I Am Conservation

Bob and Pat Perry, center, pose with students Hanna Hoss, left, and Hunter Hoss in the outdoor classroom at Harry S Truman Elementary School in Rolla. The Perrys became involved with the school when they joined the Master Naturalist Program. They were looking for volunteer opportunities that helped kids get outdoors and excited about nature. “We enjoy doing hands-on activities with them, where they can feel and handle animal pelts, hear frog calls, dip net for tadpoles, and learn about spiders and their value,” said Pat Perry. They help with the school’s Outdoor Kids Club and with maintenance of the 7-acre outdoor classroom. Several other Master Naturalists, who are also Stream Team members, volunteer and show the kids how to monitor the pond for water quality and macroinvertebrates. The Perrys are also charter members of the Missouri Forestkeepers program, which they have been involved with through Forest ReLeaf since 1996. “Growing up, we both enjoyed outdoor activities, such as camping, hiking, and canoeing,” said Pat Perry. “We moved to Rolla in 1988 and started working to improve our property for wildlife and became interested in native plants and grasses. Our involvement in the Master Naturalist program has enabled us to work with and get to know experts in botany, wildlife biology, and ornithology, who have readily shared their knowledge with us. We feel that it is a privilege to share that information and enthusiasm with others.... Seeing the joy and wonder in a child’s eyes when you put a tadpole in their hands helps keep us young!” —photograph by Noppadol Paothong