Photo by Bruce Dupree, Alabama Cooperative Extension System
Members: Don’t Forget to Vote for Thomas Hart Benton Group and Missouri Chapter Executive Committee
Please check your inbox! Members should have received your ballot via email from “Sierra Club Thomas Hart Benton Group” for our Executive Committee on Monday, Nov. 24. Votes must be in by Dec. 31.
Alternately, there should be a paper ballot in the Chapter newsletter that is mailed in December. Please only vote once, whether by email or paper ballot. Thanks!
The seed mix ordered in October was divided into two portions, and seeded by MoDOT at the Strother Road/I-470 North ramp as well on a hillside in the newly developed park in Raytown (Terry Copeland Park, 5330 Raytown Road). Each site is approximately ½ acre.
We dedicated the seeds on Saturday, Nov. 22nd at the Raytown Park. Joining us was the Raytown Mayor and a representative from the Parks Department. I explained the history of the Sierra Club, with establishment by John Muir and colleagues in 1892. We also gave tribute to the tribes of indigenous people who inhabited Jackson County when the first Europeans came through the territory. The Missouria tribe later joined the Otoe in Nebraska and eventually they left for a reservation in Oklahoma. The famous explorer William Clark met with the Osage tribe, wrote a treaty and established Fort Osage as a trading post. As with other treaties made with Native Americans, the agreements were not upheld, and the Osage tribe was forced to also move to Oklahoma, traveling along the Osage Trail.
Both of these prairie restoration sites will need volunteers for managing invasive species that are likely to grow. We may also enlist those interested in botany to help evaluate the success of each planting--we'll aim to form "Team Monarch" in 2026. I explained that native plants require at least three years to become established: the first year is spent developing roots, the second year more vegetative growth is seen, and in the third year there should be abundant flowering.
Two hundred years ago, the western half of Missouri was covered in tallgrass prairie. These prairie restorations help monarchs—they contain seeds of milkweed needed for caterpillars, as well as flowering plants needed by migrating monarchs. But they also provide habitat for many species of pollinators. In turn, grassland bird species feed on the many insects that require native plants.
A new tool has been used this year to monitor monarch butterfly migration from Canada and Minnesota. The data that has been collected from these micro-trackers on the migration path to Michoacan, Mexico has been very interesting so far. Reports from the Rosario monarch reserve indicate that this year's migration may be double what it was in 2024. That is good news! The migrating population has been reduced by more than 80% from the 1990s. Possible causes are pesticide use, climate change, and habitat loss. We are awaiting a December decision by the US Fish & Wildlife Service on the "threatened" status of the monarch butterfly. We hope that as many more people understand the importance of native habitat and help restore it, monarch and bird populations will begin to recover.
At the seed dedication event, we offered packets of the seed mix, with explanations on planting a patch of prairie.
A sign was placed at the hillside in Copeland Park, to recognize the Missouri Sierra Club, and both the Thomas Hart Benton Group and Eastern Missouri Group (whose grant funds supplied the project).
Photo by Billy Davies
Winter Solstice Torchlit Hike (Sponsored and Led by George Owens Park Staff)
We will have a tabling presence at this nighttime hike at George Owens Park in Independence on Wed., Dec. 3 from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. This is the 22nd year for this event, which is put on by Independence Parks and Recreation.
Enjoy live raptors, an ice sculpture and a roaring fire! There will be a limited number of hot chocolate travel mugs, so come early to get one!
Tabling will be provided by the Missouri Master Naturalists and the Thomas Hart Benton Group of the Sierra Club.
Again, although this event is not sponsored by the Sierra Club, we will be present. If you choose to go on the hike, please stop by and say “hi” at our table!
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!
Eagle Days at Loess Bluffs Date: Sat., Dec. 6 Time: 9 a.m. - 12 p.m.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) will host the 46th annual Eagle Days at Loess Bluffs National Wildlife Refuge on Saturday, December 6 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
There are some short trails (a mile or less) that we'll walk and explore on our own.
A driving tour is available that will include interpretive stops on the drive through the wetlands. There will be spotting scopes set up at key points along the drive to allow for spotting wildlife out on the marshes.
Besides eagles, other wildlife at wetland pools like trumpeter swans, geese, ducks and shore birds can be seen.
Missouri Department of Conservation staff, Missouri Master Naturalists, and Loess Bluffs staff will be on hand to welcome visitors and answer questions. The number of waterfowl and eagles at the refuge varies according to the weather.
Virtual Hiking and Backpacking Planning with Caltopo
Date: Wed., Dec. 10
Time: 6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
This virtual class (on the Zoom platform) is an introduction to using Caltopo, a website designed for planning hiking and backpacking trips.
During the class you will see how to plan a trip. If you like, you can plan your own trip after the class with what you learn.
Before the class starts, make sure to go to https://caltopo.com/account/signup and create an account so you can log in and create a map during the class.
Caltopo accounts are free, and it's free to use Caltopo as long as you're online. To use Caltopo offline, you'll need a premium subscription. You won't need a premium subscription for the class.
Interested Sierra Club members are invited to a Zoom on Thurs., Dec. 11, at 2:00 p.m. with Janet Blauvelt, new Membership Committee Chair. We will be planning the upcoming year’s activities as far as increasing membership engagement, meeting new members, and planning events.
If interested, please contact Janet at jb@blauveltlaw.com or 816-797-5531.
Enjoy a winter walk passed waterfalls, rolling hills, and sleeping prairie. This is a 6 mile out-and-back walk on paved path. Learn about how KC is protectig water, air, and greenspace and ways you can enjoy and protect it from your local Sierra Club.
This event is free and open to all, but RSVP is required so we know to look out for you. If you have any questions or need anything, please reach out to Billy Davies, KC area staffer and (new!) Sierra Club KC outings leader, at william.davies@sierraclub.org, or 847-636-3642.
Lastly, here is a webinar that folks may be interested in:
The Contamination of Personal Hygiene Products with Dr. Alyssa Wicks & Dr. Graham Peaslee
by Wastewater Residuals Grassroots Network Team
Tuesday, December 9th @ 5 p.m. ET
RSVP by emailing: sewagesludge@olympus.net
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a class of over 14,000 synthetic compounds that provide appealing properties such as water, oil, and stain resistance. These characteristics have led to the widespread use of PFAS in consumer products, including personal care products. However, these same properties also make PFAS highly persistent in the environment, raising growing concern about their pathways into drinking water and other media.
In this webinar, researchers from a recent Environmental Science & Technology Letters publication will share new findings on the presence of PFAS in feminine hygiene products. Presenters will discuss how PFAS are used in feminine hygiene products, the analytical methods used to detect and quantify PFAS, and the implications for the environmental fate of these compounds. The session will conclude with discussion of actions consumers can take to reduce PFAS exposure from consumer products and encourage change in the manufacturing practices.
Upcoming Events Led by Allied Organizations
Please check Lakeside Nature Center’s calendar here
Please check Missouri Department of Conservation’s calendar here
Please check Missouri Prairie Foundations calendar here
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