Shelton L. Cook Memorial Meadow

About Cook Meadow

In June 2021, the Missouri Chapter of The Nature Conservancy (TNC) donated three properties to MPF, including this 302-acre property in Barton County. The other two TNC-donated properties are Rockhill Prairie in Benton County and Goodnight-Henry Prairie in Pettis County.

“As The Nature Conservancy’s global priorities have evolved to include food and water security, addressing the climate crisis, and building healthy cities—along with protecting biodiversity—we increasingly seek alliances with partners to collectively advance the conservation we all envision for the future,” said Adam McLane, TNC’s Missouri State Director. “We recognize the Missouri Prairie Foundation’s leadership in excellent prairie stewardship. We know that these three properties will be in good hands and that the Foundation’s supporters will enjoy them.”

Shelton L. Cook Memorial Meadow is a highly diverse upland dry-mesic chert prairie (S3) with a prairie swale (S2). A 7/7/1997 plant list for the prairie shows 399 native species (434 total species), with an average native Coefficient of Conservatism value of 4.31 and 54 remnant-dependent plant species. Among the species found on this prairie is the federally listed Mead’s Milkweed (Asclepias meadii) (G2,S2). Known animals of conservation concern are the prairie mole cricket (S3) and northern crawfish frog (S3). Upland sandpipers and short-eared owls have been documented at the site.

2022 Floristic Integrity Report: Cook Meadow, Linden’s (Plot 3), and Thoh-dah Prairies by the Institute of Botanical Training, LLC

2022 Missouri River Bird Observatory Breeding Bird Surveys on MPF Properties (includes Cook Memorial Meadow)

Directions

Shelton L. Cook Memorial Meadow  is located along Rt. U, approximately 2 miles northwest of Golden City. Legal description: NW1/4, N1/2 of SW1/4, NW1/4 of NE1/4 of section 21, T31N, R29W.