an eye on the chapter calendar, groups.io and this newsletter for updates. If you have questions, or would like to be added to the team email distribution list, please contact JL at osage.mmn.president@gmail.com. And of course all chapter members are welcome to drop in on one of our virtual or in person meetings.

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 salamanders travel to breed in shallow, woodland ponds, where they may gather by the hundreds. Learn more about this species in MDC’s online Field Guide.

Learn more in MDC’s online Field Guide. 

Photo by MDC staff, courtesy of the Missouri Department of Conservation 

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. 

By Cynthia Anderson

Partner: U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
– Loess Bluffs National Wildlife Refuge

Like so many other park and woodland areas, Loess Bluffs National Wildlife Refuge is fighting the encroachment of bush honeysuckle. The current Refuge Manager, William Kutosky, recognized that addressing the infestation early would make mitigation efforts significantly more effective. This proactive approach set the stage for a successful project and with that, my capstone project was created. As William wanted the work completed in November, I quickly recruited a small but mighty strike team to make the road trip to Forest City, where this beautiful wildlife refuge is located. 

Steve Cook, a fellow 2024 MMN Intern, and I embarked on the initial visit to Loess Bluffs to meet with William. Together, we identified and mapped priority treatment areas, focusing on the trailhead path behind the Visitors Center.  

With a plan in place, two additional 2024 classmates Ashley Meyer and Alex Tiemeyer, joined us the following week to tackle the job. William and two student volunteers also joined our team and we wasted no time in getting to work. 

We spent the day dividing and conquering with multiple teams, each consisting of a stump cutter and herbicide applicator. Ashley and I then focused on pulling the smaller plants. Along the way, we counted the number of plants cut and pulled by the team. After seven hours of focused effort and teamwork, we successfully removed 1,013 bush honeysuckle plants. Where honeysuckle had previously stood, you could now see the floor of the woody area. What a beautiful sight! 

As this was my first experience with honeysuckle mitigation, the project proved to be both educational and fulfilling. I significantly improved my ability to identify this invasive species and gained confidence in using herbicide treatments. I also learned the effectiveness of combining root docking and herbicide application of larger shrubs for long-term control.  

Equally rewarding was the opportunity to collaborate with a team of passionate peers. The camaraderie and shared sense of purpose made the day especially memorable. This experience deepened my appreciation for the unique habitats of the Loess Hills and helped to underscore the value of hands-on efforts in protecting these vital ecosystems.

By Angie Clarke MMN 2021

Having to go to summer school – no fun, right? But at least there’s recess and your friends! So, you can just imagine my surprise when a hand full of 4th graders have chosen working in one of our pollinator gardens over playing at recess almost every day!

Back in the late fall, our 2nd grade classes worked with MDC and Courtney Green to plant seeds for a pollinator garden. The ground was tilled, the seeds scattered, and then we all waited. This spring, many of my school friends thought we had nothing but a pile of weeds coming up, but as the rain came down and spring progressed, everyone was in shock! What was growing was a large bed full of many native plants!

For summer school, we decided to start a Gardening Club every Tuesday morning. And what started out as a few mornings outside for about 30 minutes at a time has turned into a group of kids who beg to pull weeds at every recess! In the process, they have learned about crabgrass, nut sedge, and different types of clover. They have also learned how to identify Black-Eyed Susans, Queen Anne’s Lace, Coreopsis, Vervain, Milkweed, Bee Balm and more! We have also spent time learning about why these plants are so important as opposed to other things they might choose to plant instead. They get so excited each time they come across something they’ve never noticed before, and they have definitely learned that crabgrass is their nemesis. 

I seem to have the best nature encounters with kids during summer school. No one likes summer school, trust me, but it’s been fun to take advantage of these hot summer days to help kids learn about the natural world around them. They are curious and excited and just love that there’s an adult out there who encourages them to get dirty. If we have to be here, let’s at least make it fun!