Whether your interest is conservation, policy, trail maintenance, activism or enjoying our outings, everyone with a love for the outdoors is welcome here. We appreciate you being a part of the Eastern Missouri Group (EMG) of the Missouri Sierra Club.
Greenway Trail Trash Cleanup Success Photo and recap by Deb Maura The Centennial Great Rivers Greenway adopted by EMG hosted a trash cleanup on March 29. Three EMG leaders along with three volunteers tackled the North and South sections from the intersection at Delmar and I-70. Great Rivers Greenway provides the equipment. Several large bags of trash were removed making the area much cleaner and more inviting to Recreational users along with visitors using the trail to commute from shopping nearby. EMG plans to host a trash cleanup quarterly with the next pickup in June. Stay tuned for details!
From left Cate Young, Deb Maurer, Sybil Prost, Stephanie Todd. Photo by Deb Maurer.
Help Save Birds - Turn-off Outdoor Lights! You can help save birds by turning off outdoor lights during April - May, which is a peak migration period. Most birds migrate at night to save energy and avoid predators, using the moon and stars to navigate. Artificial lights disorient birds and cause them to circle the light until they die from exhaustion or hit something. Missouri is on the Mississippi Flyway, where 60% of song birds and 40% of water fowl migrate. The night of April 22, over three million birds crossed St. Louis County, of which thousands will die due to light pollution. St. Louis is the 5th deadliest city during spring migration and 6th for fall migration. Please help the birds by turning off your lights!
Thinking of tackling the 300-mile Ozark Trail? Here's a guide From Terrain Magazine The Ozark Trail (OT) contains over 430 miles of trail divided into 14 mostly connected sections throughout southeast Missouri. A writer from Terrain Magazine hits the path to see what it takes. FULL ARTICLE
AI and Sustainability: The Environmental Impact of Generative AI From Tech Republic The article discusses the significant environmental impact of generative AI, particularly in terms of energy, water, and air quality. MORE INFO
Mound City Film Festival From Open Space STL For the first time, one of the nation’s premier film festivals is coming to St. Louis, bringing a world-class celebration of film, storytelling, and conservation with the inaugural Mound City Film Series, a special celebration of the 60th anniversary of Open Space STL. Running monthly from April through September, the film series will bring together documentary films, live music, and curated culinary experiences at 4 Hands Brewing Co. MORE INFO
What’s the Best Way to Repair or Reuse My Stuff? From Sierra Magazine One of the best ways you can do right by yourself and the planet is to keep your stuff going as long as possible. The longer you can keep it out of a dumpster, the better. Here are some hacks. READ MORE
Another successful weekend of Sierra Club lemonade at the Earth Day Festival. Thanks to all of the volunteers that helped out! Photos by George Behrens and Tim Elwell.
Lewis and Clark Trail - Clark Loop - May 3 The Clark Loop is a moderate trail of just over 5 miles. There are a couple of short, steep, inclines, but most of the trail is reasonably level. In spring, there will be a wide variety of birds and wildflowers, along with beautiful bluff views overlooking the Katy trail and the Missouri River. RSVP TO HIKE
Hike Through the Woods at Hawn State Park - May 4 If you’ve never ventured beyond Pickle Creek at Hawn State Park, now’s your chance! We will hike 4 miles of the Whispering Pines North Loop Trail to Connector Trail 3; our pace will be 1-2 miles per hour. Come spend some time hiking through the forest that features Missouri’s only native pine tree species, the shortleaf pine! SIGN UP HERE
Mother's Day Hiking Event – Hickory Canyon and Pickle Springs - May 11 These are two little known gems for hiking in southeast Missouri. Hickory Canyons Natural Area hiking trail meanders along the spine of a rocky ridge, wanders past steep cliff edges, skirts towering bluffs and descends into deep hollows along intermittent streams with enchanting seasonal waterfalls. Pickle Springs Natural Area is one of the most spectacular hikes in Missouri with amazing rock displays through geologic time. MORE INFO
Legislative Committee Meeting - May 15 RSVP today to join our monthly Legislative Committee meetings to learn about our action in Jefferson City to defeat bad bills and how you can help protect Missouri's environment through grassroots organizing! RSVP TODAY
Get to know Gretchen! Chapter Director's Office Hours - May 16
Join our Chapter Director's office hours! This is a great place to drop in, ask quick questions, or just talk through your priorities. If you have a larger issue, please schedule a one-on-one with Gretchen by finding a time. SCHEDULE A TIME
Watershed Workshop from East-West Gateway - May 20
Join East-West Gateway at the St. Louis Public Library – Cliff Cave Branch for the 2025 BMP Watershed Workshop. The workshop aims to build regional interest in best practices, increase knowledge of what that means, promote the vision and planning of nature-based solutions, and encourage the installation of these new projects as a way of addressing and preventing stream impairments. MORE INFO
MO Sierra Space | MOSS - May 28
Join the Sierra Club Missouri Chapter new & returning members, supporters, volunteers, allies, and staff to intentionally connect from across the state to: 1) build community amongst ourselves as teammates in Sierra Club’s mission, vision, values, and norms; 2) share updates on campaigns, victories, or other goings on in the state; 3) provide actionable steps to support grassroots organizing efforts for MO communities and environment. MORE DETAILS
Outing Leaders Meeting - May 8 Join our monthly meeting with Outing Leaders to discuss upcoming hikes! This is a way to get involved and learn more about becoming an Outings Leader. Feel free to join and RSVP HERE
Castlewood Service Project - May 9 This is a wonderful way to engage with a beautiful and well-loved park, while enacting a commitment to conservation and making the outdoors accessible to all. We will be assisting in the general care and upkeep of the park under the direction of park staff. The specifics of our tasks depend on what they determine is the parks greatest need at the time. Some of these tasks are maintaining and repairing trails, closing social trails, and picking up trash. SIGN UP TO VOLUNTEER
Trail work at Roger Pryor Pioneer Backcountry - May 14-18 Join Twice a year Sierra Club does a multi-day trail maintenance stewardship in the amazing backcountry of Roger Pryor Pioneer Backcountry. In addition to making sure that trails are passable and adequately as well as accurately blazed, participants get a chance to hike and work in a back country that is beautiful and unique. FULL DETAILS
Interested in IT volunteering? As an organization managed by volunteers, so is our website! Are you interested in helping us update and manage our website? After completing a 1 hour online training, you can help build our group's digital prescence! Reach out to Chapter Coordinator Ashton Kuehnel (ashton.kuehnel@sierraclub.org) to get involved.
Bob Gestel Plaque Unveiling at Hawn State Park - June 7
On Saturday, June 7th at 3:00 pm at the Spanish Land Grant Trailhead on Hawn Park Road, the State Park will dedicate the plaque to Bob Gestel for his work at the Park and the money from his Bequest to build the Spanish Land Grant Trail.
Bob led many Sierra Club hikes and backpacking trips at Hawn. He led numerous trail maintenance and trail building outings there. Bob and Paul Stupperich led Sierra Club trips to build the three Connector trails and several large reroutes.
Over forty seven thousand dollars of the bequest Bob left to the Sierra Club Foundation for trail work in Missouri was spent to build the Spanish Land Grant Trail. Bob was a founding member of the Friends of Hawn Association.
Photo and article submitted by George Behrens on behalf of the Bob Gestel Bequest Committee.
