Events

Come and see this months Hallway Artist, Geoff Anderson's bird photography! Born and raised in south county St. Louis, he grew up camping, fishing, and exploring the outdoors. Professionally, he works in the construction industry, but makes it a point to get out into the outdoors as much as possible. In college, he started to pursue photography with birds being his main focus. After finally seeing a sora in Alabama during 2014, he decided that it was time to really commit to bird photography. Since then, he has logged many hours sitting in the woods, standing in grass, wading in mud all in the pursuit of that perfect image of birds. Everything ( but 1 ) that's on display this month is an image taken in his backyard at my home in South County. He moved into this house 6 years ago and has worked to create wildlife habitat in the space we share with all the wildlife. Since then, he has recorded 107 species of birds here, as well as dozens of species of butterfly, moth and bees.

Bring the whole family as EcoTones Concerts transforms Emmenegger Nature Park’s fields and trailside spaces into enchanting and unusual concert venues! Over 17 world-class professional musicians from the St. Louis Region perform in small ensembles and bands all day from 10:30-5:00 on various "natural stages." The music is inspired by the unique features right there at Emmenegger Nature Park, adjacent to the Meramec River and the very special resident chimney swifts. Musicians include members of the SLSO and some of St. Louis' top jazz, blues, and folk artists. Each morning a family event (appropriate for children ages 10 & under) runs from 10:30-12:00 with musical stories, a short hike, and bug catching nets with MDC naturalists! The all-ages event runs on Sat. & Sun from 12:00-5:00.

Emmenegger is a rustic facility so BYO-everything! Audience members are encouraged to bring their own easy to carry camp chairs, picnic blankets, water, food, and appropriate walking/hiking footwear. The trail is paved and is stroller and wheelchair-friendly.

Directions to Emmenegger Nature Park: 11991 Stoneywood Dr, Saint Louis, MO 63122.

From Geyer Road in Kirkwood, turn onto Cragwold Road.

Turn left onto Stoneywood Drive.

You will arrive at your destination on the right after 1/4 mile.

If you interesting on learning to use a muzzleloader for hunting this is the class for you.

Face your greatest fears tonight at Powder Valley Conservation Nature Center. Some of the creepiest, crawliest, and most misunderstood creatures around will be on hand to watch you squirm. Learn about the secret lives of snakes, spiders, and other commonly feared critters around the state at this informational program.

*Meet in the auditorium

Come and learn about the poisonous and venomous plants and animals found in the State of Missouri. We will discuss snakes, spiders, bees, wasps, hornets, scorpions, mushrooms, and everybody’s favorite, poison ivy. There will even be live examples of venomous animals found in the area. Drop by the Rockwoods Reservation Visitor and Education Center anytime during the 4-hour period. No reservations required.

All Ages

Nature Walk/ Photo Hike for people who have disabilities, families and friends, and others.

Join us and the Recreation Council of Greater St. Louis as we walk through the beautiful woods on the 1.5 mile paved ADA/wheelchair accessible path to the Katy Trail and back. Bring a camera to take pictures of family, friends and nature.

Please dress for the weather.

Participants will meet at the Busch Greenway Trailhead in Research park.

Participants can choose how long and far they want to walk. Directions will be provided to the location and trail head prior to the event.

Discover some common Missouri trees and their fall colors in Tower Grove Park. Bring your smart phones with a QR reader and go on a tree-caching hike to practice identifying trees. We will be creating leaf print scarves to commemorate the natural beauty and style of Autumn.

With their thin soils, exposed rocks, and unique biodiversity, glades are some of the most interesting natural communities in Missouri. Join an MDC naturalist as we explore one of the largest dolomite glade complexes in Jefferson County. Be prepared to discover different species of plants, animals, and insects and learn about the interesting geologic history of the area.

We will explore the glades for a short distance and end the program with a hike of the main trail through the area to see the different natural communities and how they link together to create a mosaic of interconnected natural resources. Registrants are welcome to join for just the exploration or stay for the hike as well.

• Hike is 2.6 miles and of moderate difficulty. The terrain is rough and rocky, and you can expect elevation changes of up to 423 feet. The trail also may be overgrown in some areas and could be muddy or slick. *

• Wear sturdy shoes, sunscreen, and insect repellent. *

• Bring a sack lunch and water. *

• All participants must be registered individually. *

• Parking is limited, so please consider carpooling if possible. *

• In the event of inclement weather, the event will be canceled. *

• Program will be held at Valley View Glades Natural Area. The address is 131 Evergreen Dr, Hillsboro, MO 63050. Participants will be sent specific directions during the week of the event. *

• There are no restroom facilities at this conservation area, so please plan ahead. *

The Beginning Handgun program includes handgun fundamentals, operation, safety, maintenance and safe storage. We start in the Education Center with classroom instruction then move to the range for a live-fire session. Firearms, ammunition, and safety equipment are provided however, you may bring your own handgun and ammunition to the live-fire session. Firearms and ammunition are not allowed in the Education Center. RESERVATIONS REQUIRED

Learn the steps necessary to process deer meat yourself. We will discuss the field dressing process and demonstrate how to skin and butcher a deer in simple easy steps with minimum equipment. You'll learn tips on how to make sure your venison is the best quality possible.

Learn the steps necessary to process deer meat yourself. We will demonstrate how to skin and butcher a deer in simple easy steps with minimum equipment. You will learn tips on how to make sure your venison is the best quality possible.

When the sun goes down, a whole new world springs to life all around us. Join an MDC Naturalist for this unique guided nighttime hike at Powder Valley Conservation Nature Center. Learn about the secretive lives of nocturnal creatures and see what their life is like first hand.

*Hike is 1/3 mile on a mostly level surface, but please wear proper shoes and bring water.

*Please register all attendees individually, even if you are just accompanying children.

*Meet at the entrance to the nature center.

This program is designed as a basic course to provide families an opportunity to become familiar with shooting. We will provide .22 caliber handguns and rifles and ammunition for them to shoot. There will be a short class covering safety, parts of a firearm, and fundamentals of marksmanship. Due to time constraints we will not have any time to provide individuals an opportunity to shoot their own firearms.

Local butterfly enthusiast Tom Terrific shares his twenty years’ experience with butterfly gardening and encouraging monarch butterflies to visit his home and City of Crestwood parks.

You will learn the "Ten Commandments of Butterfly Gardening" and hopefully "tag"

a Monarch for its trip to Mexico.

Join us at August A. Busch as we peruse our persimmon patch and look for the perfect persimmons to pick and try! If you’ve ever tried an unripe persimmon, you know how important is to pick them when they’re just right. In this program, we will learn how to identify Persimmon trees and how to tell when the fruit is ripe. We will also be doing some basic outdoor cooking in our Dutch Ovens, making some tasty Apple-Persimmon Dump Cake! While we wait for our dish to cook, we will talk about some basic rules of foraging and learn more about what kind of wild edibles are currently in season in Missouri.

Upon registration, participants will be given a link to an online portion of the prescribed burn course. The online course is a mandatory prerequisite and can be completed in approximately 2 – 4 hours. Please bring your certificate of completion to the field training on October 13. Weather permitting, we will be conducting a simulated prescribed burn, so please dress accordingly with leather boots, leather gloves, cotton pants, cotton long sleeve shirt. Participants will learn about prescribed burn planning, burn equipment, burn line installation, safe weather parameters, ignition operations, and other techniques to safely conduct a prescribed burn. Participant who successfully complete both portions of the training will receive their Missouri Prescribed Burn Certification.

Join us October 13th to learn more about our Missouri Black Bears! We'll cover topics such as physical characteristics, diet, habitat, denning, reproduction, and more.

Come spend a delightful fall afternoon hiking in Rockwoods Reservation. We will discuss why tree leaves change color. Hopefully we will be able to see and identify many beautiful trees as they show their fall colors. You will also see how “Wise Use” over the past 84 years has transformed Rockwoods into an amazingly beautiful place. Open to participants who can hike a 1 1/2 mile trail with a 200-foor elevation.

Ages 3-6

Do your little ones enjoy being in nature? Appreciate the natural world through a story, songs, movement, and play as you sit under the canopy for a “nature” adventure. Come see the topic we are exploring this month. Siblings are welcome. Meet the naturalist at the Stupp Center on the east end of the park. Please dress for the weather.

Enjoy the peak of fall colors while hiking the Rock Quarry Trail. We will explore the diversity of the forest by engaging our five senses. Meet at the Pavilion. The short loop is a 1-mile hike with a moderate hill. Please dress for the weather.

All ages welcome.

Registration is required. Please register each participant attending.

How do seeds move? Do they have any smell? How different do they feel from each other? Join us on a collection hike of seeds to explore their many wonders this time of year. Dress for the weather. Meet inside the classroom.

Please register all attending adults and children

How do seeds move? Do they have any smell? How different do they feel from each other? Join us on a collection hike of seeds to explore their many wonders this time of year. Dress for the weather. Meet inside the classroom.

Please register all attending adults and children

Take a leisurely stroll to the Confluence in the morning twilight. Enjoy a cup of coffee and a doughnut as we watch the sunrise over the confluence of the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers. Don’t forget your camera for this Golden Hour.

Bring sunglasses, insect repellant, a water bottle, and a walking stick if you have one. Dress for the weather, including boots or shoes that can get wet or muddy.

Meet at the Columbia Bottom front gate. We will caravan to lot “L”: to start the walk on the trail.

Sunrise: 7:10 am

This program will teach the fundamentals of archery including equipment, safety, stance, and shooting techniques. This event will take place on the static archery range. All equipment will be provided.

Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) is teaming up with the Tower Grove Park for our second-annual Fall Frolic, part of our Community Day series! Discover all the flora and fauna that call Tower Grove Park home through autumn-centric activity stations and wildlife encounters!

Location: Roman Pavilion

Family-friendly activities will be offered through TGP, MDC, and our event partners, including:

Welcome / Passport Station with MDC - pick up a passport and event map here! Visit stations throughout the event to collect stamps on your passport, and collect a prize upon completion.

2:00pm - Raptor Show with World Bird Sanctuary

3:30pm - Live Music

Food and refreshments will be available for purchase from Cajun Seduction and Jaaise Grubb.

Event is rain or shine, unless there are thunderstorms, which will result in cancellation.