Photo by Bruce Dupree, Alabama Cooperative Extension System
March General Meeting—Discuss Local Environmental Topics in a Social Setting
Date: Tues., March 24 Time: 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. Location: The Granfalloon, 608 Ward Parkway, KCMO 64112
Come to the Granfalloon and enjoy a convivial atmosphere, catch up with friends and meet new ones, and share food and drinks as we hear from Chapter staff including Billy Davies on current and ongoing e environmental issues/actions. We’ll also have an action to perform and some good news to share!
PLEASE NOTE: Parking is available in the Time Building parking garage, which is free, open 24/7, and only half a block to the northeast at 4739 Pennsylvania.
Thanks to Tracy Twombly of Sow Wild Natives for presenting our February meeting! Don’t forget the upcoming native plant sale at the Anita B. Gorman Discovery Center Saturday, April 18, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Please donate to the Thomas Hart Benton Group–Thanks!
Remember when we used to have a lemonade fundraiser each Labor Day weekend? It was fun, but a ton of work with diminishing returns. Wouldn’t you rather just click the donate button below than be called to help work a lemonade shift like in the old days? Every little bit helps! Thank you so much!
Conservation Committee Update By Jennifer Helber, Conservation Chair
The Conservation Committee meets monthly, the first Tuesday by Zoom at 6:30 p.m. See our link on Meetup if you're interested in helping plan conservation-related activities!
We have a March Conservation Program at the Colbern Road Mid-Continent Library (Lee's Summit) on Monday, March 9. The Community Room is open at 5:30 p.m., and allows commercially-prepared food, in case you want to pick up carry-out dinner for the evening.
Our Program is "Native Plants for Birds, Bees, and Butterflies". We will begin at 6 p.m. with a review of the work we did in preparing two half-acres for monarch butterfly habitat at Strother Road (the next exit north of Colbern Road on I-470 Highway) and in Raytown's Copeland Park. Our slides will show how the area on Strother last March was a barren field of grass—and without mowing in spring and summer it rebounded with some native grasses and wildflowers, full of common sunflowers by the end of September! Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) seeded the area in November, with a mix we provided that includes 22 species of native plants especially formulated to sustain butterflies and other pollinators. MoDOT has agreed to leave this area un-mowed again; we are committed to helping keep out non-native plants that might want to invade—and are inviting volunteers to join "Team Monarch". We will have a T-shirt to offer; work will begin in May.
Meanwhile, home gardeners are urged to provide an area in your landscape with plants to sustain monarch butterflies and other pollinators. We have two speakers to inspire your planning, from two Lee's Summit businesses that provide native plants: Tabitha from Green Thumb, and Will Gibson from Down to Earth. Green Thumb supplies plants for Down to Earth, as well as home gardeners. Will's business has installed many residential and commercial landscapes with native plants around the Kansas City metro area—including ones designated by Grow Wild as "Gardens of Excellence".
We heard from Tracy Twombly (Sow Wild) at our February General Meeting on the importance of native plants to the ecology that supports wildlife. Help build up habitats to offset the widespread destruction of habitat ongoing in the suburban commercial and residential developments.
Photo by Jennifer Helber
Chapter Energy Report By Don Wallace
The Climate Committee of the Sierra Club’s Thomas Hart Benton Group has been in the thick of the Kansas City, MO City Council discussion on changes to building codes. The good news is a commitment for KCMO to adopt the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) IECC2024 efficiency standards for the building codes following a funded stakeholder process working on assessing amendments with the City Manager through the Planning & Development Office.
The bad news is that the City Council also adopted another ordinance that immediately weakens the current IECC2021 standards. The Council’s direct modifications of the current energy-efficiency standards raises the burden for the stakeholder process in any efforts to produce a robust version of the IECC2024 standards. Weakening the IECC2021 standards contradicted a central goal of KCMO's Climate Protection & Resiliency Plan for ensuring the latest building codes standards to be enacted.
Looming in the background is the threat of the state legislature to pre-empt any local government’s efforts at raising energy efficiency standards and requiring 2009-level standards. This threat of pre-emption was used by a couple of councilmembers in the KCMO City Council discussion as a reason to weaken the current standards as a means to appease the Missouri state legislature.
KC Sierrans led the community-wide effort, with grassroots support from Billy Davies, Senior Field Organizer, Sierra Club Missouri Chapter, to convince the Mayor to follow through with his public contemplation of vetoing this ordinance that weakens the 2021 standards. Sadly, the Mayor did not exercise this authority, leaving the community wondering why he so publicly announced his interest in a veto.
Presently the next steps for our group’s efforts will be to promote public comments on the 2024 IECC, as well as working for potential collaboration with data center activists. These efforts will be facilitated by the new action hour we launched last week, which provide monthly gatherings for concerned (and busy) people to discuss climate policy developments at the local, regional, state, and federal level and to take meaningful action together.
Eddy-Ballentine Trail Restoration
Date: Sat., March 7 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.
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!
Date: Mon., March 9 Time: 6 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. Location: Mid-Continent Library, 1000 NE Colbern Road, Lee’s Summit, MO 64086
The Thomas Hart Benton Group of the Sierra Club invites you to come hear about monarch habitat restoration projects begun, with opportunities to join Team Monarch!
We will also hear from two Lee’s Summit businesses that provide native plants and landscaping: Green Thumb and Down to Earth.
Gardening with native plants for pollinators is good for birds and other wildlife, too!
The Community Room will be open at 5:30 p.m., and allows you to bring food, commercially prepared.
This meeting is open to the public—you do not need to be a Sierra Club member.
Dates: Sat., March 14 and Sun., March 15 Time and Location: Please See Meetup
This popular class fills up fast so RSVP soon!
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.
This class requires a book and a compass plus an enrollment fee (scholarships available for those age 18 to 30). Also there is a lot of other preparatory information on the Meetup entry so please use the link below to get up to speed before you sign up.
We'll hike the Lower Rock Ledges Loop Trail in Fleming Park. This 3.5-mile trail runs through the woods between the shoreline of Lake Jacomo and a series of large limestone outcrops. It then goes past a wide inlet, where ducks like to roost, before turning back inland in a series of switchbacks. The trail is sometimes a leaf-covered path and in other places requires you to watch for rocks and roots in the trail. About 2/3rd of the way through, we'll have the option, if we choose, to lengthen the hike by following the Upper Rock Ledges Trail back to our starting point.
Monthly Action Hour in Kansas City Date: March 18 (every month on 3rd Wednesday) Time: 5:30 p.m - 7:00 p.m. Location: 400 E. Gregory Blvd, KCMO (RSVP Here)
Missed our Action Hour launch last month? No worries as there are more coming up!
Join neighbors from the KC area at Front Range in KCMO to take easy and meaningful action to help people and the planet, and stick around to meet with fellow activists in your community. These will be recurring events on the third Wednesday of every month. Roll in whenever you can to connect with Sierrans from around KC anytime beginning at 5:30. We will brief everyone on the monthly action from 6 to about 6:20, and all the rest of the time will be devoted to taking action together, answering questions, and naming next steps.
As we face together the unprecedented attacks on our neighbors, on our environment, and democracy itself, it is more important than ever to make space to be with friends and neighbors as we energize and mobilize each other to continue taking action to win a livable future FOR ALL.
These spaces are modeled after the Sierra Club Missouri Chapter and national Sierra Club virtual action hours, with the added perk of giving local activists another chance to join actions in person. Every month, your local Thomas Hart Benton Group will provide action you can take to advance our campaigns and power-building work for Missouri. These are easy actions meant to be done in as little ast 15 minutes because we know you're busy. The rest of the time is meant for discussion about additional campaigns and stories you wish to highlight and grow as an activist community. We hope to see you there!
Eat Local and Organic Expo April 4
Date: April 4, 2026 Time: 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Location: Lenexa Old Town Activity Center, 9301 Pflumm Road, Lenexa, KS 66215
This Food Circle event is always a good time with opportunities to meet local organic farmers, shop local farms and businesses, sign up for CSA programs, and purchase seedlings and other items.
This event is free to the public but if you RSVP here you have a chance to win $50 to spend at the Expo!
Lobby Day in Jeff City April 15
Time: 9:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Join us for our 2026 Lobby Day in Jeff City! Members from all over the state come together at the Missouri Capitol to speak directly with elected officials about protecting our air, water, land, and climate. Your voice matters!
The Missouri Prairie Foundation will hold a native plant sale on Saturday, April 18, 2026 at the Anita B. Gorman Conservation Discovery Center, 4750 Troost Ave., Kansas City, MO 64110 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Sierra Magazine National Essay Contest for Young Writers
Sierra Magazine is launching a national essay contest for young writers in partnership with the Sierra Club's Outdoors for All campaign! Last year, the magazine published its first ever "Seedlings" special issue for young readers and families. For this year's second annual issue of "Seedlings," the magazine and Outdoors for All want to celebrate young voices and inspire connection to public lands through storytelling.
Anyone up to the age of 18 is invited to participate. All you have to do is take a hike in a state or national park (or other wild place) and write an essay about it—both about the experience in general, and about why protecting that place is important for young people to experience the outdoors.
The winning essay will be published in the digital edition of the Summer 2026 “Seedlings” issue. The deadline for receiving all submissions is May 15, 2026. For more information about the contest and how to apply, please click on the contest submission page.
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 Foundation's calendar here
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