Outreach & Service

Outreach & Service Overview

Here’s a brochure providing an overview of our dynamic chapter. The Springfield Plateau Chapter offers several classroom and educational presentations, known as our “trunk” shows, suitable for schools, Scouts and other youth groups, covering:

Bison - Learn how Native Americans used every bit of the bison to sustain themselves
Insects and spiders – Learn all about creeping, crawling or flying insects and spiders, how harmless most of them are and how we benefit from them
Birds – Birding isn’t just for adults: learn to identify some of our common species
Mammals – All about the wild critters in our forests, glades and prairies
Reptiles and amphibians – All about snakes and frogs, toads and salamanders and other reptiles and amphibians
Fur-bearing animals – Learn which animals are trapped for their furs in Missouri and how those furs are used
Rotten log – Learn the inhabitants of rotten logs in the forest

Here are two photos of Mort Shurtz–and grandson Tyrus–in a presentation to first graders at Harrison Elementary School, Springfield, on fur bearers of Missouri.

And here are Rose Atchley, Gala Solari, Doris Ewing and Charles Stewart in other fur presentations.

To book one of these presentations or one about the Master Naturalist program, contact one of the following:

General Information, info@springfieldmasternaturalist.com

Allan Keller, outreach chair, 417-830-7197, akeller@fhfoodequipment.com

Jay Barber, Missouri Department of Conservation’s conservation education consultant, 417-895-6881, ext. 269, jay.barber@mdc.mo.gov

Project and Activity Opportunities

Joplin

Our fundraising effort to benefit Joplin topped $1,000, with half coming from individual members and the second half a match from the Plateau Chapter. We will work with the Joplin chapter to determine the best use of the money. Tentative plans are for the Joplin Chert Glades Master Naturalist Chapter to develop a joint project for fall of 2012 in which we will plant trees in the denuded landscape left by the tornado of May 2011.

For starters, though, Matt Boehner, Carl and Janet Haworth, Marlyss Simmons, Mary McCarthy and Jennifer Ailor joined 14 other volunteers from Joplin April 7, 2012, to plant four of eight rain gardens. The project, developed by Matt and the Chert Glades Audubon Nature Center’s Chris Pistole, tapped into the Joplin Master Naturalist Chapter for some of those volunteers. An educational presentation on planting rain gardens preceded the planting.

Volunteers will gather again May 5 to plant the remaining rain gardens. Matt is gathering bids on purchasing several trees for the Boys and Girls Club site in Joplin. Some of our $1,000 may go for that purchase.

Here are pictures of the Haworths, Mary and Matt during the Joplin event, as well as links to published information about the project.

http://www.joplinglobe.com/local/x1789081727/Volunteers-dig-rain-gardens-for-better-water-quality

http://fourstateshomepage.com/fulltext/?nxd_id=271362

Images of Master Naturalists at Work

2012

For the third year, Bob Ranney worked with the City of Battlefield to organize a native tree and shrub give-away day. On a rainy April 14, 2012, nearly a dozen Master Naturalists gathered at City Hall to hand out the trees. (Some had met the night before to organize the pre-orders). The rain kept some citizens away, but the Parks Department director was confident the trees would be claimed next week.

Here are Bob Ranney handing a tree bundle to a happy customer; Debbie Due and Marlyss Simmons locating a tree bundle; and Mort Shurtz, Darrell Blech, Doris Ewing and Karolyn Holdren working the walk-in table. Not shown: Allan Keller, Ann Morris and Jennifer Ailor.

Christian County Watershed Festival 2012

Since 2004 The James River Basin Partnership (JRBP) has partnered with other organizations to offer Watershed Education Festivals to 5th grade students in counties within the James River Basin. Master Naturalists Bob Ranney (pictured left), Mort Shurtz, and a friend, J.D. Slaughter, seined crayfish just below the Valley Water Mill Dam for the Christian County Watershed Festival held in Nixa on February 8th-9th and 14th-16th.

2011

On a cool September morning in 2011 that soon warmed up, Master Naturalists Charley Burwick and Jennifer Ailor joined with Audubon members Dave Catlin and Lisa Berger to supervise a team of Missouri State University students at the Watershed Committee of the Ozarks’ new facility at Valley Water Mill Park.

Over the course of about three hours, the group planted and mulched several dozen trees and shrubs in front of the entrance to the building. Others took a break from the shovels and picks to load up gravel from the lake and spread it along the trail linking the connecting bridges over the marsh. Others dug two deep holes and placed poles for bird feeders. It was a productive morning!

A tiny snake found amongst the roots of one of the trees to be planted provided some unexpected entertainment…

A few days later, Master Naturalists Charley Burwick and Dan Crain moved a large boulder into place at the site to serve as a bubbler for birds.

Watch for other opportunities to volunteer and accumulate service hours at Valley Water Mill Park.

On Thursday, June 23, 2011, seven Master Naturalists shared their personal accounts of connecting with nature with students participating in the Green Leadership Academy for a Diverse Ecosystem (GLADE) program at Drury-Mincy Conservation Area. In the images below, troubador Bob Ranney entertains the students and leaders. As a bonus, the group spotted as many as six wild elk on the property!

GLADE is a program for area teenagers developed by Missouri State University’s Biology Department and the Greater Ozarks Audubon Society. Teens spend seven days on site at Bull Shoals Field Station helping restore habitat and learning about environmental issues and projects. The program’s mission is to develop future environmental leaders.

Here are some images from a riparian bank planting on Bull Creek in April 2011 in which Master Naturalists and property owners in the Bull Creek Association worked to stabilize an eroding bank.