MPF Native Grassland & Woodland Management Training — REGISTRATION FULL

MPF is offering a free prairie and woodland stewardship training opportunity at MPF’s Carver Prairie near Joplin, Missouri open to the general public and organized specifically for college students, young people entering the field of natural resource management, and landowners.

Training will include:

• Two days of mechanical thinning of undesirable woody growth. Training will include woody plant identification, proper use of chainsaws and loppers, importance and proper use of personal protective equipment (for those using chain saws), and information on the historical vegetation of southwestern Missouri—a matrix of prairie, open woodland/savanna, and forest.

• One-half day of a prescribed prairie/woodland burn. Training will include importance of fire line establishment, fire behavior, proper use of tools like flappers, rakes, backpack blowers (for fire lines) and backpack water pumps, and proper use of personal protective equipment (for those on burn front lines).

This training is made possible thanks to an America the Beautiful Grant via the Missouri Department of Conservation.

Dates: January 2-4 2025 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. the first two days; 10:00 a.m. through lunch the third day. Inclement weather back-up dates are January 16-18.

Location: MPF’s Carver Prairie in Newton County; information is listed here: https://moprairie.org/project/carver-prairie

Details:
Maximum of 15 trainees (Minimum 7)
Lunch is provided on all days. Please bring a water bottle; we will have extra water on site.
All tools will be provided, please bring work gloves, sturdy closed-toe shoes, and dress for the weather and protection from the elements.

Registration: To register for this training, or if you have any questions, email MPF Conservation Program Associate Lilly Germeroth at lilly@moprairie.org by December 27, 2024. Priority will be given to natural resource students and young professionals, and landowners.

About the location: Carver Prairie is a 163-acre tract in Newton County that was acquired by MPF in December 2015 with funding from a 2013 award from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Missouri Department of Natural Resources. Learn more here: https://moprairie.org/project/carver-prairie

Photo above from the 2024 MPF Native Grassland & Woodland Management Training, led by Jerod Huebner, pictured right. Photo by Erika Van Vranken.