Events

The nature center is partnering with the Cape Girardeau Parks & Recreation Department to clean up Cape LaCroix Creek during their annual Friends of the Park Day. Gather your friends, family, or organization to help bring the beauty back to the creek between Walden Park and Shawnee Sports Complex. We’ll meet at the nature center to distribute supplies and assign locations. If you register prior to April 5 at 5 pm, lunch and T-shirts will be provided at Capaha Park. Youth and adult groups welcome.

Red, blue, white, and green; what beautiful colors appear in spring! Learn about the beautiful blooms in spring and participate in some fun and flowery sensory activities and crafts. Babes in the Woods programs are designed to empower parents to introduce babies and toddlers ages 0–2 years to the sights, sounds, and textures of nature.

Naturescaping is simply utilizing native flowers, vines, shrubs, and other plants that share our environment for our landscaping needs. They may be as manicured as a formal garden or have a little wild space in a backyard corner. The benefits of a purposeful flowerbed or landscape will be covered from the roots up, including starting with a new space to rehabbing an existing flowerbed. The design and plant components of a butterfly garden, hummingbird haven, and more ideas to entice wanted wildlife will be included. The program is geared for all interested adults including educators developing rain gardens and planning outdoor classrooms.

(Presented by Jeff Cantrell, MO Stream Team Biologist and member of GROW NATIVE).

Walk-in (ages 3-6) Discovering the amazing natural world is as easy as opening a book! This volunteer naturalist led story program is ideal for preschool - kindergarten children and will take them on journeys to learn about wildlife, habitats and more. If accommodations are needed, please e-mail the instructor at least one week prior to the program.

Want to see spring wildflowers and hike with a group? Meet at the pavilion for an introduction. We hope to find bluebells, Dutchman’s breeches, bloodroot, trillium, wild phlox, and spring beauty. Rockwoods is a little piece of the Ozarks close to home. According to MDC, “The terrain is reminiscent of the Ozark hills and many plants and animals found in hill country are also found here.”

We will hike about 2 miles. The hike includes hills and stairs. Picnic facilities are available if you want to bring your lunch.

Dress for the weather and protection from poison ivy. Insect repellent is recommended. Bring water and magnifying glass if you have one. Please register each participant individually.

There are many opportunities to get outdoors and enjoy nature in Jackson County! The Missouri Department of Conservation is partnering with Blue Springs and Jackson County Parks and Recreation to offer this celebration of the outdoors in our community. The event will be held at Rotary Park, 600 NW Vesper St, Blue Springs, MO 64014. Activities include fishing, wild edible plants, birding, outdoor yoga, archery and so much more! There will be something for all ages.

Celebrate Earth Day all week with us! Most plastic materials are never recycled and end up in landfills or in the wild, potentially harming plants and animals. Volunteer Naturalist Dana Tideman will present appropriate ways to recycle and how to repurpose items in unique ways! All ages.

What has feathers and is truly fantastic? Birds! Let’s investigate all the wonderful things that feathers do for birds using hands-on demonstrations and activities. Registration required. Ages 7-12

Join us for beginner kayaking and a relaxing time on the water. During this kayaking program you will learn about paddling equipment, paddling safety, and how to paddle a kayak on a lake. Life jackets, kayaks, and paddles will be provided. Bring a bottle of water, sunscreen, and closed toed shoes that can get wet. We will meet at the boat ramp area at Morningside Lake off Helm Street in Fulton. Minimum age to participate is 9 years old. Participants under 16 must be accompanied by an adult.

Walk-in (all ages) The Missouri Prairie Foundation (MPF) is on site for a spring native plant sale. Grow Native! vendors will be on hand with a wide selection of native flowers, grasses, sedges, shrubs and trees for a variety of growing conditions. Vendors will contribute a percentage of plant sale proceeds to benefit MPF's prairie conservation in Missouri. Visit www.moprairie.org for participating vendors and information about pre-ordering. If accommodations are needed, please e-mail the instructor at least one week prior to the program.