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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

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Annual Katy Trail Ride Will Host 300 Bicyclists Beginning June 18

Interested in a bike ride? Check out this information from Missouri State Parks.
On Monday, June 18, approximately 300 bicyclists will begin a 232-mile journey from St. Charles to Clinton on the Katy Trail State Park for the 18th Annual Katy Trail Ride. This year’s participants range in age from 8 to 89 and come from 29 states and one Canadian Province.

Hosted by Missouri State Parks and the Missouri State Parks Foundation, the five-day Katy Trail Ride has been an annual event since 2001 and has achieved national and international acclaim. The ride takes cyclists along the scenic Missouri River and through the historic towns that developed along the river and the former Missouri-Kansas-Texas (MKT or Katy) Railroad, the predecessor to the Katy Trail.

See more information and the event itinerary below.

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Posted on June 13, 2018 in Local Events

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The MDC’s Project To Revitalize and Enhance O’Fallon Park

Photo by MDC Staff, courtesy Missouri Department of Conservation.

The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) recently released information about efforts to bring changes to St. Louis City’s O’Fallon Park.

The MDC entered a partnership to restore natural habitat to O’Fallon Park through MDC’s Back to Nature St. Louis Grant.  This grant provides funding for habitat restoration and/or reconstruction on a public park property in St. Louis County or City through a competitive application process.

The result of the agreement is the Back to Nature in O’Fallon Park project.  The goal of the project is to revitalize and enhance the park to improve the visitor’s aesthetic experience, facilitate nature enjoyment, and enhance nature programming opportunities.

Read more details about the program from the MDC below.

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Posted on May 30, 2018 in Outdoor/Nature

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Sustainability: An International Lens Summer Lunch & Learn Series

Webster University Sustainability presents a summer Lunch & Learn series – “Sustainability: An International Lens”

From May 30 to August 1, learn about strategies and solutions being created and used right here in our local community to impact environmental, social and economic sustainability on a global scale.

These events are FREE and box lunches will be provided. After the final session on August 1st, attendees will be entered into a drawing to win a free copy of Missouri Harvest: A Guide to Growers and Producers in the Show-Me State. Attendees will receive an entry into the raffle for each session attended. The presenting sponsor of the event is Automatic Control Equipment Systems, Inc.

For more information and how to RSVP continue below.

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Posted on May 21, 2018 in Local Events

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Celebrate National Prairie Day June 2

In 2016, the Missouri Prairie Foundation established National Prairie Day—registered on the National Day Calendar as the first Saturday in June—to enhance public awareness of what prairie is, educate about its value, and motivate all who learn about prairie to be inspired to support prairie conservation, restoration, and enjoyment. This year, National Prairie Day is Saturday, June 2, 2018.

“All are invited to join us in celebration of National Prairie Day,” said Carol Davit, executive director of the Missouri Prairie Foundation, a 52-year-old non-profit prairie conservation organization and land trust. “National Prairie Day provides a day of focus across the United States to inspire learning, appreciation, exploration of our national prairie legacy, and success of national, regional, statewide, and local prairie conservation efforts from coast to coast.”

The Missouri Prairie Foundation will celebrate National Prairie Day by hosting its 9th annual Prairie BioBlitz at its Pleasant Run Creek Prairie near Nevada, MO on June 2 and 3—free of charge and open to all—with biologist leaders, a potluck dinner, after-dinner speaker Chris Crabtree on Native American history in Missouri, star-gazing with astronomers, and tent camping on the prairie. For details and to register for 9th Annual Prairie BioBlitz, and many other upcoming Missouri Prairie Foundation events, visit moprairie.org.

Find more about why maintaining prairie is important below.

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Posted on May 15, 2018 in Outdoor/Nature