What We Do

The mission of the Missouri Prairie Foundation (MPF) is to protect and restore prairie and other native grassland communities through land acquisition, management, education, and research; to promote the use of native plants through its  Grow Native! program; and to support the control of invasive plants through its administration of the Missouri Invasive Plant Council.

MPF carries out its mission by:

• acquiring and managing original prairies and restoring or reconstructing other properties to native grasslands
• organizing a variety of outreach and educational activities
• supporting prairie research, and
• supporting grassland wildlife-friendly land use policies and state, regional, and national conservation initiatives.

The activities outlined above are carried out in accordance with MPF’s 2022-2026 Strategic Plan.

View our 2023 Annual Report here.

Our Vision:

For the benefit of present and future generations, we envision original prairie protected forever, an abundance of prairie plantings, native plants in widespread use in developed landscapes, and systematic control of invasive plants.

Our Guiding Values and Principles:

• Effectiveness: Serve the public and pursue our mission effectively in all we do, including our communications among our members, donors, partners, volunteers, board members, staff, and the greater community; our governance via a well structured and active board of directors and committees; in our promotion of and education to others about native plants through engagement with the Grow Native! community; and in our advocacy and promotion of the control of invasive plants via effective administration of the Missouri Invasive Plant Council (MoIP).
• Operational Accountability: We are accountable in our financial management, business practices, and operate in accordance with our obligations as a nationally accredited land trust.
• Informed and Science-Based Stewardship: Manage MPF properties in accordance with internal management plans, consultation with external prairie professionals, presettlement and recent prairie biological data, and scientifically and environmentally sound practices.
• Inclusivity: Cultivate and maintain a welcoming, inclusive environment throughout our organization.
• Collaborative Leadership: Lead in prairie protection and management via partnerships with federal, state, nongovernmental organizations, private individuals, and other entities who share our goals of native grassland protection, widespread use of native plants in altered landscapes; control of invasive plants. We recognize our key role in helping to fulfill state, regional, and national wildlife conservation plans and strategies.