Scenic Missouri will host the 2026 Scenic America Symposium on Sept. 23 to 24, in the new Bayer Center of the Missouri Botanical Garden in Saint Louis.
The symposium will serve as a national gathering focused on scenic conservation in the United States by offering a structured space for education, collaboration, and strategic action.
Its purposes include:
· Advancing scenic conservation practices — Sessions typically cover topics such as placemaking, scenic byways, sign control, tree ordinances, and utility undergrounding.
· Strengthening advocacy and public policy efforts — Attendees learn about local and national legislative updates that affect scenic preservation.
· Building a network of scenic advocates — The event brings together Scenic America affiliates, community leaders, planners, designers, and activists to share best practices and coordinate efforts.
· Showcasing scenic assets and success stories — Discussions and poster expos highlighting how scenic principles are applied in real places, reinforcing the economic and cultural value of beauty.
Hosting this symposium positions Scenic Missouri as a leader within the national movement. It also highlights Missouri’s scenic assets—especially with the event being held at the Missouri Botanical Garden—a historic landscape of international distinction.
Scenic Missouri established the Missouri Byways Program in 1990. Over the span of three decades, the program has designated 13 scenic routes, all of which showcase the state’s exceptional cultural, historical, archaeological, natural, scenic, and recreational attributes.
Missouri byways provide access to the state’s most spectacular public lands, including 10 state parks, two state forests, the Mark Twain National Forest, the Gateway Arch National Park, and the Ulysses S. Grant National Historic Site.
Environmental Echo 