Conservation Education

Nature Activity

Cape Girardeau Programs

• What: Cape Girardeau's North County Park
• Features: Two-mile nature trail, native-plant landscape, exhibit gallery, numerous programs, auditorium, Educator Resource Room and Nature Shop
• Upcoming program: Hummingbird Celebration Aug. 18
• For more info on activities: (573) 290-5218 or visit our online atlas and search “Cape”

Southeast Missouri features landscapes such as the rare sand prairie, desert-like glades, mysterious marshes with cypress trees and deep green forests. Get acquainted with the Bootheel’s diverse landscapes, plants and animals at the Cape Girardeau Conservation Campus Nature Center. The center offers trails to hike, exhibits to explore and programs to help visitors deepen their connections to the Bootheel’s rich natural heritage. Plan to attend the center’s Hummingbird Celebration Aug. 18, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. A master hummingbird bander will be on hand to band migrating birds as they begin their journey south. Indoor programs will provide tips on attracting hummingbirds, gardening, feeder care and more. Kids, be sure to check out the “fledgling fun” discovery station.

Archery in Schools Program

Training for educators scheduled for July 17 and 18.

Improved attendance and better behavior are two reasons schools give for participating in Missouri’s Archery in the Schools Program, a standardized archery instruction curriculum designed for grades 4 through 12. Many schools also note that students who typically don’t perform well in traditional sports enjoy and excel in archery. The program’s free educator training and equipment grants take the strain off school budgets for non-traditional activities. The Department of Conservation helps schools qualify for MASP by training educators in basic archery skills. Before a school can qualify for equipment grants, its educators responsible for teaching archery skills must become basic archery Instructor certified. This summer Missouri educators can get BAI training at the Department’s Outdoor Skills Workshop for Educators July 17 and 18th at the Andy Dalton Shooting Range and Outdoor Education Center in Bois d’Arc. To enroll, please call Greg Collier or Jean Mayer at (417) 895-6880. To learn more about archery in the schools, visit online.

$15,000 ATA Grant

Advances Missouri’s archery education

This spring the Conservation Federation of Missouri and Conservation Department agreed to co-lead the state’s archery education efforts. This new partnership qualified Missouri for the National Archery in the Schools Program, and yielded a $15,000 grant from the archery trade association, which supports state members of NASP. The grant will boost the state’s ability to train educators and equip schools. “We really appreciate ATA’s support of our archery education efforts,” said Regina Knauer, the Department’s education programs supervisor. Educators who participate in the Department’s basic archery instructor training are qualified for equipment grants.