MERAMEC HILLS CHAPTER MISSOURI NATURALISTS

OCTOBER 2009 NEWSLETTER

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Bray Conservation Area

The first and third Tuesdays of each month there will be public programs at Bray:

    First Tuesdays: Families and children 7 or older

    Third Tuesdays: Ages 2-7 with an adult

Badger Count

To learn more about badgers in Missouri, the University of Missouri and MDC are building a database of sightings.  If you see a badger or receive a credible report, please fill out a badger sighting form or send an e-mail with the location information.  For more information, contact: Jeff Beringer, Resource Science Center, 1110 S. College Avenue, Columbia, MO

Core Training Class Field Trip

The field trip on Aquatics, originally scheduled for October 31, has been moved to October 24.  See Events for details.

Missouri Department of Natural Resources' Missouri State Museum

Starting on October 2, the museum will offer behind-the-scenes tours at 2:00 pm on the first Friday of each month.  The museum is located on the first floor of the State Capitol.  Tours are free and open to the public.  The museum is open to the public free of charge from 8:00 am - 5:00 pm seven days a week.  For more information, call the museum office at 573-751-2854 or call DNR at 800-334-6946.

OCTOBER EVENTS

October 1 (Thursday)

Class 4: Core Training Class, 6:00 pm - 8:30 pm, Webster University, Rolla

    Mammals - Carol Mahan, MDC

    Wildlife Management - Jim Braithwait, MDC

October 6 (Tuesday)

Public program at Bray Conservation Area for families with children 7-years-old or older.

October 8 (Thursday)

Class 5: Core Training Class, 6:00 pm - 8:30 pm, Webster University, Rolla

    History of Missouri's Natural Communities - Paul Nelson, USFS

October 8 (Thursday)

Native Perennials and Grasses for Landscaping Part 3: Autumn Blooming, 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm, Shaw Nature Reserve, Gray Summit

Fee is $12.00.  Call 636-451-3521 or go to the website: www.shawnature.org

(2 hrs. advanced training credit)

October 10 (Saturday)

Prairie Day and Annual Oktoberfest Celebration,  Cole Camp, MO, hosted by the Missouri Prairie Foundation and Audubon Missouri

Cole Camp Prairie Day event schedule can be found at www.moprairie.org .  Tent camping is available on the private prairie.

Reception - 5:30 pm and Sunset prairie tour at 6:30 pm.  For reservations for the reception and tour, go to: info@moprairie.com or call 1-888-843-6739.

Cole Camp is about 20 miles south of Sedalia. 

October 10 and 11 (Saturday and Sunday)

Old Iron Works Days, Maramec Spring Park.  4 volunteers are needed each day, each pair working 1/2 day: 10:00 am - 1:00 pm  (2 people) or 1:00 pm - 5:00 pm (2 people).  Details in Announcements.

October 15 (Thursday)

Class 6: Core Training Class, 6:00 pm - 8:30 pm, Webster University, Rolla

    Birds

    Grasslands Ecology - Norm Murray, MDC

October 16-18 (Friday - Sunday)

Missouri Environmental Education Association (MEEA) holds its annual conference at the Ozarks Community Technical College, Ozark, MO.  The conference offers a large variety of field sessions and workshops centered on the Environment and the Outdoors (Elementary to High School).  These qualify for MN advanced training hours.  Go to www.meea.org for more information and to register.

October 17 (Saturday)

Core class field trip to White River Trace Conservation Area, 9:00 am - 2:00 pm

    Birds - Loretta McClure

    Grassland Management - Justin Gailey, MDC

October 20 (Tuesday)

Public program at Bray Conservation Area for children ages 2 to 7 accompanied by an adult.  Details to follow.

October 22 (Thursday)

Class 7: Core Training Class, 6:00 pm - 8:30 pm, Webster University, Rolla

    Missouri's Ecological Classification System - Tim Nigh, MDC

    Insects - Lynda Richards

October 24 (Saturday)

National Make a Difference Day, 9:00 am - 12:00 noon, Truman Elementary School, 1000 E. 18th Street, Rolla

The Truman Outdoor Classroom has been given 20 trees to plant. Volunteers will clear grass, honeysuckle, sticks and limbs in preparation for planting and then plant as time permits.  Trees will be watered and mulched after planting.  Trees that are not planted will be planted on a family work day on November 7th.  For more information, contact Bob Perry at 364-8440 or perrypineridge@embarqmail.com

October 24 (Saturday)

Core class field trip to Woodson K. Woods Conservation Area, 9:00 am - 1:00 pm

Aquatics - Nick Girondo, MDC

October 24 (Saturday)

Planetary Day of Climate Action, Central Missouri University, Warrensburg

Event will begin at 1:30 pm with a short walk from Shepard Park on North College Avenue to the Courthouse, City Hall, and Central Missouri University, ending at the University's Union Atrium.  Conservation groups will have exhibits there from 2:00 pm - 5:00 pm.  In addition, there will bve an energy workshop.  For more information, go to: info@moprairie.com or call 1-888-843-6739.

October 26 (Monday)

Regular monthly meeting of Meramec Hills Chapter Missouri Naturalists, 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm, Bray Conservation Area   Program: Carol Mahan - Mammal Skull Identification

(2 hrs. advanced training credit)

October 27 (Tuesday)

Pond Dam Build-up - Bray Conservation Area, 9:00 am - 5:00 pm

This is a great project for anyone wanting to learn about pond building.  Nick Girondo and Lee Hughes will be helping.  We will be using wheelbarrows and rakes to haul and level dirt and spread netting to build up the pond bank to avoid overflows.  We will also be working on trails.

For more information and/or to volunteer, contact Connie Schmiedeskamp - connie.schmiedeskamp@mdc.mo.gov

October 29 (Thursday)

Class 8: Core Training Class, 6:00 pm - 8:30 pm, Webster University, Rolla

    Wetlands - Rhonda Rimer, MDC

    Amphibians

UPCOMING EVENTS

November 3 (Tuesday)

Public program at Bray Conservatiom Area for families with children 7-years-old or older.  Details to follow.

November 5 (Thursday)

Class 9: Core Training Class, 6:00 pm - 8:30 pm, Webster University, Rolla

    Woodland Management - Lee Hughes, MDC

November 7 (Saturday)

Family Work Day at Truman Elementary.  Trees that were not planted on October 24 will be planted.  The Outdoor Kids Club and their parents wiill be doing general clean-up of the outdoor classroom, including clearing honeysuckle.  For more information, contact Bob Perry at 364-8440 or perrypineridge@embarqmail.com

November 12 (Thursday)

"Deer-Resistant" Native Landscaping, 1:00 pm - 3:000 pm, Shaw Nature Reserve, Gray Summit

Fee is $12.00.  Call 636-451-3521 or go to the website: www.shawnature.org

(2 hrs. advanced training credit)

November 12 (Thursday)

Class 10: Core Training Class, 6:00 pm - 8:30 pm, Webster University, Rolla

    Missouri Geology and Soils - Neil Elfrink, DNR

November 19 (Thursday)

Class 11: Core Training Class, 6:00 pm - 8:30 pm, Webster University, Rolla

    Education and Interpretation - Carol Mahan, MDC

    Graduation

November 23 (Monday)

Regular monthly meeting of Meramec Hills Chapter Missouri Naturalists, 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Program: Leisa Stilley, Intercounty Electric Cooperative, will be the guest speaker.  Her topic is "Energy Conservation and Home Audits."

Refreshments: ? ?/ ? ?

CHAPTER COMMITTEES and NEW COORDINATORS

Volunteer Opportunities Committee - Neil Elfrink and Ineke Vander Meulen will Co-Chair this committee

    The following members will be liaisons with centers, projects, and programs with which we are working (The plan is for them to bring to the committee and the membership information about volunteer work at these places):

        Rich Hashagen - Camp Brimshire, St. James

        Nancy Moenster - Bonebrake Center of Nature and History, Salem, and Ozark Natural and Cultural Resource Center, Salem 

        Connie Roberts - Audubon

        Bob Perry - Bray Conservation Area, Rolla

        Bob Perry - Truman Elementary School, Rolla

Publicity Committee - Sue Goodman will chair this committee

Advanced Training Committee- Emily Brown will continue to chair this committee

Core Training Committee - Pamela Barnabee is coordinator

Newsletter - Janet McKean will continue to compile and send out the monthly chapter newsletter

Website - Jerry Barnabee will continue to update and add new information to the website

Note: If anyone is interested in working with any of these committees, please contact the chair.  We want everyone in the chapter to be involved!