Missouri Prairie Foundation BioBlitz June 7 & 8

Outdoor enthusiasts of all ages are invited to enjoy a weekend on an original American landscape—the tallgrass prairie—at Gayfeather Prairie in Vernon County on June 7 and 8. At

this free event organized and hosted by the Missouri Prairie Foundation, adults and children with enthusiasm for the outdoors will team up with biologists to explore and document plants and animals of this 116-acre prairie, owned jointly by the Missouri Prairie Foundation and the Missouri Department of Conservation. In addition to the plant and animal fieldwork, there will be a potluck picnic dinner, stargazing, nocturnal insect observations, and free tent camping on the prairie.

“We are in our 5th year now of the Missouri Prairie Foundation’s Prairie BioBlitz,” said Jeff Cantrell, technical advisor to the Foundation, “and it has created a ‘buzz’ among my friends and colleagues. The buzz used to be after the event—families, master naturalists, and neighbors talked about what a wonderful family-oriented learning event they had just experienced. Now, I see the buzz leading up to the weekend event on the beautiful prairie that will be our classroom and campsite. The learning is casual and fun, and I personally invite all who are interested in nature to participate. Come join us and see what the buzz is all about!”

Across the country, nature lovers and professional biologists team up at “BioBlitzes” to identify as many species as possible (the “bio”) in an area over the course of 24 hours (the “blitz”). The Foundation’s version will begin June 7 at 2:00 p.m. and end the afternoon of June 8.

“Ecologists consider temperate grasslands to be the most endangered, least conserved of any major terrestrial habitat on earth—so Missouri’s tallgrass prairies have global conservation significance,” said Carol Davit, the Foundation’s executive director. “Collectively, our remaining prairies in Missouri support up to 800 plant species, dozens of vertebrates and thousands of invertebrates, but there is still much to learn. We want to see how many species we can find at Gayfeather Prairie, and BioBlitz participants will help in that effort.” Participants at past BioBlitzes at other Foundation prairies have documented blooming orchids, dozens of butterfly species, rare fish, and much more.

On the afternoon and evening of June 7 and the morning of June 8, biologists who study ants, bees, birds, butterflies, insect coloration, fish, moths, mammals, amphibians, reptiles, vascular plants, mosses, liverworts, and soils will lead groups across the prairies to survey and inventory as many species as possible. Biologists with the Missouri Department of Conservation—Fisheries Biologist Tom Priesendorf, Natural Areas Coordinator Mike Leahy, Heritage Zoologist Debby Fantz, and Naturalist John Miller—will be group leaders. Other leaders include entomologists Dr. James Trager and Richard Thoma; botanists Darin Banks, Nels Holmberg, and Dr. John Atwood; ornithologists Dana Ripper and Ethan Duke of the Missouri River Bird Observatory; lepidopterist Phillip Koenig; and soil scientist Dr. David Hammer. In addition, Dan Johnson with the Astronomical Society of Kansas City will provide telescopes and interpret the night sky.

“We are thrilled that so many biologists are giving their time to help uncover the plant and animal treasures of this prairie,” said Davit. “If you love plants and wildlife, this is a great opportunity to learn from experts passionate about their given subjects, and play a role in much-needed data collection as well.”

Gayfeather Prairie includes 76 acres purchased by the Missouri Prairie Foundation in 1976 and 40 acres purchased by the Missouri Department of Conservation in 1984. A total of 305 native plant species has been documented from this high quality prairie, named for its high numbers of blazingstar or gayfeather wildflowers. The prairie is about seven miles east of Milo.

The Prairie BioBlitz is free, but participants must RSVP. For a detailed schedule, directions to the prairie, and to RSVP, visit www.moprairie.org, email info@moprairie.com, or call 888-843-6739.

Missouri Prairie Foundation’s Third Annual BioBlitz set for June 9 and 10

Prairie grasses (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Nature lovers of all ages are invited to enjoy the biological richness and beauty of Schwartz Prairie on June 9 and 10 at the Missouri Prairie Foundation’s Third Annual Prairie BioBlitz. At this free event, adults and children with enthusiasm for the outdoors will team up with biologists to explore the prairie and document plants and animals of the site.

Named for conservation pioneers Charles W. and Elizabeth R. Schwartz, the Foundation’s Schwartz Prairie in St. Clair County harbors more than 300 plant species and many prairie-dependent animals within its original, unplowed 240 acres.

“The Missouri Prairie Foundation’s Prairie BioBlitz is a blend of easy-going nature discoveries, fellowship with naturalists, and your favorite biology field trip all wrapped into one relaxing weekend,” said Jeff Cantrell, education consultant with the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC). “I find folks who’ve participated in the past talking about the Foundation’s Prairie BioBlitz experience for the entire year.”

Across the country, nature lovers and professional biologists team up at “BioBlitz’s” to identify as many species as possible (the “bio”) in an area over the course of 24 hours (the “blitz”). The Foundation’s version will begin June 9 at 2 p.m. and end the afternoon of June 10. In addition to plant and animal team activities, there will be a potluck picnic dinner, stargazing, nocturnal insect observations and free tent camping on the prairie. 

“Today, ecologists consider temperate grasslands to be the most endangered, least conserved of any major terrestrial habitat on earth, so Missouri’s tallgrass prairies have global conservation significance,” said Carol Davit, the Foundation’s executive director. “Collectively, our remaining prairies in Missouri support up to 800 plant species, dozens of vertebrates and thousands of invertebrates, but there is still much to learn. We want to see how many species we can find at Schwartz Prairie, and BioBlitz participants will help in that effort.”

On the afternoon and evening of June 9 and the morning of June 10, biologists who study ants, bees, birds, beetles, butterflies, true bugs, insect mimicry, moths, mammals, amphibians, reptiles, land snails, vascular plants, mosses and liverworts will lead groups across the prairie to survey and inventory as many species as possible.

Several MDC biologists will be group leaders, including mammalogist Debbie Fantz, natural history biologist Mike Arduser , wildlife biologist Rochelle Renken and naturalist Shelly Cox. Other leaders will include entomologist James Trager, botanists Justin Thomas, John Atwood, and Nels Holmberg, malacologist Ron Oesch, lepidopterist Phillip Koenig and naturalist Elizabeth Hamilton.

“We are thrilled that so many biologists are giving their time to help uncover the plant and animal treasures of this prairie,” said Davit. “If you love wildlife, this is a great opportunity to learn from experts passionate about their given subjects, and play a role in much-needed data collection as well.”

When the Missouri Prairie Foundation purchased the 240-acre Schwartz Prairie in 1991, the tract, though original prairie, was dissected by a woody draw that fragmented the native grassland habitat. The Foundation’s thorough removal of trees and brush from the draw has resulted in an unbroken prairie vista at Schwartz. Relentless annual control of sericea lespedeza and other invasive plants conserves and maintains the abundant biodiversity of the site.

Home to an impressive 337 plants species, most of them dependent on high quality prairie, Schwartz also is one of fewer than 50 locations in the world with a population of Geocarpon minimum, a tiny plant that is federally listed. A number of state-listed animal species occur at the prairie as well. Prairie mole crickets, regal fritillary butterflies and northern crawfish frogs can be seen or heard in the warm months, and short-eared owls use Schwartz Prairie regularly in the winter.

The BioBlitz is free, but participants must RSVP. For a detailed BioBlitz schedule, directions to the prairie and to RSVP, visit the Upcoming Events page at moprairie.org, email info@moprairie.com or call 888-843-6739.

The Missouri Prairie Foundation is a 46-year-old membership organization that protects and restores prairie and other native grasslands through acquisition, management, education and support of prairie research. The organization owns more than 2,600 acres of prairie across the state and helps manage an additional 1,500 acres owned by conservation partners.

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Nature lovers invited to “BioBlitz” May 29-30

Help discover and document plants, butterflies, birds, mammals and more on a remnant of Missouri prairie.

STOCKTON, MO – Missourians with a passion for nature can help document some of Missouri’s vanishing biological diversity at a “BioBlitz” sponsored by the Missouri Prairie Foundation.

On the afternoon and evening of Saturday, May 29, and the morning of Sunday, May 30, professional biologists whose expertise spans everything from ants and orchids to birds and butterflies will lead volunteers across Penn-Sylvania Prairie in Dade County. They will survey and inventory as many species as possible in 24 hours. Amateur naturalists are welcome. Following the afternoon activities on May 29, participants are invited to stay for a potluck picnic supper, stargazing and free tent camping on the prairie.

“Public involvement is an important part of the event,” said Carol Davit, the Prairie Foundation’s development coordinator. “We encourage anyone with a strong interest in nature to join us. We want to spur people’s interest in prairies. Besides, the more eyes we have looking, the better our chances of finding new plants and animals.”

Participants must RSVP to take part in the BioBlitz. To RSVP, for a detailed BioBlitz schedule, and for directions to the prairie, visit www.moprairie.org, e-mail info@moprairie.com, or call 888-843-6739.

The 160-acre Penn-Sylvania Prairie is tiny fragment of grasslands that once covered more than 15 million acres in Missouri. The Missouri Prairie Foundation owns the prairie remnant and has protected it since 1971.  Botanists have identified more than 260 plant species there. However, much less is known about other species that live on the area.

“Tallgrass prairie is one of the richest ecosystems on the planet but also one of the rarest,” said Davit. “Collectively, our remaining prairies in Missouri support up to 800 plant species, dozens of vertebrates and thousands of invertebrates. We want to see how many of them we can find at Penn-Sylvania Prairie.”  

BioBlitzers will work in groups under the guidance of Missouri Department of Conservation staff and other experts in subjects such as insects, snails, amphibians, reptiles, birds, mammals, mosses, liverworts and butterflies.

“We are thrilled that so many professional biologists are giving their time to help uncover the plant and animal treasures of this prairie,” said Davit. “If you love wildlife, this is a great opportunity to learn from experts passionate about their given subjects, as well as to have a tremendous amount of fun.”

Conservation Department Naturalist John Miller, who will lead the amphibian and reptile group added that prairies are important habitat for at least 15 amphibians and reptiles. “This is going to be a neat event because spending time like this helps connect us to the past. We’re going to see some of the same plants and animals that pioneers saw when they settled the prairies and traveled west across the plains.”

-          Jim Low –

Missouri Ozarks Trout Fishing Reports