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Photo taken at Anita B. Gorman Discovery Center by Claus Wawrzinek |
This eNews Contains: |
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Please watch our Meetup pages for events that may be planned after each E-Newsletter’s publication date. |
Conservation Committee Update By Janet Blauvelt, THB Group Conservation Committee Co-Chair
Now that we have completed the removal of invasive Callery Pear Trees at the intersection of I-470 and Lakewood, we are continuing our partnership with the Missouri Department of Transportation. We are in the process of planning our next project, and we invite all members of the Thomas Hart Benton Group to participate. We will be installing native plantings at another intersection of I-470, at Strother, while we wait a year for the intersection of I-470 and Lakewood to be ready for planting. Committee co-chair, Jennifer Helber, revised the application to the Missouri Prairie Foundation for native seeds and signage and submitted it to our St. Louis counterparts, the Eastern Missouri Group of the Sierra Club, the “EMG.” Planning continues as we await approval of the application. To be part of the planning process, join us for the next Conservation Committee meeting on April 7, via ZOOM, from 6:30 p.m. – 8 p.m . Please click here to RSVP and get the link . Photo above: I-470 and NE Strother Road by Jennifer Helber. We will be installing native plantings here.
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Save the Monarchs: Update By Jennifer Helber, THB Group Conservation Committee Co-Chair The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service proposed listing the monarch butterfly as “threatened” on Dec. 12, and opened public comments through March 12. The Thomas Hart Benton Group and the Missouri Chapter played a big role in advocating for a comment from the National Sierra Club. Ashton Kuehnel, Billy Davis, and Jennifer Helber participated in virtual meetings with Ben Greuel for input on the national comment. Important points made included restrictions on pesticides and designation of critical habitat within the Eastern migration area. As of March 18, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service has reopened the comment period for 60 days, until May 19, 2025. If you can make some specific observations or recommendations on the proposal, submit them! Good news for the Eastern migration: the population counted in the sanctuaries in Michoacan were about twice the size as 2024, but still not adequate to sustain the migration with potential threats from weather, climate, loss of habitat, and pesticides. Do your part to promote monarch butterflies—and associated pollinating species—by planting milkweed for caterpillars and nectar flowers needed for fall migration. See the Department of Conservation for resources and upcoming plant sales!
“Why Prairie Matters” Presentation Report By Jennifer Helber, THB Group Conservation Committee Co-Chair Approximately 20 people attended the program presented by Tracy Lewandowski on "Why Prairie Matters." She told about the decline of original prairies in Missouri, and described the rich soil that prairie plants developed over thousands of years. There were great photos of root systems of prairie grasses, along with education about the importance of flowering prairie plants for pollinators and birds. The interested audience had questions, and there was time for conversation afterwards. The Missouri Prairie Foundation certifies nurseries of native plants through their "Grow Wild" program. There will be two native plant sales at the Anita Gorman Discovery Center (April 19 and May 17). For those inspired to plant native plants, there may be volunteer opportunities upcoming at two locations in Jackson County: I-470 & Strother Road (in collaboration with Missouri Department of Transportation) and in a new Raytown park (in collaboration with Raytown Parks & Recreation and Missouri Department of Natural Resources. Dates and details will be upcoming (watch Meetup and the Sierra Club website). |
 Rally to Support National ParksOn Saturday, March 22, Sierra Club members joined Resistance Rangers who organized a nationwide rally to support our National Parks. Mike Hurd took this photo in front of the Harry S. Truman National Historic site, which is a part of the National Park System. It is of special importance right now to remember how precious our public lands are to us and future generations. Photo by Mike Hurd |
Eddy-Ballentine Trail Restoration (Sat., Apr. 5) Time: 1 p.m. – 3 p.m. We lost January and February workdays due to weather. It’s difficult to lose two of our winter work days because we need to complete the work outside of the growing season. So hopefully in April we can get more hands on deck! Join Sierra Club as we work together to restore the diversity, health and resiliency of the Blue River Glades Natural Area. This remnant of ecologically significant public land is managed in conjunction with Jackson County Parks & Recreation & KC Wildlands. It is located in the heart of Kansas City providing “nearby nature” opportunities for all. From 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. volunteers will work to remove invasive shrub honeysuckle from the Eddy-Ballentine Trail loop which winds through upland forest to the Blue River Glade Natural Area. From 3:30 p.m. – 4 p.m. we will do an optional hike. Please click here for more information and to RSVP.
Conservation Committee Zoom Meeting Date: Mon., Apr. 7 Time: 6:30 p.m. – 8 p.m. As mentioned above, there will be a Conservation Committee Zoom meeting on Mon., April 7. If you would like to join, please click here to RSVP and get the link.
Missouri Chapter Lobby Day in Jefferson City Online Training: Thurs., Apr. 3, 6 p.m. - 8 p.m. In-Person Lobbying in Jefferson City: Wed., Apr. 16, 9:45 a.m. - 3 p.m. On Wednesday, April 16, join other Sierra Club members and supporters as we travel to Jefferson City to talk to our legislators. Our leaders need to know that Missourians support clean air, renewable energy, and the protection of wild spaces. Please consider lending your voice and joining us for this exciting day!
Who should attend: Anyone! If you are passionate about Missouri's natural assets, then this opportunity is for you. Our Representatives and Senators are eager to listen to your personal stories about why protecting Missouri's matters to you. You do not have to be a subject matter expert! There will be an online training session beforehand, on Thursday, April 3. Gretchen Waddell Barwick, Chapter Director, will break down the Sierra Club, Missouri's most important bills ahead of our Wednesday, April 16 Lobby Day. During our training on April 3rd, you will learn our top line messaging on our priority legislation we're tracking. Additionally, you will develop skills on how to most effectively lobby your legislators in Jefferson City. Please click here to learn more about the training session and sign up.
April Book Club: What Your Food Ate: How to Restore Our Land and Reclaim Our Health—by David R. Montgomery and Anne Biklé Date: Wed., April 16 Time: 6:30 p.m. – 8 p.m.
Food and health are always popular topics whenever we have programs and meetings about that subject. The health of our soil is crucial to the health of our food supply and our wellbeing! Here is some of the commentary from Amazon about What Your Food Ate : “The long-running partnerships through which crops and soil life nourish one another suffuse plant and animal foods in the human diet with an array of compounds and nutrients our bodies need to protect us from pathogens and chronic ailments. Unfortunately, conventional agricultural practices unravel these vital partnerships and thereby undercut our well-being. Can farmers and ranchers produce enough nutrient-dense food to feed us all? Can we have quality and quantity?”
Jim Turner, a longtime Thomas Hart Benton Group member and dedicated soil-health activist, will lead this discussion.
Please click here for more information and to register/receive the link.
Earth Day Cleanup at Brush Creek Greenway Date: Sat., April 19 Time: 9 a.m. – noon Location: Bruce R. Watkins Cultural Center, 3700 Blue Parkway, Kansas City, MO 64130
Celebrate Earth Day by spending a few hours making one of our local watersheds a little bit cleaner! This is the second year that the Thomas Hart Benton Group is participating in the Great Kansas City Cleanup, hosted by the City of Kansas City, to clean up litter along a stretch of Brush Creek. During this cleanup we will focus on the eastern stretch of Brush Creek, heading toward the creek's confluence with the Blue River.
Since this event is hosted by the City of Kansas City, there are a couple of steps to the signup process. Please click here for more information and to complete the signup process.
Native Plant Sales Dates: Sat., Apr. 19 and May 17 Time: 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Location: Anita B. Gorman Discovery Center, 4750 Troost
Please click here to find out more about these popular upcoming native plant sales, including the vendors and how you can pre-order.
Wildflowers, Wildlife, and Wild Areas at Lake of the Ozarks Date: Fri., Apri. 25 – Sun., Apr. 27 Location: Lake of the Ozarks State Park
Join Sierra Club for several spring day hikes at Lake of the Ozarks and Ha Ha Tonka State Parks including trails at both a state designated wild area and a natural area. We will look for wildflowers and wildlife on the Woodland Trail in the Patterson Hollow Wild Area, the Turkey Pen Hollow Trail in the Woodland Natural Area and other scenic trails in the two state parks. If we are lucky, we will see the last of the flowering dogwoods which are designated as the Missouri State Trees.
There is a lot more information at the Meetup entry for this event so please click here to see all the structured and unstructured activities planned. As of press time there are five spots left so hurry!
Again, please click here for more information and to RSVP.
Wildflowers - Phone Photo Phlowers Date: Tues., May 6 Time: 6:30 p.m. – 8 p.m. Location: Anita B. Gorman Conservation Discovery Center, 4750 Troost
Today's sophisticated phone cameras have opened up a whole new way to shoot and enjoy nature photography. Learn about spring ephemerals while making great images as we explore the Discovery Center's native landscape. Pat Whelan will teach you three basic photography skills that will instantly make you a better photographer using your phone. Pat is a conservation education consultant at the Missouri Department of Conservation. He has taught children and adults through creative and artistic environmental projects. He has led many hikes to the Kansas City wild places that he loves to photograph.
Please click here for more information and to RSVP.
Introduction to Wilderness Navigation (Starting May 24) This perennial favorite three-part course returns starting May 24. If you know you know! Reserve early! But please read the Meetup site carefully to see how to secure a spot.
Please click here for more information including course materials and how to sign up.
Photo Contest Returns This Summer Starting this June, the Thomas Hart Benton Group (THB) of the Sierra Club will host the 2025 photography contest. From June 1st through September 30th, THB Group members will be able to submit nature-themed photos they take in 2025. Submission will be made through a link that will open June 1 and will continue until September 30. All THB Group members will be invited to vote on the winner or winners! The photographer or photographers whose images receive the most votes will receive a special prize that will be announced at a later date.
More details will be announced soon, so please keep watching this space.
June is coming soon, so start making your best nature photos! Upcoming Events Led by Allied Organizations April 5: Lakeside Nature Center hosts Project Blue River Rescue April 5: Lakeside Nature Center: Hike with a Naturalist April 19: Lakeside Nature Center: Hike with a Naturalist |