Blog Archives

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Audition Call For The “Nature’s Got Talent: Variety Show” At Powder Valley Aug. 11!

Photo by MDC Staff, courtesy Missouri Department of Conservation.

Powder Valley Conservation Nature Center in Kirkwood will present “Nature’s Got Talent: Variety Show” Friday, Sept. 28.  The nature center is holding auditions to select performers for the show on Saturday, Aug 11 from 1–3 p.m.

Nature has always been a source of inspiration and creativity. The Missouri
Department of Conservation (MDC) is giving you the chance to harness your own talents and creativity in celebration of the great outdoors.

For the first time, MDC’s Powder Valley Conservation Nature Center in Kirkwood will present the Nature’s Got Talent: Variety Show—an evening of celebrating nature while watching Missourians showcase their amazing talent.

See more details below from the MDC information release.

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Posted on August 6, 2018 in Local Events

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Here’s Your Chance To Experience A Big River Float Trip?

Photo by MDC Staff, courtesy Missouri Department of Conservation.

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to quietly enjoy the sights and sounds from a canoe or kayak slowly floating along a big river – just like early explorers? Well, now’s your chance!

The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) is offering a FREE series of guided float trips in Kansas City, Saturday, August 25. An orientation is required on Tuesday, Aug. 14.

Read the details below for the three different trips to choose from, a sunrise float, noon float, or a sunset float.

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Posted on July 28, 2018 in Local Events

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Informed Young People Are The Key To Protecting Our Natural Legacy

Don Corrigan at Rocky Falls. Photo by Emery Styron

When it comes to the environment and the outdoors, there are very dark clouds casting shadows now. They will not clear – even with the departure of  EPA’s Scott Pruitt, the most bizarre “protector of the environment” ever.

Despite Pruitt and Company, there are silver linings on all the dark clouds. Just when you think the push for more mining and drilling in pristine places is the last straw, you find encouragement in stories about — what else, the coming demise of the plastic straw.

That’s right. Starbucks, American Airlines and several hotel chains have announced that they are phasing out plastic straws. The straws make up eight metric tons of the plastic that end up in our waterways and oceans every year.

Entire islands of plastic are floating in our oceans. Seabirds and sea turtles are victims of the plastic straws that find their way into the poor creatures’ nostrils and respiratory systems.

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Posted on July 21, 2018 in Environment

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“JUST DO IT!” Is The Motto Of Fearless Kayaker Who Plans To Spend 71st Birthday On Sepik River In Papua New Guinea

Kathy Pszonka’s next exotic water tour will be on her 71st birthday — a trip on the Sepik River in New Guinea. All photos Webster-Kirkwood Times.

Kayak Crazy Kathy Pszonka plans to spend her 71st birthday this September on the waters of the Sepik River in Papua New Guinea. She will be lodging in grass huts on her trip, so candles on her cake will remain unlit.

None of Pszonka’s friends in the St. Louis Canoe and Kayak Club are at all surprised by Pszonka’s plans to float on a wily river a half world away. They know this Fenton septuagenarian’s motto is: “Just Do It!”

When it comes to getting in the water in a kayak, Pszonka has been “just doing it” for just about a score of years. She took her first kayak lesson at age 52 and fell in love with paddling low-to-the-water in these increasingly popular, eco-friendly, canoe-like boats.

Read more about Pszonka below.

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Posted on July 17, 2018 in Outdoor/Nature

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Keep Local Geese Healthy – Don’t Feed Them

Photo by MDC Staff, courtesy Missouri Department of Conservation.

Canadian geese are a common sight around the St. Louis area. Many people enjoy watching and feeding them. Recent information released from the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) says feeding the geese may be harming their health.

“We see it in more urban areas where the geese are fed bread or cereal by well-intentioned people,” said Nicole Walker, an MDC wildlife management biologist. “Unfortunately, bread doesn’t have the nutrients geese need, so they may develop drooping wings and can even lose their ability to fly.”

Read the full information release from the MDC below.

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Posted on July 8, 2018 in Outdoor/Nature

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Shop At Select Whole Foods Markets On July 26 And 5% Will Go To Trailnet

In the latest Trailnet newsletter, information about an upcoming fundraiser was released. We thought it would be of interest to many of our readers. Trailnet is an advocacy organization that focuses on “Making walking and biking in St. Louis better for everyone.”

You can sign up for Trailnet news and information on their website (bottom right corner is a “Sign up for news and updates” section.) Link to Trailnet’s website HERE.

Fundraiser information from Trailnet:

“Whole Foods Market is a wonderful Trailnet partner. In 2016 Trailnet participated in their “One Dime at a Time” campaign and raised close to $10,000. Now we are honored to have been selected for their 5% Day Community Support program. Sarah Christensen, Whole Foods Market’s Community Engagement Marketing Manager for the Midwest, said, “It is a great time to partner again since it’s Trailnet’s 30th anniversary year and active transportation advocacy is more important than ever.”  Shop at any of the three locations Brentwood, CWE, and Town & Country on Thursday, July 26th, and Whole Foods will donate 5% of your total purchase to Trailnet.”

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Posted on July 6, 2018 in Local Events

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Introduce Your Babies & Toddlers To How Much FUN Nature Can Be!

Photo by MDC Staff, courtesy Missouri Department of Conservation.

The Missouri Department of Conservation’s Rockwoods Reservation hosts programs for infants and toddlers this Summer!

“Babes in the Woods” programs will be held from 10-11 a.m. each third Wednesday of the month through September.  MDC naturalists will focus on a new topic each month.  Each session will include hands-on touch tables, song time, outdoor walks, story time, and more.  Siblings are welcome to attend, too.

Each “Babes in the Woods” program is free, but advanced online registration is required. Click HERE for registration details.

Find more information about the program and event dates below.

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Posted on July 3, 2018 in Local Events

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Missouri AG Announces Settlement With Republic Services Concerning Bridgeton/West Lake Landfill

Just Moms STL, a community advocacy group working to bring awareness and solutions for the West Lake Landfill nuclear waste issues,  published a press release about the Missouri Attorney General Josh Hawley ‘s decision concerning Republic Services responsibility at the Bridgeton/West Lake Landfill site.

Below, we have included the Just Moms STL’s full release. The West Lake Landfill and Coldwater Creek in North St. Louis County is a regional issue. Communities and citizens should in the entire region should be aware of and understand the dangers and risks the tons of illegally dumped nuclear waste pose to the area.

“This site will never have a perfect solution and resident vigilance is needed now more than ever,” says Dawn Chapman. “We must ensure that nothing changes at this site and that all instituted controls are effective and in working order. This community could be at risk if even one system fails. We look towards our elected officials and St. Louis County to help us with this task.”

Read the full release below.

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Posted on July 1, 2018 in Environment

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Air Quality Forecasting Season Kicks Off For 2018

The latest “State of the Air” report reveals St. Louis region still receives poor grades for air quality.

The region may no longer be among top 25 most polluted cities, but ozone pollution levels still indicate air pollution concerns in the St. Louis area and nationwide, with more than 40 percent of Americans living with unhealthy air

May 1 marked the return of daily air quality forecasting by the Clean Air Partnership to keep area residents informed as to whether the air we breathe is in a healthy “green” range, unhealthy “red” range, or somewhere in between.  If the latest data from the American Lung Association’s (ALA) recently released 2018 “State of the Air” report is any indication of what to expect this year, the region once again needs to be prepared for a mix of conditions and the potential for many days of unhealthy ozone levels.

See where St. Louis area counties rank on the air quality listing below.

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Posted on June 22, 2018 in Environment

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West Lake Community Meeting – Spread The Word!

Just Moms STL will update the community with the latest information concerning the West  Lake Landfill. Everyone in the St. Louis region should be concerned and educate themselves about the issue involving tons of nuclear waste buried in a North St. Louis County landfill that has an underground fire burning next door.

When: Thursday, June 21, at 6:30 PM – 8 PM

Where: John Calvin Presbyterian Church of Bridgeton
12567 Natural Bridge Rd, Bridgeton, Missouri 63044

Information posted by Just Moms STL about the meeting in an event Facebook post:  “We have some updates we need to share, but most importantly to those that have lived/live around West Lake Landfill, specifically those that grew up in Carrollton or Spanish Village area. We have created a health survey and we NEED your input!!! We really need people to physically show up at this meeting. Please take an hour and a half out of your time and attend this important meeting.”

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Posted on June 19, 2018 in Local Events