Events

Calling all birders and nature lovers! Powder Valley Conservation Nature Center is participating in Audubon Center at Riverlands’ 3rd Annual Bows for Birds Scavenger Hunt. Between December 10th and February 5th, head to Powder Valley to participate in the scavenger hunt and find the mystery bird posted on a tree off one of our three paved trails. Powder Valley is one of twelve participating locations across the St. Louis region. Visit at least seven sites and fill out the submission form to be entered into a raffle for some awesome prizes! Make sure to head to Audubon Center at Riverlands’ website https://riverlands.audubon.org/programs/bows-birds for the Bows for Birds 2023 Packet that contains more information about the scavenger hunt including the submission form, locations/clues, and prizes!

Lee Walter’s collection of watercolor illustrations and paintings, titled “Close to Home,” capture wildlife in a suburban St. Louis yard. Although she enjoys spending time in parks across the region, the animals she sees outside her house provide daily inspiration.

Come spend this day searching for your favorite tree to love. Can we find tree branches hugging? Learn all about the benefits of trees!

From 10:00 - 10:25, we will have a special guest joining us from Kirkwood Public Library for storytime!

This class is designed for ages 0 - 2. Please dress for the weather.

Come spend this day searching for your favorite tree to love. Can we find tree branches hugging? Learn all about the benefits of trees!

From 9:30 - 9:55, we will have a special guest joining us from Kirkwood Public Library for storytime!

This class is designed for ages 3 - 5. Please dress for the weather.

Join us as we discuss how to identify common winter birds in Missouri such as woodpeckers and sparrows, as well as rare winter birds such as the snowy owl, red breasted nuthatch, and pine siskin! We will finish up the presentation by discussing the Great Backyard Bird Count, a citizen science opportunity to report the birds in your backyard.

**This is a beginner's guide to backyard/winter birding in Missouri, but everyone is welcome to attend.

This is a virtual event. You will get an invite to the Webex Event 24 hours prior to the event, as well as by 5pm the day of the event.

Missouri has a wide variety of terrestrial natural communities including a desert-like habitat called a glade. These communities contain very shallow soil, with exposed bedrock, and are often hot and dry. Many unique plants and animals, such as the Fremont’s leather flower, Missouri primrose, Texas brown tarantula, eastern collared lizards, and small-footed bats call these places home.

Join a naturalist as we hike the 2.3 mile trail at Victoria Glades Conservation Area in Hillsboro, Missouri. The trail not only covers extensive glade complexes, but also goes through an oak/hickory forest. The trail is on natural surfaces, and has a moderate difficulty, so please wear appropriate footwear, and bring a walking stick if desired. Please register each individual attending.

Bring water and snacks.

Specific directions to the parking lot will be sent out the day before the event.

Shortleaf Band duo Michael and Tenley Fraser return to Powder Valley for an evening of music and stories of the Ozarks. Fraser, an accomplished Ozark fiddler, and wife,Tenley, specialize in performing traditional music of the Ozarks. Honoring a long-time heritage of music and storytelling, the duo uses tales of Ozark history and Scots-Irish culture to create an engaging blend of songs and spoken word. The Scots-Irish people settled in the hardscrabble Ozarks after migrating west from the Appalachian country and gave the region much of its unique character. The program is geared for ages 12 and up.

Do you want to learn more about invasive, non—native plants and animals through hands-on experiences? Join Powder Valley Conservation Nature Center naturalists as we discuss some of the common invasive species in Missouri, followed by work outside removing invasive plants from our trails.

Be sure to wear long pants, work/hiking boots, gloves, water, and bring insect repellent if needed, as we will be in the woods for a good portion of the program.

In the case of inclement weather, the date will be postponed.

**Please register each individual attending. If you have difficulty with registration, please call 314-301-1500.

Join naturalists at Powder Valley Conservation Nature Center as we explore winter wild edibles! This program will discuss the importance of the shagbark hickory in Missouri as well as how to make shagbark hickory (Carya ovata) bark syrup. In addition to shagbark hickory, we will also discuss various pine (or other evergreen) trees, including Missouri's only native pine tree species, and recipes using pine needles. The recipes we will be covering will be pine needle tea and pine needle shortbread cookies, using needles from non-native eastern white pine trees.

***Register each person individually. If you have difficulties with registration, please call 314-301-1500.

This free landowner workshop will cover management techniques to help you achieve your land use objectives. Participants will choose from a variety of key forest, fish, and wildlife management topics which will be presented during concurrent sessions throughout the day. Available topics will include the following:

Pond Management - Forest Management - Small Game Habitat - Property Rights & Wildlife Code - Turkey Biology & Management - Native Forbs and Pollinator Habitat - Invasive Plant Control - Tree Insect and Disease - Creating and Maintaining Healthy Soil

The workshop is open to all Missouri landowners. Lunch and helpful literature will be provided free of charge.

YOU MUST FIRST COMPLETE THE MISSOURI APPROVED ONLINE BURN COURSE AND BRING CERTIFICATE TO FIELD DAY. Field day check-in will be from 8:30 - 9:00am. Workshop will begin at 9:00am and finish by 1:45pm. Lunch will be provided at no charge from noon to 1pm. Dress for the weather. Please note: We will NOT be conducting an actual burn. This will be a field day and MOCK BURN.