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COLUMBIA, Mo. – The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) has partnered with the Missouri Conservation Corps, a non-profit organization located in Columbia. Through this partnership, MDC will provide funding for the Missouri Conservation Corps to organize and oversee tree planting education, planting of native species, and removal of invasive plants in parks around Columbia.
The Missouri Conservation Corps began as a volunteer effort to cut and remove invasive honeysuckle growing in Columbia’s Kiwanis Park. The group officially formed in Nov. of 2021, and their official 501c3 status was gained in 2022. Since then, the goals of the group have grown to not only include the removal of honeysuckle, but now they also include the planting of native trees and shrubs in the place of the removed honeysuckle.
Through their new partnership with MDC, the Missouri Conservation Corps plans to host volunteer honeysuckle removal events in parks around Columbia as directed by the Columbia Department of Parks and Recreation, and they plan to organize volunteer events to plant trees and native plants in parks around Columbia. The Missouri Conservation Corps will also provide education events for the Columbia community.
“We are very excited to begin another year working in Kiwanis Park to remove invasives, restore natives, and to bring the community together while working in one of Columbia’s beautiful urban parks,” stated Stephen Bybee, Project Coordinator for the Missouri Conservation Corps. “With our newly-received funding, we hope to create new goals for 2023.”
Any questions regarding the Missouri Conservation Corps can be sent to missouriconservationcorps@gmail.com.
