Missouri Action and Impact Report - Spring 2021

VOLUME 21 • SPRING

MISSOURI ACTION AND IMPACT

OUR LEADERSHIP

BOARD OF TRUSTEES Nancy Ylvisaker, St. Louis Beth Alm, Kansas City Michele M. Risdal-Barnes, Springfield Rick Boeshaar, Shawnee Mission John Brands, St. Louis Claire Carstensen, St. Louis Debra Filla, Kansas City Carl Freiling, Ashland Ruth Grant, MD, Springfield Jeanette Hartshorn, Kansas City Marilyn Hebenstreit, Kansas City Diane Herndon, St. Louis Steve Mahfood, Wildwood Steve McMillan, St. Louis Carolyn Polk, St. Louis Robbie Price, Columbia Joel Pugh, St. Louis Fritz Riesmeyer, Kansas City Jon M. Risdal, Springfield

This is a big year for us. Not only are we celebrating 65 years of on-the-ground conservation work in Missouri, but we are also embarking on the last months of our $25 million campaign for conservation in Missouri (more about that on page 11!)—both are accomplishments that we do not take for granted. Have there been challenges? Yes. Have there been failures? Of course. Have there been huge successes? Absolutely! Have there been pandemics? Well, yes. But, as we reflect on our past, we are humbled. We are humbled by the endless collaborations with partners, the committed leadership from 65 years of trustees, the determination of our staff and the passion of our members.

Without these components, I’m convinced that we would not be the strong organization that we are today. We are courageous in our work because we are confident in those who join us on our mission. No matter where you joined us on the timeline, we hope you take pride in what we’ve accomplished together and that you help us in creating future milestones. Thank you for trusting us. Thank you for investing in nature. Thank you for being a part of something that is bigger than us all.

With gratitude,

Sharon Shahid, Washington, D.C.

Turbo Sjogren, St. Louis Jean Wagner, Kansas City Wallis W. Warren, Beaufort Van Wolbach, Kansas City TRUSTEES EMERITI Patricia DuBose Duncan, Rockport, Maine Susan Lammert, St. Louis

Adam McLane, Missouri State Director

On the Cover Dr. Clair Kucera walks through native grasses on Tucker Prairie Preserve in 1975. © Courtesy of University of Missouri

In 1957, The Nature Conservancy’s first land purchase in Missouri was part of a collaborative effort to protect 160 acres of tallgrass prairie in Callaway County to establish a biological field station for the University of Missouri. A mere fragment of pre-settlement prairie, Tucker Prairie has never been broken by the plow, making it a valuable historical remnant. Since 1958, research by students, faculty and conservation biologists has resulted in more than 50 published papers and 25 theses. The Clair L. Kucera Research Station and Tucker Prairie are owned and managed by the Division of Biological Sciences at the University of Missouri. Tucker Prairie is managed in cooperation with the Missouri Department of Conservation.

The Nature Conservancy is a private, nonprofit 501(c)(3) international membership organization. Its mission is to conserve the lands and waters on which all life depends. The Nature Conservancy meets all of the Standards for Charity Accountability established by the BBB Wise Giving Alliance. The BBB Wise Giving Alliance is a national charity watchdog affiliated with the Better Business Bureau. Printed on 100% PCW recycled, process chlorine-free paper, creating the following benefits: 27.4 trees preserved for the future 2,052 gallons of water not used

3,982.7 lbs. CO 2 prevented

THIS PAGE Adam McLane © Kristy Stoyer/TNC.

CONSERVATION POLICY

Science-based. Practical. Nonpartisan. Speaking up for people and nature

The bill helped to simplify the process from a legal perspective—in effect incentivizing Missouri landowners to do them. TNC’s board of trustees worked for over four years on this effort and were applauded for their leadership by Missouri land trusts and the National Land Trust Alliance. Local Successes First approved by voters in 1984, the Missouri Parks, Soils and Water Sales Tax was established to fund state parks and soil and water conservation efforts. Much of the soil and water portion is used to assist agricultural landowners through voluntary programs administered by the Soil and Water Conservation program in all Missouri counties. This tax must be reinstated every 10 years—the tax has never failed to pass and was reauthorized in 2016 with its highest approval rating of 80.1%. In 2020, TNC helped advocate for an increase in the cost share rate for landowners to offset expenses for stream stabilization projects on their property—from $5,000 to a new maximum of $25,000, which better aligns with costs associated with those projects. Additionally, TNC helped establish a new cost share program for landowners wanting to implement 4R practices on their fields, which focuses on the right fertilizer source, at the right rate, at the right time, and in the right place.

Influencing policy decisions is critical but complicated work. Since the formation of our chapter in 1956, The Nature Conservancy in Missouri has been advocating for nature on federal, state and local levels. Federal Successes Two recent big wins came from the passage of the Farm Bill in 2018 and the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) in 2019. The Farm Bill is the largest source of federal funding for the conservation of private lands in the United States. To support this bill, TNC teamed up with farmers, ranchers and partners across the country to promote its conservation benefits, including clean water, healthy lands and thriving rural communities. LWCF uses offshore energy revenues, not taxpayer dollars, to conserve our lands and waters. It also helps ensure important recreational access for hunting and fishing; protects national parks, refuges and forests; creates urban and neighborhood parks and trails; and preserves historic battlefields and cultural sites. State Successes The Private Landowner Protection Act of 2011 made it easier to establish conservation easements in Missouri. Conservation easements are one of the most powerful and effective tools available for the permanent conservation of private lands in the United States. These voluntary, legally binding agreements protect the property’s ecological and open space values.

Connecting our work with our federal, state and local leaders is necessary for change.

NATURE.ORG/MISSOURI 3

THIS PAGE Yard sign showing support for the Parks, Soils and Water Sales Tax © Holly Neill/TNC

CONSERVATION INNOVATION

Creating Centers for Conservation Innovation

Nearly seven decades of conservation experience has taught us that we can accomplish more for nature when we bring together people and organizations for a shared mission. As pressures on our lands and waterways increase, the need for solutions- based research is more important than ever. The Nature Conservancy is taking a bold step toward accelerating conservation success by developing a network of dedicated research stations across Missouri. “Our research is producing real results today with scalable solutions that can transform the way people use and value nature,” says Holly Neill, The Nature Conservancy’s director of conservation policy. But she admits, there’s so much that can be done to speed up the pace and impact of those results. “Place-based conservation is in our DNA,” says Neill. “We’ve been protecting critical landscapes in Missouri for 65 years. And as a science- based organization, we want to learn everything we can about those places— and encourage others to learn from them as well.” This desire to accelerate research and learning sparked the idea to develop Centers for Conservation Innovation, or CCIs, across the state. These centers will not only utilize existing TNC properties but will help inform where

“Using the model of Little Creek Farm, these centers will facilitate conditions that increase opportunities for expanded and shared research,” says Neill. “Collaboration and partnerships hold the key to the transformative formula that can really accelerate learning and new practices.” Additional centers are being identified and plans are underway to explore

additional conservation efforts should be focused. “The goal is to establish a network of high-quality demonstration sites and research facilities to inform critical conservation strategies,” says Neill. “We want to increase the speed, intensity, availability and impact of data so that better practices can be tested and implemented.” The first CCI is located at TNC’s Little Creek Farm, in Harrison County. The existing farmhouse was renovated to construct bunkrooms, private and shared living spaces and a full kitchen that can accommodate several researchers.

how we can enable innovative ideas and concepts that benefit people and nature.

“We’re excited for what this means for the future of conservation in Missouri and beyond,” says Neill.

1956 MISSOURI CHAPTER IS FORMED.

1957 First Missouri land acquisition to help with the purchase of Tucker Prairie.

1977 First purchase and transfer of more than 3,600 acres to create Prairie State Park.

1983 First controlled burn conducted at Bennett Spring Savanna.

1991 83,000 acres purchased in the Ozarks. Most was sold (at cost) to MO Dept. of Conservation but TNC kept 5,600 to establish Chilton Creek.

4 MISSOURI: ACTION AND IMPACT

THIS PAGE A TNC scientist making a vegetation sample plot © Kevin Arnold

NOW STREAMING

It’s in Our Nature New podcast celebrates the connection of people and nature

Want to know more about Missouri TNC projects, partners and plans? Tune in to It’s in Our Nature , TNC’s new podcast that celebrates the connection of people and nature in Missouri. “I feel fortunate that on a regular basis, I get to be deeply involved in conversations with partners and colleagues celebrating the large and small wins of our work,” says Adam McLane, Missouri state director. “It’s hard to convey that passion on paper or in an email. Podcasting is a format that we’ve not previously explored, but we’re excited to join the podcasting culture and spread a little positivity.” It’s in Our Nature shares inspiring stories and highlights Missourians making positive impacts in our communities and to conservation at large. “We get to bring in people that mean so much to us and to our work, and open this dialogue about the challenges that we face as people and that face our planet,” he says. “But at the same time, we’re celebrating the idea of working with nature instead of against it—then we all win.” Six episodes are planned to be released in 2021. Each will focus on a conservation challenge and the collaborative effort to solve it.

“The Nature Conservancy is a science-based organization,” says McLane. “We collect data. We test practices. We create innovative tools that inform these big strategies that are sometimes hard to grasp.” Storytelling puts projects in perspective and highlights the real impacts of TNC’s work across the state. “The stories are all around us,” he says. “We’ll hear from the landowner who can sleep a little easier now that the levee protecting his town has been realigned to allow the river more room, and the mom who can walk to her local urban farm and put fresh produce on her table. Those are the stories we’ll be sharing. They are the real inspiration for the work that we do.” It’s in Our Nature is available on multiple podcast platforms. Subscribe today to catch all the informative episodes and stay up to date on TNC’s conservation efforts.

LISTEN and subscribe today at nature.org/mopodcast

1993 Purchase of 2,400 acres along the Current River on Thorny Mountain— the largest volcanic rock glade complex in the lower Missouri Ozarks.

1995 TNC helps create the Big Muddy National Wildlife Refuge through purchase of flood-sticken bottom lands near the Missouri River, in response to the Great Flood of ‘93.

1998 Creation of the state’s 2nd

1999 Purchase of 2,281 acres to establish Dunn Ranch Prairie.

largest protected prair i e through purchase linking Wah’Kon-Tah and Mo-Ko prairies.

THIS PAGE LEFT Adam McLane, Missouri State Director; RIGHT Pastor Andy Krumsieg and Donna Washington, Project Jubilee © Route 3 Films

NATURE.ORG/MISSOURI 5

“WE HAVE RESULTS YOU CA From forests, wetlands and savannas to caves, prairies and glades, Missouri offers exceptional opportunities to connect with the great outdoors. Grand River Grasslands Conservation Area 2 4 3

With our first land purchase in 1957, TNC has been protecting critical Missouri landscapes, making them available for you to enjoy and explore. Some of our preserves offer amenities, parking and established trails. Others retain their wild roots. But all inspire a deep connection to the lands and waters of our wondrous world. The next time you’re looking for a place to hike, birdwatch or just restore your spirit, consider stopping by one of the TNC preserves in Missouri. To see a list of open preserves and what they offer, visit nature.org/mopreserves.

GRAND RIVER

Trice-Dedman Memorial Woods ESTABLISHED: 1980 HOW MANY ACRES: 60 WHAT DO TO: Hiking, bird watching FUN FACT: Trice-Dedman is an excellent example of the oak woodlands that once wove through the prairies of northwestern Missouri. COUNTY: Clinton ESTABLISHED TRAILS: Yes (1-mile loop)

13 12

22 26 24

SPRING RIVER

Bennett Spring Savanna ESTABLISHED: 1983 HOW MANY ACRES: 991

ELK RIVER

WHAT DO TO: Hiking, bird watching, wildflower viewing FUN FACT: According to land-survey records from 1846, many of the same species exist today as did more than a

hundred years ago. COUNTY: Laclede ESTABLISHED TRAILS: No

1. Accola Woods 2. Dobbins Woodland 3. Dunn Ranch Prairie 4. Pawnee Prairie 5. McCormack Loess Mounds

6. Sandy Island Eagle Sanctuary 7. Trice-Dedman Memorial Woods 8. Pondberry Preserve 9. Little Osage Prairie 10. Marmaton River Bottoms Wet Prairie

11. Monegaw Prairie 12. Niawathe Prairie 13. Pawhuska Prairie 14. Wah’Kon-Tah Prairie 15. Wah-sha-she Prairie

6 MISSOURI: ACTION AND IMPACT

CAN WALK ON.” —John Sawhill, former TNC CEO

Ecoregions

Central Tallgrass Prairie Mississippi River Alluvial Plain Osage Plains/Flint Hills Prairie Ozarks

Dunn Ranch Prairie ESTABLISHED: 1999 HOW MANY ACRES: 3,475

MISSISSIPPI RIVER

WHAT DO TO: Hiking, bird watching, wildflower viewing, bison viewing, virtual prairie chicken viewing FUN FACT: More than 1,000 acres of Dunn Ranch is native prairie that’s never been plowed. COUNTY: Harrison ESTABLISHED TRAILS: Yes

MISSOURI RIVER

Sandy Island Eagle Sanctuary ESTABLISHED: 1991 HOW MANY ACRES: 35

WHAT DO TO: Hiking, bird watching, eagle viewing. FUN FACT: This preserve was donated by Missouri photographer Frank Oberle and his wife Judy. COUNTY: Lincoln ESTABLISHED TRAILS: No

MERAMEC RIVER

Chilton Creek ESTABLISHED: 1991 HOW MANY ACRES: 5,794 WHAT DO TO: Hiking, bird watching

Current River Conservation Area

20 21

FUN FACT: Chilton Creek is part of a prescribed fire study, which was initiated in 1990 and will continue for 100 years. COUNTY: Shannon and Carter ESTABLISHED TRAILS: Yes (county roads)

CURRENT RIVER

16. Alma Peterson Azalea Memorial Site 17. Bennett Spring Savanna 18. Chilton Creek 19. Pulltite 20. Shut-in Mountain Fens

21. Thorny Mountain 22. Greenfield Glade 23. Lichen Glade 24. Mt. Vernon Prairie 25. Grasshopper Hollow

26. Rocky Barrens 27. Silas Dees Azalea & Wildflower Preserve 28. Victoria Glade 29. Zahorsky Woods

NATURE.ORG/MISSOURI 7

OZARKS REGION

Exploring Underground Protecting our Ozark karst system

Mike claims every cave has its own personality. “There are some I really enjoyed, and others I never want to go into again,” he laughed. “Let’s just say some caves are easier to get into than they are to get out of.” Karst is a type of landscape where dissolving bedrock creates caves, springs and other natural features, and is prominent in Missouri. Mike is the Ozark karst program director for TNC. This past year, he helped with cave assessments in Missouri, as he has done in Arkansas and Oklahoma as part of his mission as a karst conservationist. “We want to determine what threatens the cave habitats in the Ozarks and what areas in the ecoregion are the most important to protect,” he says. Karst aquifers are vulnerable to pollution and runoff. This research helps identify areas that are most susceptible to pollutants or land use mismanagement, and ensures that land use changes don’t have a negative impact on water quality or cave viability. Never knowing what’s around the next corner keeps Mike enthusiastic for cave exploration. “It’s the unknown,” he says. “Caves are some of the last great places on the globe left to explore.” That, coupled with the desire to ensure these rare places are protected for future generations, motivates Mike to continue squeezing his way into amazing Ozark caves.

His career began with a crayfish. Mike Slay was an undergrad at the University of Arkansas when a professor mentioned some field research in local caves. “It just fascinated me,” he says. “I was starting to realize there were a lot of outdoor opportunities not only recreationally but also for study.” Mike found himself sitting in a dark cave staring into a crystal-clear pool of water near his hometown of Gentry, Arkansas. “I was about 700 feet into the cave, and out of the darkness emerged a bright white cave crayfish,” says Slay. “I had never seen one before, and they are a rare find in Arkansas.”

The federally endangered cave crayfish is native to Arkansas and has only been found in four caves. From that moment on, Mike was hooked. “The fact that I had just made a significant observation and that I could make additional contributions really did it for me,” he says. In his career as a cave biodiversity expert, Mike has helped discover over 30 new species of spiders, millipedes and insects, and has explored caves in Hawaii, Slovenia, Portugal, Spain, the Dominican Republic, Southern Belize and here in the Midwest.

2007 Ozark Conservation Buyer Fund established.

2010 Meramec River project launched.

2011 Bison reintroduced to Dunn Ranch.

2015 Western Ozark Waters Initiative is launched in Southwest Missouri.’

8 MISSOURI: ACTION AND IMPACT

INDIVIDUAL ACTIONS

Seven Things You Can Do To Help Our Planet Recycle, save electricity, conserve water, reduce carbon…we already know these things help the planet. What else can you do?

• Drive differently: Reduce fast accelerations to cut emissions and use cruise control on long trips to save gas. Keep tires properly inflated for better milage. • Put down the rake: Resist the temptation to rake all your fall leaves. Leaf litter provides habitat and nesting material for snails, salamanders, box turtles, earthworms and butterflies. Decomposing leaves release nutrients into the soil and helps keep it moist. • Shop locally and organically: Grab your reusable bag and head to the local farmer’s market to reduce food transport emissions and support local farmers and producers.

• Advocate for nature: Be aware of legislation that impacts the

environment and speak up to your elected officials. Go to TNC’s action page at nature.org/act to be a voice for the environment. • Invest in nature: Whether through TNC or another conservation organization, investing in nature with your contribution or volunteer effort helps future generations enjoy the outdoors, have clean drinking water and build a sustainable food system. Your actions can make a world of difference. Step up and help out.

• Reduce food waste: Globally, food waste produces more greenhouse gas emissions than 37 million cars. More than 40% of food produced in America is wasted. In Spring 2018, TNC partnered with Sporting Kansas City to create awareness about food waste. Go to sportingkc.com/ sustainability for tips. • Bring a bag: Go beyond the grocery and take reusable bags everywhere you shop.

A Champion for the Planet Wayne Goode • August 20, 1937–October 3, 2020

Wayne Goode lived a life of service with an energy and passion that was contagious. His accomplishments prove that one person truly can make a difference. At the age of 25, he was elected to represent North St. Louis County in the Missouri House of Representatives (1963-1984). After 22 years in the House, he was elected to the Senate where he served until his retirement in 2005. Throughout his career, Wayne was a champion for Missouri’s environment. He sponsored legislation for groundwater protection, drinking water standards and a bill that led to Missouri’s first hazardous waste disposal law in 1977.

Wayne was a dear friend to The Nature Conservancy. He served on our board from 2008-2017 and helped guide our policy and advocacy work on our Government Relations Committee. He also shared his time through service to the Missouri Historical Society, Great Rivers Environmental Law Center, L-A-D Foundation, Trailnet and Missouri Foundation for Health. We are so grateful to have known Wayne and appreciate all that he did for conservation in Missouri and the lasting impact of his actions.

2016 Stream restoration project on the Elk River in McDonald County stabilized over 1,600 ft of eroding streambank.

2017 TNC purchases 217-acre farm adjacent to Dunn Ranch Prairie to establish Little Creek Farm, our first sustainable agriculture demonstration farm.

2018 First Missouri Cities Program launched in St. Louis.

2020 TNC’s first grassbank in Missouri was established at Dunn Ranch Prairie, partnering with two neighboring ranchers.

NATURE.ORG/MISSOURI 9

PARTNERS IN PHILANTHROPY

A Grandmother’s Gift Empowering a new generation of nature champions

As a young girl growing up on a farm in Arkansas, Claire Anderson has always been drawn to the outdoors. “I had all kinds of close-to-the-land adventures on the farm,” recalls Anderson. Now a grandmother of ten, she’s looking to her family’s next generation to help guide her philanthropic decisions. In 2017, Claire set up a donor-advised fund through The Nature Conservancy and appointed her oldest grandchildren to its board of directors. A donor- advised fund is a professionally managed account that allows you to build your family’s charitable legacy while giving you the flexibility to recommend how and when to make distributions from the fund. “I’ve always been impressed by TNC and the way they bring together different entities to cooperate on projects,” says Anderson. “That

requires creative thinking and active relationship-building, rare commodities these days. I wanted to support that.” She describes this experience with her grandchildren as being “such a trip,” saying that it allows them to talk about the planet and “big money,” while actively searching for ways they can make an impact. Her grandchildren agree. Lucy, age 13, Catherine, age 17, says being a member of the board is an amazing opportunity. “I don’t know anyone else my age who can have such a great impact in the endeavor to protect our planet,” she says. For Anya, age 11, being on the board means she can have a say in what says she’s happiest when she’s outdoors and that helping her grandma is “pretty special.”

causes they support. “I’ve read articles about the amount of trash thrown away and how our reefs are dying,” she says. “It makes me want to take action and I’m grateful that I have the opportunity to do so.” Catherine says when it comes to making decisions, they all submit input and come to a consensus. Andrew, age 15, likes choosing projects that seem most effective in helping the world and says this experience gives him an awareness of the struggles the world is going through and what he can do to help. Claire hopes her grandchildren will stay on the board through college and that the younger children will join as they grow up. With the youngest grandchild at 3 years old, Claire says the board has room to continue helping for decades to come.

“Love is both a noun and a verb,” says Anderson. “Loving our Earth is one thing but uniting the generations to give thought and funds toward bettering it…is quite another.”

10 MISSOURI: ACTION AND IMPACT

SUPPORT NATURE

Double Your Impact Now your gift can do even more There are moments in time that can dramatically alter our future. Our moment is now. The growing demands for food, water, housing and energy are putting increasing pressure on the world we all share. Failing to meet these challenges with more nature-friendly solutions will be catastrophic for people and nature. With an eye to future challenges and a focus on our mission to conserve the lands and waters on which all life depends, TNC launched a campaign to raise $25 million in the summer of 2016. This ambitious campaign would greatly expand TNC’s Missouri conservation efforts and benefit the entire state. But could we do it? Thanks to the generous contributions of our longtime benefactors and new supporters, we officially passed the $24 million mark in January 2021. “What we’ve been able to accomplish over the past five years is remarkable,” says Nancy Ylvisaker, board chair for The Nature Conservancy in Missouri. “We set ambitious conservation goals, and ambitious fundraising goals to match them.” Fueled by this vital funding, many important programs were able to continue, and many more moved into the planning stages. But unprecedented economic hardship gripped our country in 2020. Would our funding drive lose its momentum? “We know what can happen when people rally together; it happens all the time in our conservation work,” says Ylvisaker. “We wanted to put that same emphasis on the financial success of this campaign. And this past year—one of personal and financial difficulty for so many—has reminded us that nature has the power to soothe, uplift and restore. Nature’s resilience reminds us of our own resilience. And that has spurred us on.” Working together, current and alumni trustees created the Missouri Conservation Matching Gift Program. Through this program, all gifts received between now and June 30, 2021, will be matched dollar-for-dollar. “You’re essentially doubling your impact,” she says. “Doubling the impact that

TNC has in Missouri to protect the lands and waters that we all love and rely on.” Although Earth’s natural systems face serious threats, they are remarkably resilient. We have an opportunity to meet these urgent needs with transformative solutions. The stream and river restoration, habitat recovery and environmental education projects you invest in today will have lasting, positive impacts on our state for years to come. “This pool of funds is an investment in the future of our conservation priorities, programs and people,” Ylvisaker says. “We invite you to join us.” Ways to Give You can participate in the Missouri Conservation Matching Gift Program now by sending your gift in the envelope provided in this newsletter. If you’d like to discuss additional giving options, including Legacy gifts, which are made through your will or trust, please contact Mona Monteleone at (314) 968-1105 or mona.monteleone@tnc.org

NATURE.ORG/MISSOURI 11

The Nature Conservancy Missouri Chapter P.O. Box 440400 St. Louis, MO 63144 nature.org/missouri

NONPROFIT ORG US POSTAGE PAID EUREKA, MO PERMIT NO. 40

MISSOURI ACTION AND IMPACT

facebook.com/NatureConservancyMissouri twitter.com/nature_mo instagram.com/nature_missouri Your Gift. Your Impact. Doubled! There are moments in time that are unique and can dramatically alter our future. Our moment is now. Gifts received between now and June 30, 2021 will be matched dollar-for-dollar through the Missouri Conservation Matching Gift Program.*

 (314) 968-1105  mona.monteleone@tnc.org nature.org/missouri

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