By Janet Blauvelt and Jennifer Helber, Membership Committee
At last the Thomas Hart-Benton Group of the Sierra Club (the local Sierra Club group for the Kansas City metro and NW Missouri) is returning to MONTHLY MEETINGS! We know it took us a while after COVID, but it is really happening!
Join us in the Legends Room at The Granfalloon on the Country Club Plaza on the fourth Tuesday (or Thursday–watch our meetup) of each month, to get to meet like-minded folks and to hear about the great work being done in and around Kansas City.
SO, our first monthly meeting will be Tuesday, January 27, in the Legends Room at the Granfalloon from 6 p.m. – 8 p.m.
At our January 27th Meeting, we will hear from Rebecca Thacker, Director of Development and Programs for the Heartland Conservation Alliance. Rebecca will talk about the HCA-led plan to restore and support the Blue River. The vision of the plan is a sustainable, long-term program that engages all communities, removes barriers to accessing this natural treasure, and inspires lasting watershed Stewardship.
The Mission: Equitably connect people and communities to the Blue River and its tributaries through accessible, recreational nature-based guided experiences.
Because their plan has many similar goals with the Sierra Club Missouri Chapter, we are excited to deepen our collaboration with HCA in 2026.
Kansas City’s Blue River is more than a waterway—it’s a lifeline. More residents call this watershed home than any other in the metro, and every creature, from blue herons and beavers to catfish and countless wildlife depend on its health to survive and thrive. Protecting the river protects all who call it home because, like wildlife, humans need nature too.
Congratulations to our winners of this year’s Photo Contest–Jennifer Helber, Marisa Frazier, and Brick Ridgen!
First Place: Monarch Butterfly on Common Sunflower, I-470N / Strother Road Exit Ramp, Taken at Noon.
Photo by Jennifer Helber
Second Place: Bald Eagle on the Current River.
Photo by Marisa Frazier
Third Place: Monarch caterpillar on butterfly weed. Parkville, Missouri.
Photo by Brick Ridgen
Conservation Committee Update on Monarch Habitat
By Jennifer Helber, Conservation Chair
Our Monarch Habitat seed mix is fast asleep in Lee's Summit at I-470 / Strother Road and in Raytown at Copeland Park (51st & Raytown Road). The native seeds need to be exposed to freezing temperatures for the seed coat to germinate in spring ("stratification"). We have more packets of the seed mix available for people who attend our January and February meetings—if you have a bare patch of ground (about 20 sq. Feet), pick one up and watch a patch of prairie grow! With plenty of spots to find milkweed and nectar, there will be more connected habitat for monarchs in migration both north and south! We will include instructions.
We also had a little extra seed mix to offer to Jackson County Parks, and they have some locations along the Rock Island Trail that may be seeded. In December, the National Sierra Club announced they would award $2K micro-grants to 15 state chapters to further the work on habitat for monarchs and pollinators. Our group, Thomas Hart Benton, has applied for this grant and hope to hear by year-end if we will receive funds. Our grant proposal included a variety of monarch habitat projects, including forming a "Team Monarch" to work on current and future plantings. Raytown Parks and Jackson County Parks have discussed potential plantings with us—stay tuned!
Meanwhile, the monarch migration to the oyamel fir forests in Michoacan, Mexico is complete. Reports are that the population reaching these sanctuaries has almost doubled compared to last year. We can only hope this is because gardeners and landscapers in the Midwest have taken up the challenge to increase monarch habitat! Micro-trackers attached to 400 monarch butterflies this fall have provided interesting information on their migration.
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!
Weather interrupted our first attempt to host this in December, so we are excited to bring it back.
Join your friends and neighbors for a hike along Prairie Creek. Enjoy a lovely winter walk passing waterfalls, rolling hills, and a lovely (sleeping) prairie.
This is a 4-mile loop on paved path. Learn about how KC is protecting water, air, and greenspace and ways you can enjoy and protect it from your local Sierra Club.
This event is rain or shine, but we will monitor the weather and may cancel if conditions become unsafe. Dress warmly and wear appropriate footwear (comfy warm socks, closed-toed walking shoes or hiking boots, please!). Water bottle recommended.
Walk from the NKC Sam's Club parking lot, zigzagging through the 'burbs, diving into NKC’s industrial jungle, surfing above MO waves on the Heart of America Bridge, and finally river-siding it to the market! Did we mention one of the best cityscape views of downtown KC, too?
As we walk, we’ll witness the importance of urban planning, as on some of the stretches, we will be walking on sidewalks while on other stretches next to roads, where a sidewalk could be but isn't, in the grass/gravel/dirt/road edge (let's call walking along roads without sidewalks "roadside") in NKC neighbourhoods— it’s like a neon sign: Sidewalks Wanted!
We'll cross the Mighty MO via the Heart of America Bridge (1, 2, 3), where great views await, walk down a wide road time forgot where we hope no train is parked on the tracks or have to go the long way around to Berkley Riverfront and see the new soccer stadium and then stop at a river viewing deck.Then pop into Chinatown Market (great cold drink selection.) Finally, our outing concludes at the vibrant River Market.
But wait! Afterward, linger for a delectable Taste of Brazil lunch—if open and not cold outside; otherwise, the sure thing is indoors at Minsky's, where the TV wall's slate of sports games awaits.
Remember, this adventure spans ten-ish miles (follow that link to see a top-down perspective & use Google Street View for an impression).
You’re in control—of how you'll get to our starting point & then back to it. THIS IS A ONE-WAY POINT-TO-POINT HIKE. YOU HAVE TO PLAN HOW YOU'RE GOING TO GET TO THE START & THEN WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO DO FOR RETURN TRANSPORTATION, e.g. if your vehicle is at Sam's Club where we started, how will you get back there to get it—we are not returning there as part of the outing. And note: we have NOT cleared anyone parking at Sam's Club for this; it is the rally point for the hike, not necessarily a proper place to assume you can park.
And if the weather is bad, it is super cold, or streets are meh from earlier weather (e.g. snow or ice on the ground), we'll likely cancel. So yeah, we're rolling the dice that we catch a break on conditions, tbd!
If you've been looking for something new to listen to, check out this seven-episode series from WNYC Radio. This podcast features world renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma and host Ana Gonzalez visiting different natural environments around the country and the people who call the land home. The connection between music, language, and land is so lovely to explore.
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