Protecting Prairies & Promoting Native Plants | | |
MPF is grateful to generous prairie supporters whose Give St. Louis Day donations helped MPF exceed its goal of $10,000! Donations, including an anonymous match gift of $5,000, totaled $11,095.
The funds raised during this online event will be doubled thanks to an MPF 60th Anniversary Campaign match gift from Susan Lordi Marker and Dennis Marker, who will match all donations up to $1,000,000 through the end of 2026.
With total donations of $215,890 received since January, MPF has now reached 22% of its 60th Anniversary Campaign goal. There are numerous ways to make a gift—including tribute gifts, workplace giving, or purchasing prairie naming rights. All donations will support MPF's award-winning conservation work and bring us closer to reaching our campaign goal. Read more about MPF's 60th Anniversary Campaign here.
MPF supporters make it possible for MPF to protect old-growth prairie and establish prairie plantings—open to all to enjoy at any time. In addition, our events and educational offerings, including many listed below, increase knowledge about and appreciation for prairies and native landscaping.
Thank you for your support!
P.S. We are also very grateful to all involved in the passage of Missouri's invasive plant bill—good news below!
| | MPF/Grow Native! Job Announcement: Part-Time Clerical Assistant | | |
MPF and its Grow Native! program seek a part-time Clerical Assistant to provide clerical and administrative support to our operations. We invite qualified applicants with exceptional attention to detail and organizational skills to apply. This quarter- or half-time position (up to 10 to 20 hours per week) is located in Columbia, Missouri.
Find the job description and application instructions here. Applications will be accepted through June 16, 2025.
Photo by Ann Earley featuring, from left, Event & Communication Coordinator Amanda Lands Ramrup and MPF Board Member Linden Mueller tabling information at a native plant sale
| | May 21: Grow Native! Master Class: Native Perennials for Planting on Slopes | | |
Spend an hour getting to know some of the best go-to plants for building ecologically sound landscapes with Shannon Currey, a horticultural educator with Izel Native Plants. In this session, participants will discuss objectives for managing slopes and connect them to plant attributes that fulfill those objectives. Learn how to approach slopes as an opportunity to improve function and add ecological benefits without sacrificing aesthetics.
This live master class, to be held via Zoom, will include a presentation and question-and-answer session. A recording will be available only to those who have registered. Please register at the link below.
Cost: Free to all MPF dues-paying members and Grow Native! professional members, or $15 for non-members. Master class fees support our Grow Native! programming. Visit our MPF membership page to become a member and attend all master classes for free!
Wednesday, May 21 at 4:00 p.m. Register here.
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For landscape architects who participate in the Landscape Architecture Continuing Education System, this master class meets the LA CES health, safety, and welfare definition and counts for 1 PDH. Register at the link below by May 20 and see details about earning LA CES here.
Photo of a slope planting by Shannon Currey
| | May 24: Springfield Native Plant Sale – Mother’s Brewing Co. | | |
On Saturday, May 24, a wide variety of native wildflowers, grasses, sedges, vines, shrubs, and trees will be available for sale from two Grow Native! professional members at Mother’s Brewing Co., 215 S. Grant Avenue, Springfield, Missouri 65806 from 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Native plant vendors at this event are Gaylena’s Garden and Ozark Soul Native Plants.
More information on this sale, including updates from participating vendors and pre-order details, can be found here. Vendors from all sales will donate a portion of plant sale proceeds to benefit MPF. Peruse the grownative.org website to find inspiration, resources to create native plant shopping lists, and more!
Photo of butterfly milkweed and monarch caterpillar by Bruce Schuette
| | Invasive Plant Bill Passed! | | |
On May 15, one day before the close of the 2025 Missouri legislative session, the Missouri House of Representatives passed Senate Bill 105 to halt the sale of select invasive plants by a vote of 124 to 19.
“The Missouri Invasive Plant Council is extremely pleased with this news, and thanks Missouri legislators for their support of this bill that will help protect Missouri’s working lands and native habitats,” said Carol Davit, Missouri Invasive Plant Council (MoIP) Chair. Many groups and individuals were instrumental in the bill's passage. Special recognition and thanks go to Kyna Iman, lobbyist for the Conservation Federation of Missouri, for her tireless work to build support for the bill in the Missouri Capitol.
Several years ago, MoIP, administered by MPF, proposed the idea of legislation to cease the sale of select invasive plants to reduce their negative impacts on Missouri’s landscape. MoIP invited input from nearly 100 stakeholder groups and tabulated feedback that was received to assess opinions in support of or against the inclusion of specific invasive plants in eventual state legislation. Read more here.
Photo above of the House floor votes for Senate Bill 105 by Kyna Iman. If your Missouri Representative voted yes, consider contacting and thanking him or her for supporting SB 105.
| | May 24: Paint it Prairie – Plein Air Painting Event at Snowball Hill Prairie | | |
Spend the day visiting MPF's Snowball Hill Prairie with your camera, brushes, and canvas as part of the 6th Annual Plein Air Painting Event on Saturday, May 24. Creatives will enjoy learning about and painting on this incredible, 20-acre original native prairie and the adjoining 50-acre planted prairie.
Even if you are not an artist, feel free to attend and enjoy the prairie and admire the paintings in progress.
The event includes interpretive hikes offered at 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m., and information tables about native prairie, MPF, MPF's Grow Native! program, and the Harrisonville Fine Art Association.
Key Event Information:
• No fees to participate. No web registration required.
• All ages welcome!
• Dress for outdoor adventure with appropriate shoes and clothing.
• BYO art medium supplies, camera, non-disposable container of water, and snacks.
• Respect the prairie. Everything brought in must be taken out.
• No restrooms available on site.
• Park in parking lot at entrance. Prairie is accessible by foot.
Rain date: June 7, 2025
Read more details here. If you have questions or concerns, please call Doris Sherrick: 816-716-9159 or Patsy Albers: 816-213-3565
Promotional graphic features an on-site watercolor painting by Darla Zook
| | Good to Know: Top 10 Lists to Grow | | The most comprehensive tool of MPF's Grow Native! program for researching native plants is our Grow Native! Native Plant Database, which hosts detailed information on 369 species of lower Midwest trees, shrubs, vines, grasses, sedges, rushes, and wildflowers. For quick reference purposes, however, we offer 34 different Top 10 Lists of native plants with key landscape features and intentions in mind. | |
Many of the lists were created by Grow Native! Program Advisor Scott Woodbury, based on his many years of experience and observations as the Curator of the Whitmire Wildflower Garden at Shaw Nature Reserve, or other native plant experts. In spring of 2025, Malinda Walter of Grow Native! professional member Compass Native Landscapes suggested to MPF staff that a list of shrubs that can be used as privacy screening, in particular to replace invasive bush honeysuckle, would be a worthy addition. That list, Grow Native! Top Ten List of Outstanding Shrubs and Small Trees for Privacy Screening, is now available. It includes suggestions that will grow to a size and shape that will screen views while also serving other functions, like providing for wildlife or edible food for people.
In addition to the many lists for specific purposes, for a general list of plants that are truly top selections in a variety of situations, see Grow Native! Top Ten List of Top Performing Native Plants. These are plants that were selected because they are attractive, durable, compact, and attract pollinators!
Read more about Top 10 Lists in the latest Grow Native! blog post here.
Photo of rusty blackhaw (Viburnum rufidulum), one of the shrubs featured in the new top ten list, by Mervin Wallace
| | May 31: Grow Native! Anniversary Event: Greenscape Gardens Open House | | |
For 25 years, Grow Native!—MPF's native plant education and marketing program— has been a significant catalyst for the growth of the native landscaping movement in the lower Midwest and beyond. To honor this milestone, Grow Native! professional member and Gold-level sponsor Greenscape Gardens will host an open house on May 31, 2025 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at their St. Louis County nursery.
Participants will have the opportunity to enjoy a self-guided tour of Greenscape’s nursery, and learn more about the benefits of native plants for nature and people from Greenscape and Grow Native! staff. Locally printed T-shirts featuring the special anniversary logo by artist Melissa Bryant will be available for purchase, as well as a wide variety of native plants.
The event is free of charge and no pre-registration is required. We hope to see you there!
Photo by Greenscape Gardens
| | June 4: MPF Wetlands Webinar: Not Just for Ducks... Reframing Wetland Conservation | | |
Global challenges like biodiversity loss, food insecurity, and climate change are linked. Over the past 100 years wetland conservation has been viewed through a utilitarian lens, focusing primarily on the benefits of species and their associated use, like ducks and waterfowl hunting. However, other cultural connections, world views, and histories valuing wetland species as food, fiber, and medicine have largely been overlooked.
Shifting a focus from “just ducks” towards "working water gardens," may be a means to better integrate cultural histories, diverse food systems, and flood resilience into the future of wetland conservation, thus providing local solutions that also contribute globally.
This presentation, with the Missouri Department of Conservation's Wetland Systems Manager Frank Nelson, frames a series of upcoming MPF Wetlands Webinars in a series highlighting diverse cultural connections to wetlands, aspects of One Health, social interest, and opportunities in urban and rural settings.
This free webinar, to be held via Zoom, will include a presentation and a live question-and-answer session. The webinar will be recorded, with a link to the recording sent to all registrants and posted to the MPF YouTube channel.
Wednesday, June 4 at 4:00 p.m. Register here.
Photo of a wetland by Frank Nelson
| | Registration Open for MPF's 14th Annual Prairie BioBlitz June 7 & 8 at Coyne Prairie | |
Attention all nature lovers and prairie enthusiasts! You are invited to MPF's 14th Annual Prairie BioBlitz June 7 & 8, 2025 at MPF's Coyne Prairie near Lockwood, Missouri. Join the fun as we honor National Prairie Day (June 7) with a special dedication of the Snadon tract of Coyne Prairie, followed by guided wildlife tours and social activities through the following morning (June 8).
Weekend activities include a potluck dinner featuring burgers from local native grass-grazed beef, after-dinner speaker Ethan Freese with Platte Basin Timelapse on prairie photography, observing nocturnal insects, and tent camping on the prairie. Enjoy an afternoon, evening, morning, or all weekend on the prairie.
The event is free, but registration is required. Register here. There will be study group sessions on reptiles and amphibians; butterflies and moths; small mammals; ants; wasps, grasshoppers, true bugs, and beetles; bees; bumble bees; prairie plants, and more. You can sign up for one or several, or just register for the potluck and camping. Questions? Email outreach@moprairie.org or call 636-303-7418. This event is supported in part by a David A. Risberg Memorial Grant from the Conservation Federation of Missouri.
We look forward to seeing you at Coyne Prairie! While in the area, you may want to visit MPF's adjoining Penn-Sylvania Prairie – the location of the first MPF Prairie BioBlitz nearly 14 years ago!
| | June 13: Guided hike at MPF’s Schuette Prairie with Clifford Barratt | | |
Join MPF Assistant Prairie Steward Clifford Barratt for an evening spring hike at MPF’s Schuette Prairie, a limestone/dolomite prairie with over 200 plant species documented near Bolivar, Missouri. Enjoy native wildflowers while learning about this rare natural community. Minimum registration of six people.
What to expect: heat, sun, occasional wet ground, possibly annoying invertebrates (e.g., gnats, ticks, chiggers, mosquitoes).
What to bring: footwear you don’t mind getting wet/muddy, sun protection, water and hydration supplies, food/snacks, outdoor clothes, insect repellent, sun protection.
Registrants will be notified in the event we need to reschedule due to severe weather. Rain Date: June 27.
Friday, June 13 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. For those who are part of the Grow Native! Professional Certification Program (GNPCP), this event provides 2 GNPCP CEUs. See details about earning GNPCP CEUs here.
Click here to register.
Photo of yellow coneflowers (Echinacea paradoxa) on Schuette Prairie by Bruce Schuette
| | June 21: Two Native Gardens of Excellence Tours | | |
Plan your visit to one of our two superb native gardens that were inducted into the Grow Native! Native Gardens of Excellence program this year. The two Native Gardens of Excellence tours will be held at the Native Plant Garden at Ladue City Hall in St. Louis County, and the Laura Ingalls Wilder Home and Museum Monarch Garden in Mansfield, Missouri.
Each tour includes information about the history, design, and maintenance of the gardens, with details about the different species present and stewardship techniques that are used at the site. Attendees will be able to learn about the many benefits of native plants, including ecological function, beauty, and contribution to a sense of well-being.
Tour capacity is limited and registration is required.
Native Plant Garden at Ladue City Hall
Saturday, June 21 from 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. 1 GNPCP CEUs. Register here.
Laura Ingalls Wilder Home and Museum Monarch Garden
Saturday, June 21 from 10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. 1 GNPCP CEUs. Register here.
Photos left to right of Native Plant Garden at Ladue City Hall and Laura Ingalls Wilder Home and Museum Monarch Garden
| | Grow Native! Professional Certification Testing Opportunities in St. Louis and Columbia | | |
Grow Native! Professional Certification testing opportunities for 2025 are posted on the GNPCP webpage. Grow Native! certification offers native plant professionals the opportunity to demonstrate mastery of a variety of native plant topics related to plant identification, botanical terminology, growing conditions, plant communities, ecological considerations and benefits, planning and design, installation, and maintenance.
Learn about the value of certification here. An individual who passes all four sections of the certification test is recognized as a Grow Native! Certified Pro, highlighted in MPF's enewsletter, and included on the List of Grow Native! Certified Pros. Certified Pros are spotlighted in monthly posts on Grow Native's blog and social media, and each Pro's associated organization receives a special certification designation in the Grow Native! Resource Guide, both print and online.
There is still time to register for the next scheduled test, which will be on Friday, June 27, at the Missouri Botanical Garden Commerce Bank Center for Science Education in St. Louis. The regular registration period for this test closes on May 30. Also, upcoming later in summer, a test is scheduled for July 25 at University of Missouri General Services Building in Columbia. The regular registration period for this test will close on June 30. If you are a native plant professional who would like to test on any of the upcoming test dates, email Erika Van Vranken for details about registering.
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Roads bisect animal habitat, creating perilous conditions for many species, including turtles. Watch particularly for turtles on roads this spring, as they emerge from their burrows and begin to move through the landscape to find food and mates.
On the road and on our prairies you may encounter Missouri’s two species of box turtles: the three-toed box turtle and the plains box turtle (formerly known as the ornate box turtle). Three-toed box turtles (Terrapene carolina triunguis) are typically found in wooded habitats, although they can be found in prairies and other grasslands too. A more characteristic prairie inhabitant is the plains box turtle (Terrapene ornata), whose brown carapace (top shell) has bright yellow, patterned lines. One study in Kansas found that this species overwintered in burrows as much as 29 inches deep in open prairie habitat. These primarily insectivorous turtles rely on grassland habitat for food, with 90 percent of their diet consisting of grasshoppers, beetles, and caterpillars.
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Details to help identify a mature, plains box turtle include: the dark brown carapace (top shell) with prominent yellow radiating lines and a distinctive yellow stripe down the middle (but no ridge). The carapace may also be slightly flattened on top. Details to help identify a mature, three-toed box turtle include olive or olive-brown carapace (top shell) with faint yellow or orange lines and usually a faint ridge down the middle.
For more, check out this MPF blog post, Missouri Department of Conservation Field Guide entries for three-toed box turtle and the plains box turtle, and The Amphibians and Reptiles of Missouri by Jeffrey T. Briggler and Tom R. Johnson.
Top photos: left: plains box turtle; right: three-toed box turtle. Photo above: plains box turtle. All photos by Bruce Schuette
| | The Missouri Prairie Foundation respectfully acknowledges that the land we work to protect was the homeland of a diversity of Native American nations prior to European-American settlement. The land in our care continues to have cultural significance for the Ni-U-Ko’n-Ska (Osage), Nyut/\achi (Missouria), Asakiwaki and Meskwaki (Sac and Fox), Báxoje (Ioway), Kaw, and other Native American nations. We are mindful that these nations had a significant role in shaping the landscape and that they continue a sacred relationship with the lands we protect. We recognize and appreciate their contributions to the cultural heritage of this region and to the history of North America. We honor them as we protect the ecological integrity of the lands in our care. | | | |
Newsletter content ownership: Missouri Prairie Foundation.
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| | | | | For State Employees: #8426 | | |
Missouri Prairie Foundation
PO Box 200
Columbia, MO 65205
(888) 843-6739
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