Discover Nature

5 Ideas for Family Fun

To find more events near you, call your regional office, or visit mdc.mo.gov and choose your region.

1. Bees, Blooms & Bobwhites June 11 • Wednesday • 5:30–7:30 p.m. Northeast Region, Randolph County Registration required by June 9, call Ted Seiler at 660-385-2616, ext. 118 All ages. Some of the best wildlife habitat in Missouri is on private land. Learn how native forbs add beauty to your property, while also feeding quail, bees, and other wildlife.
2. Naturalist Training School June 12, 19 & 26 • Thursdays • 9 a.m.–4 p.m. St. Louis Region, St. Louis Regional Office, 2360 Hwy. D, St. Charles, Missouri 63304 Registration required, call 636-441-4554 Ages 12–15. Thinking of a career in Conservation? Get a head start studying resources, working on projects, and job shadowing with the naturalists from Rockwoods Reservation and August A. Busch Memorial Conservation Area. Each session will be held at August A. Busch Memorial CA. The course is for students only and includes a project to be presented on the final day, June 26. Parents are invited to attend project presentations. Thursday, June 12: Birds and Herps Thursday, June 19: Aquatics, Thursday, June 26: Trees and Forests
3. Herp-a-Rama: Cold-Blooded Critters Program June 14 • Saturday • 10 a.m.–noon Northwest Region, Northwest Regional Office, 701 James McCarthy Drive, St. Joseph, Missouri 64507No registration, call 816-271-3100 for information • All ages. Slither, crawl, or swim into the exciting world of Missouri’s reptiles and amphibians. These cold-blooded animals are unique, diverse, and important to our ecosystem. Join us as we learn about these wonderful creatures and get an up-close look.
4. Father’s Day Celebration and Puppet Show June 14 • Saturday • 10 a.m.–2 p.m. Father’s Day Celebration, 1 p.m. Puppet Show, Central Region, Runge Conservation Nature Center, 330 Commerce Drive, Jefferson City, Missouri 65102No registration required All ages. Make a date with your dad (or special person) and visit Runge Conservation Nature Center. Create a nature card and participate in a father and child(ren) nature center challenge! Do it together and receive a Peterson First Field Guide. Then enjoy a puppet show at 1 p.m. Skunk, Mole, and Snake are hungry after winter and are finding different things to eat. Join Runge’s puppeteers to see if any of Missouri’s animals can help the hungry big-mouthed frog find something to eat.
5. Conservation Keepers: Family Fishing, June 21 • Saturday • 1 p.m. Northeast Region, Conservation Department Northeast Regional Office, 3500 S. Baltimore, Kirksville, Missouri 63501No registration. All ages, We’ll practice the basics of fishing, including knot tying, bait, casting, and reeling in. Participants may borrow a pole or bring their own. Bait will be provided.

Discover Nature Photo Contest

Show the world your idea of discovering nature in Missouri. Using your Google+, Instagram, or Twitter account, tag your Missouri nature photos with “#MDCdiscovernature.” Your photos will appear on our website at mdc.mo.gov/node/26255, where you can also read the contest rules. Every month, Department staff will select and post a winning photo. We’ll publish all of the monthly winners in the January 2015 issue of the Conservationist.