Interested in Joining our Sierra Club Executive Committee?

Interested in joining the Executive Committee (ExCom)? Annual elections will take place in December to select new members of the Executive Committee for both the Thomas Hart Benton Group and the Missouri Sierra Club. 

Thomas Hart Benton Group
If you are curious about what this two-year commitment involves, reach out to Jennifer Helber, Nominations Chair, at jthelber@hotmail.com. The Thomas Hart Benton Group is a part of the Missouri Sierra Club.

Missouri Sierra Club
Also, have you thought about taking another step to make our environmental movement stronger? The Missouri Chapter is holding our executive committee election this December, and we'd like to meet new folks to join our statewide leadership! 

Please complete our interest form at: http://bit.ly/mo-nominate-2025

Once we receive your form, our Missouri nominations chair Kevin Grooms will be happy to reach out to you and answer any of your questions!

Trip Report: Current River Adventure
By Jennifer Helber, Conservation Committee Co-Chair
 

Native Plantings Update
By Jennifer Helber, Conservation Committee Co-Chair
 

Sierrans Act to Defend Roadless Rule

Here’s an update to a very time-sensitive action that took place during September, from Clayton Daughenbaugh of Sierra Club’s National Board of Directors:

“This week, we’re celebrating a huge team win! During a rushed 21-day comment period on the Roadless Rule, the conservation community submitted over 500,000 public comments—including an incredible 42,488 from Sierra Club activists. This powerful response helped demonstrate just how deeply people care about protecting our public lands.”

On Aug 29 2025, the USDA published a notice of intent, kicking off a 21-day comment period which ended September 19. A big thanks to local Sierrans who jumped in to help send comments by the deadline. This was in response to Secretary of Agriculture Rollins’ June 2025 announcement that the USDA is rescinding the 2001 Roadless Rule. 

Here is a link to a document with further background and information.

Virtual Book Club: The Uninhabitable Earth: Life After Warming (October 15)

For our next virtual book club, we return to the harrowing subject of climate change and its frightening effects on our planet. Author David Wallace-Wells argues persuasively that we need to start curbing carbon emissions yesterday–and that was in 2019.  

Here’s a link to the book, which is also available as an audiobook.  

Please click here for more information and to RSVP/receive the link.

Watch Meetup for a Beginner Bird Walk

Please watch our Outings Meetup for an upcoming Beginner Bird Walk at Lake Jacomo.

Eddy-Ballentine Trail Restoration

Date: Sat., Nov. 1
Time: 1 p.m. - 3 p.m.

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.

Located just south of Swope Park, this rare limestone glade community is one of the northernmost occurrences of such a community in Missouri and the best example existing locally. Gnarled Chinquapin Oaks nearly 300 years old sit atop slab-like outcroppings of Bethany Falls limestone. A prairie-like flora of grasses and wildflowers provides rich color and texture through most of the year. This community is managed through periodic prescribed burning.

The glade is threatened by several exotic plant species, especially shrub honeysuckle. Please come and help so native flowers and grasses flourish again in these stunning wild areas. Trail maintenance this time of year is an advantage because there are fewer ticks but if it is too cold we will reschedule. No prior experience necessary!

Please click here for more information and to RSVP.

Introduction to Wilderness Navigation

Dates: Sat., Nov. 29 and Sun., Nov. 30
Locations: Anita B. Gorman Discovery Center and Shawnee Mission Park

Don’t wait–this popular course fills up fast! Class size is limited to the first 12 who enroll.

Would you like to learn how to read a topographical map for wilderness travel and how to use a compass and GPS with that topo map so you don’t get lost? Join a two-part course “Introduction to Wilderness Navigation.” Saturday will be in class at the Discovery Center from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday will be in the field at Shawnee Mission Park Orienteering Course from. 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.

Please click here for more information and to RSVP.  

Upcoming Events Led by Allied Organizations

We often have conversations about the connections between housing and the environment. If you are interested in learning more about how housing relates to the overall health of a city, check out the upcoming event at the Kansas City Public Library's Plaza Branch, "Housing as Economic Development" on Thursday, Oct, 16,  at 6 p.m.

• Please check Lakeside Nature Center’s calendar here
• Please check Missouri Department of Conservation’s calendar here
• Please check Missouri Prairie Foundations calendar here
• Cultivate KC has a list of events and a list of farmers’ markets