Thanks to supporters, the Missouri Prairie Foundation (MPF) and its Grow Native! program accomplish a sustained, high level of conservation activity to benefit prairie and people, and to promote the use of native plants. We invite you to make a year-end contribution to help us continue to deliver our award-winning conservation work.
MPF owns and manages some of Missouri’s most biologically diverse prairies—35 properties totaling more than 4,900 acres. Our stewardship sustains the stunning biodiversity of these prairies and their natural integrity, making them irreplaceable sites for prairie wildlife conservation and research, and open to all to enjoy on foot. Through our work with partners, we help protect thousands of additional acres.
In 2024—with an active and devoted board of directors, Grow Native! committee, other valued volunteers, a very dedicated staff of seven employees working in the field and from home offices, trusted contractors, and thanks to generous gifts from supporters like you—MPF has accomplished an incredible amount of work including these highlights:
- Acquired a 36-acre property in Scott County with rare sand prairie vegetation.
- Dedicated MPF’s 380-acre Morton Family Prairie, acquired in December 2023, which contains old-growth, unplowed prairie.
- Continued monitoring for prairie remnants for potential acquisition and protection. As of this mailing, MPF has a pending acquisition for an 80-acre, old-growth prairie that would connect two current MPF prairies.
- Contracted for botanical surveys at MPF’s Rockhill, Shelton L. Cook Meadow, and Benton County Prairie.
- Established a Cemetery Prairie Protection Working Group to identify and, working with partners, protect Missouri cemeteries that harbor remnants of old-growth, unplowed prairie.
- Scouted for and treated invasive plants multiple times on 5,302 MPF-owned acres, neighboring properties, and several prairies owned by the Missouri Department of Conservation.
- Conducted prescribed burns on 1,380 acres over portions of 21 MPF prairies, the Ozark Land Trust’s Woods Prairie, and a private prairie in Pettis County. Additional prescribed burns are planned for the remainder of 2024.
- Carried out extensive restoration on three MPF prairie properties: non-native pine trees were removed from approximately 20 acres of the 80-acre Scott County Sand Prairie, 13 acres of invading trees and brush were removed at The Rae Letsinger Prairie, and six acres of the savanna at Edgar W. Schmidt Sand Prairie were restored via thinning of invading trees.
- Continued stewardship of the 40-acre prairie planting at Creve Coeur Park in St. Louis County and 50 acres of prairie plantings for the City of Joplin.
- Broadcast locally collected prairie seed over 20 acres of a prairie reconstruction project at MPF’s Lordi Marker Prairie property.
- MPF Director of Prairie Management Jerod Huebner, along with several board members, led a two-and-a-half day, hands-on, MPF prairie woodland and prairie management training at Carver Prairie, geared to young professionals and students.
- With host partners, organized 14 native plant sales held in Kansas City, Columbia, Jefferson City, St. Louis, Springfield, and St. Joseph, Missouri.
- Produced three issues of the Missouri Prairie Journal—this year in its 45th year of publication.
- Organized the MPF Annual Dinner, featuring guest speaker Dr. Chris Barnhart presenting on regal fritillary butterfly conservation, and organized 25 webinars and master classes on many aspects of prairie biology and native landscaping. As of November 12, this programming has had total live attendance of more than 4,300, with more than 8,400 additional views of program recordings on MPF’s YouTube channel, which now has 2,470 subscribers. Additionally, the Grow Native! Southwest Illinois Committee organized a half-day native landscaping workshop in Edwardsville, Illinois with approximately 150 attendees.
- Recognized individuals who have made or are making a positive difference in the conservation of the region’s prairie legacy and in the promotion or protection of native plants. The Missouri Prairie Foundation awarded Amy Hamilton and the late Rex Hamilton the 2024 Dick Dawson Prairie Pioneers of the Year award, Tim Kavan the 2024 Bill T. Crawford Prairie Professional of the Year award, Krista Noel the 2024 Grow Native! Native Plant Protector award, and Jean Ponzi the 2024 Grow Native! Ambassador award.
- Organized field tours for professional members of MPF’s Grow Native! program and hosted an in-person Grow Native! Professional Member Conference on November 13. In addition, a pre-conference tour of native landscaping projects was offered in collaboration with partners in Jefferson City.
- Offered numerous guided hikes and tours to MPF prairies and other native grasslands for students, members, and the general public; provided Bumble Bee Atlas training, hosted the Paint It Prairie plein air event at MPF’s Snowball Hill Prairie; and organized and hosted MPF’s 13th Prairie Bioblitz at Shelton L. Cook Meadow on National Prairie Day (founded by MPF in 2016).
- Inducted three additional sites to the Grow Native! Native Gardens of Excellence program and held a Gardens of Excellence Open House in June. By year’s end, we will have hosted four testing sessions for the Grow Native! Professional Certification Program.
- Awarded Prairie Garden Grants totaling $3,933 to the Centro Latina de Salud in Columbia; Ivanhoe Neighborhood Council in Kansas City; KC Healthy Kids in Kansas City, Kansas; Northwest Missouri State University in Maryville; and Pembroke Hill School in Kansas City.
- Staff and board members gave in-person or virtual presentations on prairie and native plants to many groups and conferences including the Natural Areas Association in Manhattan, Kansas; Linda Hall Library Science Matters series in Kansas City; a Cass County Historical Society day camp for children, more than 200 fourth-grade students in Vernon County, Missouri; garden clubs; public libraries; and numerous other venues.
- The Missouri Invasive Plant Council (MoIP), administered by MPF, organized successful Callery Pear BuyBack events in 13 Missouri cities to encourage the replacement of this invasive tree with native species.
Ecologists rank temperate grasslands—which include Missouri’s prairies—as the least conserved, most threatened major terrestrial habitat type on earth. Of Missouri’s original 15 million acres of prairie, fewer than 45,000 acres of intact, scattered remnants remain. Prairie protection efforts in Missouri, therefore, are not only crucial to preserving Missouri’s natural heritage, but also are highly significant to national as well as global conservation work. In 2025, we will continue our award-winning conservation work as the only state-based organization dedicated exclusively to prairie protection.
MPF greatly appreciates your support. Please consider making a year-end gift to sustain our award-winning, essential work. We cannot protect prairies or promote native plants without you!
Click through the carousel below to view photos and other highlights from 2024.
