Spanish Land Grant Trail at Hawn State Park Now Open!
Submitted by George Behrens The new Spanish Land Grant Trail at Hawn State Park was dedicated May 4th. The trail was built with funds from the Bob Gestel Bequest that was appropriated to the Missouri State Park Foundation for the construction of the trail. The Fund is held at the Sierra Club Foundation and allocated by the EMG Executive Committee.
The EMG Trail Committee, led by John Feldmann and the Friends of Hawn organization also did work on the trail. The majority of the work was done by park staff and AmeriCorps personnel. You can reserve the new back country campsites via the Missouri State Park’s web site.
Trail ribbon cutting, from left to right: Laura Hendrickson, Deputy Director State Parks; Ben Bailey, Superintendent Hawn State Park; Ed Schott, Former Superintendent Hawn, now Route 66; Kim Gordon, Head of Friends of Hawn; David Kelly, Director State Parks; Greg Combs, Eastern Region Director State Parks. Photo by George Behrens
Sierra Club Inspiring Connections Outdoors (ICO) community outreach program Leaders and volunteers with Inspiring Connections Outdoors, a service project of the Sierra Club, met on May 5th at New Roots Urban Farm to plan activities for the coming months. Through outdoor experiences, ICO hopes to promote appreciation and protection of the natural environment, provide opportunities for personal growth, and foster respect of self, others, and the environment. The start of our meeting was delayed briefly for a tour of the farm and a session of bunny love. Stay tuned for future details!
Photos and report by Tim Pekarek
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Bison from a safe distance at Prairie State Park. Photo by Matt Self.
Sandstone Canyon Trail Hike - June 4
This trail allows hikers to explore the eastern half of the park with its unique combination of mesic bottomland to dry upland and sandstone canyon geology. SIGN UP
Morning Hike in a Glade - June 9 A sprawling open glade complex that features striking flower displays during spring and summer. A dusting of frost in the winter offers another incredible sight. Continuing the two-to-three-mile trail brings hikers up and down through woods, over intermittent streams and along additional open glades for a truly diverse experience. RSVP TODAY
EMG Executive Committee Monthly Meeting - June 11 The Executive Committee of the Eastern Missouri Group meets monthly to review group activities and business. These meetings are open to the public, in person or via Zoom. Zoom links will be sent out to registered participants a few days before the meeting. REGISTER HERE
EMG Event: A River Destroyed & Then Reconstructed - June 12 Presentation by Michael Bollinger: A look back at the devastation to the East Fork of the Black River (and Johnsons Shut-Ins State Park), from the 2005 unnatural disaster - the failure of Amerens Taum Sauk upper reservoir. The presentation focuses on the destruction of the river and the efforts to reconfigure and rebuild it. MORE INFO
Restoring Our River: Exploring 30 Years of Upper Mississippi River Science & Restoration - June 13 So, how is our Upper Mississippi River? Is it healthy? How do we know? What habitat restoration projects are occurring? Join online for a webinar that will provide an overview of 30 years of Upper Mississippi River restoration and ecological monitoring. FREE REGISTRATION
EMG Outings Leaders Meeting - June 13 Monthly Outing Committee Meeting for the Eastern Missouri Group. RSVP HERE
Bike With Your Boots on Event - June 15 This is an opportunity for people to get to know River des Peres and its water quality by bike riding with volunteers on the River des Peres Greenway trail along River des Peres and to observe and help trained volunteers conduct water quality measurements. MORE INFO
Sierra Club Missouri Chapter Monthly Organizing Call (Wednesday, June 26)
On Wednesday, June 26th from 6:30-7:30PM , the MO Chapter will be hosting our first of many virtual, statewide Organizing Meetings. In this space we aim to: 1) build community amongst ourselves as teammates in Sierra Club’s mission, vision, values, and norms; 2) share updates on campaigns, victories, or other goings on across the state; 3) provide actionable steps to support grassroots organizing efforts for MO communities and environment. RSVP here.
EMG Outings Welcome All! Sierra Club Outings are open to the public. A dollar per person donation is requested. Firearms are not allowed on outings. Participants must sign a liability release. Outings Leaders are volunteers. Outings officially start at the trailhead or river access. Carpooling is encouraged but not the responsibility of the Leader. For more information, Click Here.
Haley Self (pictured right in second photo) led her first outing at Babler State Park to become a certified Outings Leader. The team was fortunate to have good weather and lots of new faces. Haley looks forward to leading more Friday evening hikes to broaden participation and to co-leading more backpacking and kayaking outings. Photos submitted by Matt Self.
Volunteering at Don Robinson State Park - June 6 We will be working on some more maple thinning in a woodland section of the park. Depending on weather, we may also help with invasive species removal or social trail closing. SIGN UP
Volunteering at Castlewood State Park - June 7 We will be working on various activities each month, such as trail maintenance, invasive species removal, social trail closing, and other projects that the superintendent deems necessary. We will aim for 3-4 hour days, but everyone can work as they see fit. RSVP HERE
Contribute to the SC Newsletters with a photo! Email your best nature photos to emg.missouri.sierraclub@gmail.com and we might feature you in our next newsletter. We're always looking for photos from our members! By submitting a photo, you agree to allow EMG Sierra Club to use your photo for promotional purposes only.
Join the Sierra Club, Outings Committee! This is a very active and exciting group within the Sierra Club and a great way to meet new people! When you become an Outings Leader, you will receive free leader training, first aid and CPR courses. We can use YOUR help! Contact Dave Campbell, Outings Committee Co-Chair, at davecampbell9009@gmail.com or 217-553-9009.
Volunteer hours available at Sierra Club office! Are you looking for an easy way to support our group and the Missouri Chapter? We are always accepting volunteers to come into our office to have some coffee, water, or tea and support us with writing thank you notes, data entry, and welcoming new members. Reach out to Chapter Coordinator Ashton Kuehnel (ashton.kuehnel@sierraclub.org) to get involved.
Sierra Club Mother’s Day Hike at Pickle Springs & Hickory Canyon Natural Areas. Hike Leader: Lisa Hosey. Photos by Annie Russell.
