VOLUME 20
MISSOURI ACTION AND IMPACT
OUR LEADERSHIP
BOARD OF TRUSTEES Nancy Ylvisaker, St. Louis Beth Alm, Kansas City Wallis W. Warren, Beaufort 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 Diane Herndon, St. Louis Steve Mahfood, Wildwood Steve McMillan, St. Louis Carolyn Polk, St. Louis Robbie Price, Columbia Fritz Riesmeyer, Kansas City Jon M. Risdal, Springfield Sharon Shahid, Washington, D.C. Turbo Sjogren, St. Louis Jean Wagner, Kansas City Van Wolbach, Kansas City TRUSTEES EMERITI Patricia DuBose Duncan, Rockport, Maine Susan Lammert, St. Louis 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: 36.7 trees preserved for the future 2,744.5 gallons water not produced 5,326.8 CO 2 prevented
True to the “next generation” theme of this newsletter, we invited our children to write about their views of nature, how our passion for the environment has shaped them and their hopes for their own future. We hope, more than anything, that we are leaving them a world that will provide for their health, well-being and that of their children’s children.
We invite you to join us in our mission! Adam McLane, Missouri State Director Nancy Ylvisaker, Missouri Board Chair
“Since my brother and I were young, we’ve taken incredible family adventures that showed us the beauty of the world and our role in protecting it. An important lesson we learned from our mom, who has been a trustee of The Nature Conservancy since I was young, is to never feel discouraged by small action, only by inaction. We all have an obligation to respond to the climate and biodiversity crisis our planet is facing. The inspiration and sense of hope generated by each action that we take to save our planet is so important. Our mom has an impeccable ability to inspire those around her, instilling a sense of hope that people can make a difference. While in college, I was fortunate to have exposure through a summer internship to the incredible work The Nature Conservancy undertakes, and the opportunity to lead a human rights nonprofit focused on water access and conservation issues in Africa. I hope to merge these interests by studying international human
“We hope that in our lifetimes, nature is viewed as something we can’t live without. We hope to see nature rebuilt and added to, with trees being planted for new forests, wildflowers off the sides of highways and giant oaks in McDonald’s parking lots. We hope endangered animals survive and thrive. We hope that we come to see how our actions can change the planet we know and love. Last, but not least, we hope helping the environment becomes one of those things that is expected of us as kids, like knowing our ABCs. All we have to do is see how we can affect the planet we live on. All we need is a little help from everyone!”
rights law, so I can use this knowledge to take legal and political action, inspiring others the way my mom does every day.”
—Noah (age 14) & Morgan (age 11), son and daughter of Adam McLane
—Casey Jones (age 22), daughter of Nancy Ylvisaker
COVER Prescribed burn at Wah’Kon-Tah Prairie © Kristy Stoyer/TNC; THIS PAGE LEFT TO RIGHT Morgan and Noah McLane © Megan McLane; Casey Jones © Courtesy of Nancy Ylvisaker
CONSERVATION POLICY
A Conservationist’s Dream
Every year, hundreds of millions of people visit America’s national parks and public lands, a trend that continues to climb. Visitors seek adventure, inspirational places to connect with nature and educational experiences that captivate minds young and old. On August 4, the president signed into law the Great American Outdoors Act, a bill that’s being hailed as “the biggest land conservation legislation in a generation” and “a conservationist’s dream.” The historic victory authorizes billions of dollars to address long overdue maintenance and infrastructure needs in our national parks and fully funds the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF). “Getting this bill passed was a high priority to The Nature Conservancy and a big win for nature,” said Holly Neill, director of conservation policy for The Nature Conservancy in Missouri. The benefits of the LWCF to Missourians are tremendous. The Act 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. Economically, the LWCF also helps create jobs and expand tourism. Outdoor recreational activities in Missouri contribute $14.9 billion in
consumer spending and $889 million in state and local tax revenue annually. Recreation also accounts for 133,000 jobs and generates $4.6 billion in wages. When Congress created the LWCF in 1965, they authorized it to receive $900 million each year. In the past, although the money was there, Congress typically gave the fund less than half that amount. Now, with the passage of the Great American Outdoors Act, the LWCF will receive full and permanent funding. This is especially important, because the LWCF also helps fund the four main federal land programs
(National Parks, National Forests, Fish and Wildlife, and Bureau of Land Management) and provides grants to state and local governments to acquire new land for recreation and conservation. That’s vital for Missouri’s outdoor enthusiasts. “The fact that this bill passed Congress by huge bipartisan majorities—in the House (310-107) and Senate (73-25) —shows how important conservation is to us as a country,” said Holly. “These are irreplaceable lands and local treasures that will now receive funding and support to ensure they are maintained and protected for generations to come.”
To find out how the LWCF has touched your community, visit lwcfcoalition.com/map-of-lwcf
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THIS PAGE Girl holding largemouth bass © Jerod Foster
GREEN SCHOOLYARDS
Greening Schoolyards, Building Communities Green spaces play a key role in the development of sustainable, vibrant and livable communities, providing positive social, economic and environmental outcomes. Access to nature can also provide numerous health benefits, including lower stress levels, relief of ADHD-related symptoms and lower prevalence of asthma. In the urban core, welcoming, naturalized outdoor spaces can be limited, especially for children. In 2020, The Nature Conservancy partnered with Saint Louis Public Schools (SLPS), the Missouri Department of Conservation and other local stakeholders to launch a green schoolyard pilot program. “All too often, our students lack access to safe outdoor spaces where they can dream, explore and play,” said SLPS Superintendent Dr. Kelvin R. Adams. Froebel Literacy Academy, an elementary school in south St. Louis, will receive the first-ever green schoolyard in the St. Louis region. “Establishing a sizable green space at Froebel, which has been an integral part of the city for 125 years, will enhance the learning experience for our students and be a welcome addition to the Gravois Park neighborhood,” said Dr. Adams. Leanne White, project director for Green Schoolyard and the Healthy Schools Movement agrees. “Not only am I happy to see the positive impact this opportunity provides, but I am so pleased with how this project aligns with the priorities of the SLPS Healthy Schools Movement: reducing childhood obesity, empowering students to engage in more active lives and creating healthier school environments.”
Community residents were also concerned about youth engagement and stormwater management. Given the high concentration of impervious, or water-resistant, surfaces in the area, and with Froebel holding one of the largest pavement footprints, the site was selected as a high-impact leverage point. Dutchtown South Community Corporation (DSCC) is leading the community engagement effort. For Amanda Colón-Smith, executive director of DSCC, the project’s impact extends beyond neighborhood beautification and stormwater management. It provides new outdoor spaces for students, youth and their families to enjoy, and invests in a community where nearly 40% of residents live below the poverty line. “Access to nature is not just for the privileged few. This project has the opportunity to promote equity,” said Colón-Smith. The project provides a framework for equitably siting green schoolyards with the greatest potential to create environmental, social and economic benefits, combining intentional community partnerships, meaningful community- led decision-making and multistakeholder dialogue. The resilience and long-lasting nature of native landscapes contributes to the education, health and well-being of today’s youth, long-term stewardship and care for the environment, and encourages dialogue about what type of communities we are creating for future generations.
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THIS PAGE LEFT TO RIGHT Project area at Froebel Literacy Academy; Froebel Literacy Academy © Courtesy of SLPS
MISSOURI RIVER
Giving the River Room
Flooding has always been a part of Ryan Ottmann’s life. “I’ve lived on the Missouri River my entire life. I still live in the house where I was born,” he said. Some of his earliest memories are riding in the back of a pickup truck with his dad checking for holes in the levee. “High water events were family events—whole community events, actually.” The first significant flood of Ryan’s life was in 1993. “The flood of ’93 was bad, and the flood of 2011 was a little worse,” he said. “But the flood of 2019 was exponentially worse than all the other floods combined. That’s when we realized that we had to do something different for us and for our kids.” Ryan is president of the Atchison County Levee District (ACLD) in Missouri, one the largest levee districts in the country. In addition to maintaining 54 miles of levee along the Missouri River, the ACLD now had to develop a workable plan to minimize flood damage and address environmental concerns.
After discussions with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, it was determined that a levee setback, moving the levee to allow the river more room, was possible. The setback was the best long-term solution, but it wasn’t the easiest option. “We were going to these landowners, many of whom are farming land that’s been in their families for hundreds of years, and telling them we are thinking about a setback, and their ground would now be outside of the levee,” he said. “It’s not an easy ask.” The young ACLD board needed help from a host of partners, including The Nature Conservancy, and support from previous generations within its community to partner with the landowners and get the project done. “Max Peeler is a crucial part of this levee system, and he has been for years,” said Ryan. “He’s not only a historic member of our board, but he’s a lifelong resident and landowner in a section where we needed the setback.”
Max agreed with the plan, and soon all other landowners were on board. The setback benefits the local community, those downstream and the whole ecosystem that surrounds it. “It’s about preserving nature and coexisting with it. We both benefit when it’s done correctly,” he said. “We want this to be a pilot project, to show other communities that it’s possible, and set a precedent so it will be easier in the future,” said Ryan. New levee construction began in August 2020 and is expected to be completed by January. “We couldn’t have done it without the help from our community, our partners and from TNC,” said Ryan. “This means a lot to me,” Ryan said. “We just had twins, a boy and a girl, and we named our son River James. So yeah, this river means everything to me.”
LEARN MORE about this project at nature.org/MoRiverLevee
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THIS PAGE Ryan Ottmann (second from right) and the Atchison County Levee Board © Route 3 Films
DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION
Inspiration on the Prairie
Tah was set afire, sending flames and smoke high into the sky. The crew managed fire on the ground and was strategically placed around the perimeter to watch for any escaped flames as the fire burned inward. Amanda was positioned by a road. She noticed a minivan that had slowly driven by several times. On its last trip, the windows rolled down, and two excited young girls looked out. “I hope we’re not bothering you,” said the girls’ dad, who was driving. “We live just over the hill, and we saw the smoke.” Pointing to the youngest girl he said, “This one here wants to be a firefighter when she grows up.” The young girl raised her hand and confidently nodded her head. “That’s great,” said Amanda. “You know, if I can do it, so can you!” The girl beamed. Her dad waved and thanked Amanda for sharing this experience with his daughters. The idea was to inspire and give opportunity to women and minority staff from across the globe. And it did. But there is also a little girl in El Dorado Springs who just may have been inspired that day to lead the next generation of female firefighters.
The fire workforce has long been dominated by men, with women comprising a mere 10 percent of the national wildland fire workforce. The prescribed burn on a warm March afternoon at Wah’Kon-Tah Prairie in El Dorado Springs would be different. This Conservancy-led burn training event was specifically designed to help women and minority staff receive specialized training and further their knowledge of fire management and leadership within the fire workforce. Participants assisted the Missouri crew on burns in the Eastern and Western Ozarks. “I learned about this training from my supervisor, and it’s all about diversity and including women in the field. So, of course I was going to jump on the opportunity,” said Amanda Contreras, a former Nachusa Grasslands’ McCormick Resident Fellow from TNC in Illinois. “We could see there was a need and a desire for this type of training, and we wanted to provide the opportunity for growth for our colleagues,” said Ryan Gauger, fire and stewardship manager for The Nature Conservancy in Missouri. INSPIRING IN OUR OWN BACKYARD Like every managed burn, staffers checked the forecast, reviewed the burn plan and made sure fire and safety vehicles were ready. Then, the 25-acre restored prairie at Wah’Kon-
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THIS PAGE Amanda Contreras at Wah’Kon-Tah Prairie © Kristy Stoyer/TNC
SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE
Growing Grassland Habitat
sustainable grazing practices on their own land, such as removing fescue, using rotational grazing methods and planting native grasses, helping to keep the larger prairie landscape intact. “Partnering with TNC allows us to rest some of our pastures in the early spring, which benefits the local wildlife, including deer fawning and ground- nesting birds,” said John. “It also allows some of our native grasses and forbs to get established, which helps with overall soil health, water infiltration and lessens harmful erosion.” TNC hopes to replicate this relationship with other ranchers to benefit the water quality, soil health, wildlife and financial sustainability of ranching operations and surrounding grasslands. “The grassbank is mutually beneficial,” said John. “The prairie on the grassbank develops more patchiness of structure and diversity as a result of the cattle grazing. And in return, we’re able to rest our land and implement conservation measures that benefit the whole system.” Grasslands are the least protected habitat on earth. Implementing sustainable practices benefits the quality of the land today and improves its ability to provide in the future. That’s important, because the Luekens hope to pass Rolling Prairie Ranch on to Bruce and Myra one day. “That’s the goal,” said John. “If they are interested, it’s something that we’d really like to be able to do for them.”
The Nature Conservancy partners with landowners to encourage grassland sustainability through mutually beneficial land sharing opportunities. John Lueken and his father, Kenny, moved their cattle operation from southern Indiana to Harrison County, Missouri in 2003. Their 900-acre Rolling Prairie Ranch is just a mile from The Nature Conservancy’s Dunn Ranch Prairie. “We were running a smaller operation in Indiana. But with land costs going up in that region, we didn’t have the opportunity to expand like we wanted to,” said John. The Lueken’s ranch is a multigenerational, all-cattle operation. Kenny and John are at the helm, and John’s children, Bruce and Myra, are learning the ropes. Bruce is in the 4th grade, and he’s mostly interested in helping with the tractors, baling hay and riding along as they move the cattle around. “He’s still a little intimidated by the cows, but not Myra.” John laughed, referring to his 2-year-old daughter. “She isn’t fazed by them. I guess she’s going to be our cow person.” In 2020, the Luekens partnered with TNC and the Missouri Department of Conservation via the Wildlife Diversity Fund on TNC’s first grassbank project in Missouri at Dunn Ranch Prairie. For the next three years, the Luekens and another local rancher will be allowed to graze their cattle on two specific pastures at Dunn Ranch Prairie. In return, they will implement
LEARN MORE about TNC’s sustainable agriculture work at nature.org/MoAg
THIS PAGE top Kenny, Bruce & John Lueken © Kent Wamsley/TNC; bottom Cattle on the grassbank © Kent Wamsley/TNC
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Our Rivers Connect Us
“We love the lower Mississippi River,” said Scott Lemmons, director of freshwater programs for The Nature Conservancy in Mississippi. “I grew up here and I’ve been bringing my daughter Vicki here since she could walk.” Now 14 years old, Vicki enjoys fishing on the rivers and streams that feed into the Mississippi River. “It’s just part of my life,” said Vicki. Originating from Lake Itasca in northern Minnesota and flowing 2,333 miles to the delta in southern Louisiana, the Mississippi River is the largest river system in the United States. Its basin includes tributaries from 31 states and plays a vital role in our country’s
history, ecology and commerce. What happens upstream in places like Missouri, impacts the river’s health and Vicki’s
fishing in Mississippi. Everything, good or bad, flows down the river and into the Gulf of Mexico. A healthy river provides important ecosystem services such as water for drinking and irrigation, flood control, transportation, recreation and habitat for fish and wildlife. In Missouri, we are working in key river drainage basins, or watersheds, to reduce the amount of harmful nutrients and excess soil that we send downstream. See how our projects, and your support, are making a difference. The Missouri River is considered the “Center of Life” for the Great Plains. It has served as a main artery for exploration, food, trade and transportation for thousands of years. Today more than one-quarter of all the agricultural land in the U.S. is found in the Missouri River Basin. In Missouri, TNC collaborated with partners to launch a 4R program, educating landowners on the right fertilizer source, at the right rate, at the right time and in the right place. This focus on fertilizer management and conservation practices helps improve soil health and limits the amount of harmful runoff loading into these waters. In 2015, TNC established the Western Ozark Waters Initiative to combat some of the biggest problems facing the Elk and Spring rivers, including too much soil, or sediment, and excessive harmful nutrients loading into these waters. A large stream restoration project on the Elk was completed in 2018 and work continues in both watersheds to increase buffers, or vegetation, along the rivers to improve water quality and habitat for wildlife.
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TOP Vicki Lemmons, at age 8, fishing along the Mississippi River © Courtsey of Scott Lemmons
The Grand River Basin stretches from lower Iowa to its confluence with the Missouri River near Brunswick, Missouri running through farms, TNC’s Dunn Ranch Prairie and Little Creek Farm. At Little Creek Farm, TNC demonstrates how landowners can incorporate sustainable practices to keep cattle out of rivers and streams, improve soil health and minimize harmful nutrient runoff and soil loss due to stream bank erosion. In the St. Louis region, the health of the Mississippi River has been damaged by harmful nutrient overflows from agricultural lands and from surcharges in the city’s combined sewer system. Failing septic systems and impervious surfaces that do not allow for the absorption of stormwater also have harmful impacts to the river. TNC is collaborating with partners and communities on projects that reduce stormwater runoff by incorporating green infrastructure practices. Success stories include a 150,000-gallon underground cistern at Jubilee Community Church that captures 100% of the rainfall from the church’s roof to irrigate the new farm and orchard.
The Meramec River is an irreplaceable freshwater resource, providing economic and recreational resources for local communities and suppling drinking water to approximately 70,000 households in the St. Louis region.
Threatened by livestock use, historic mining, stream bank erosion, and urban and suburban development, TNC is working with agricultural producers and other partners to stabilize eroding stream banks, provide non- river watering sources for livestock, establish river buffers and demonstrate how nature-based solutions can lessen the impacts of flooding while providing habitat for wildlife and aquatic species.
The Current River is home to an impressive array of plants and animals, including more than 35 globally significant species, some of which are found nowhere else on earth.
With guidance from TNC, private landowners are adopting sustainable land use practices, primarily through conservation easements. TNC also promotes sustainable forestry methods and works with farmers to develop economically viable and ecologically friendly ways to keep livestock out of the river.
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GLOBAL CONNECTIONS
Our Journey to Africa EMBARKING ON A LEARNING TRIP HALFWAY AROUND THE WORLD
In a remote village along the coast of Lake Tanganyika in Tanzania, a group of women, mostly young mothers, many under the age of 18, gather with their children and newborns in an open-air section of the Buhingu Health Center. They are here to meet with trustees from The Nature Conservancy in Missouri and state director Adam McLane, who have traveled to Tanzania to better understand and engage with TNC’s work to promote health for the region’s communities and the environment they depend upon for survival. This region has a rapidly growing human population with one of the highest birth rates in the world, extreme poverty and near total reliance on natural resources. Ecologically, the region is home to approximately 93 percent of Tanzania’s 2,800 endangered chimpanzees. Lake Tanganyika, which holds 17 percent of our planet’s fresh water, boasts more than 250 fish species, many of which are endemic and found only in that lake. Fishing and farming are the main sources of nutrition and income in the surrounding villages.
The women share their stories and challenges of being single mothers. One speaks of her family’s shame when she became pregnant and how she was forced to move out of her home. This is, unfortunately, a common story for many young women in the villages. At the Buhingu Health Center, the group also meets Josephine, a community health worker who received her training via the Tuungane Project. Josephine and other volunteers go door-to-door offering voluntary reproductive health education. In 2012, the Tuungane Project was created through collaboration with TNC and Pathfinder International, a global reproductive health organization, to take a 360-degree approach to address the interrelated challenges of population, health and environment. AN OPPORTUNITY TO SUCCEED Besides providing reproductive and maternal health services, the Tuungane Project also helps men and women develop entrepreneurial potential and skills to diversify their income, allowing them to provide for their family and take control of their future.
During the meeting, a woman shares how a group of young mothers from the local village want to build a soap- making business and collectively saved a small amount of money to put toward the venture. Filled with hope and excitement for their potential small business, they asked the trustees for advice on how they could advance their idea within their village. UNITING PEOPLE AND NATURE In Kiswahili, Tuungane means “let’s unite.” It’s that spirit that inspired the journey from Missouri to Tanzania and continues to inspire the men and women in Western Tanzania to unite for their future, their children and the resources they so depend upon.
LEARN MORE about their trip to Tanzania at nature.org/ MissouriTanzania
THIS PAGE TOP Tanzania at sunset © Adam McLane/TNC; INSET TNC Missouri group with Lucy Magembe (right) from the TNC Africa staff © Adam McLane/TNC
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CONSERVATION & TECHNOLOGY
Checking in on the Chickens HOW TNC BROUGHT THE PRAIRIE TO YOU
And since my kids were at home with me, I made it a point to share the experience with them,” Kristy said. Kristy’s twins were immediately fascinated by the prairie- chickens, which led to further conversations and early morning check-ins. “Because of the live cam, I had the opportunity to talk about grassland habitat and why it’s important to protect these places,” said Kristy. Following the spring prairie-chicken season, the cameras were moved to the bison pastures so people could watch for the arrival of summer calves. “We plan to move the cameras around to capture as many aspects of the prairie as possible,” said Dennis. Fellow TNC chapters are following in Missouri’s footsteps and establishing live streams from their preserves to bring TNC’s work to those who can’t see it firsthand. “If these cameras have a fraction of the impact on other youth as they did on my kids, I’ll consider that a win,” said Kristy.
“There’s not much that can get my kids out of bed before dawn,” said Kristy Stoyer, director of communications for The Nature Conservancy in Missouri. But practically every morning this spring, 6-year-old twins Camden and Kylee woke her up with the same request. “We want to check on our chickens!” Every spring, state-endangered greater prairie-chickens make their way onto the breeding ground, or lek, at Dunn Ranch Prairie to put on a show in the hopes of attracting a mate. This unique ritual, sometimes referred to as “booming,” is a sight to see. The males inflate the air sacs on their throats, stomp their feet on the ground and make a haunting “booming” sound that echoes across the prairie. The prairie-chicken population at Dunn Ranch Prairie is one of the last in the state. For the past few years, TNC has partnered with the Missouri Department of Conservation to offer public viewings in their blind at Dunn Ranch Prairie. “People visit from as far away as Canada just to watch the prairie-chickens on the lek,” said Dennis Perkins, preserve assistant at Dunn Ranch Prairie. “As soon as the public viewings are posted, they fill up fast.” In 2020, the tours were canceled because of COVID-19. “When the tours were canceled, I couldn’t help but think about ways to let people be part of this experience,” said Dennis. That’s when Dennis and Kristy came up with the idea for the Dunn Ranch Prairie Live Cam. “A live prairie cam excited us, but we needed help to get this idea off the ground,” said Kristy. They called Dennis Zulkowski, IT manager for TNC in Missouri, who helped configure the cameras and network to get the stream going. The 24/7 live cam was officially launched on Earth Day, and the prairie-chickens did not disappoint. “I was constantly checking the live feed to make sure it was running properly.
VISIT the prairie now at nature.org/DunnRanchLive
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THIS PAGE Camden and Kylee © Kristy Stoyer/TNC
TRUSTEE SPOTLIGHT
Instilling Conservation Values Passing conservation values to the next generation is a foundation of the Risdal family. “Michele and I have always protecting what makes our history and the environment unique and special.” Jon and his wife established a family
been close,” said Jon Risdal, trustee of The Nature Conservancy in Missouri. His daughter, Michele Risdal-Barnes, agrees. “Looking back, I cannot pinpoint one specific moment with my dad that led to my interest and engagement with conservation. Honestly, it was lots of little things over a lifetime that cumulatively made an impact.” Michele is also a trustee of TNC—the first father/daughter combo in Missouri. “I have degrees in landscape architecture, and she has degrees in architecture and historic preservation,” said Jon. “So, we have similar interests in protecting and improving the planet for everybody on it.” Shared outdoor experiences also helped bring and keep Jon and Michele close. “I do think her early childhood experiences with us hiking, camping and traveling instilled a desire to explore the world, and in the process, make it a better and safer place to live,” said Jon. “Growing up, spending time in nature was always a priority,” said Michele. “Some of my earliest summer memories are of camping throughout Colorado. As I got older, our trips reached farther afield from the rugged terrain of the Badlands to the majesty of Mount Rushmore to the pristine waters of Lake Tahoe and the geysers of Yellowstone. These camping trips allowed us to connect with nature and each other, and were then juxtaposed with trips to Europe, which fostered an appreciation of history and a sense of place. These early experiences allowed me to realize the significance of
foundation and involved Michele closely in decision-making. “What excites me the most is the fact that we do this together. While we differ in a lot of areas, we both agree that it is important to pay it forward,” said Jon. “After I’m gone, I feel really good knowing what we have started with our foundation will continue to grow long into the future.” While Jon is quick to downplay his role in shaping Michele’s outlook on the world, Michele disagrees. “A love of history and the outdoors is an amazing legacy to instill in one’s children,” she said. “However, my dad also taught me the value of community service. I feel it is the combination of these two things which has allowed me not only to be interested in conservation but know the importance of engagement. It takes both to make an impact.”
THIS PAGE TOP Jon and Michele hiking in Rocky Mountain National Park, August 1975; BOTTOM Jon and Michele near Springfield, Missouri © Courtesy of Michele Risdal-Barnes
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YOUTH ENGAGEMENT
Connecting with Nature in a Virtual World In Spring 2020, more than 850 million children and youth, roughly half of the world’s student population, had to stay away from schools and universities due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Teachers, parents and students were challenged to find new resources to keep kids engaged in their new virtual learning environment. Virtual Exploration Nature Lab’s virtual field trips allow
In an effort to support families and teachers, and open up new worlds for young people, The Nature Conservancy and its 550 scientists launched Nature Lab, an online learning platform designed to help students from kindergarten through 12th grade learn the science behind how nature works for us and how we can help keep it running strong. “Students and teachers across Missouri and around the world were faced with a very different learning experience in response to COVID-19,” said Kate Ireland, director of Youth Engagement Programs, at The Nature Conservancy. “I’m proud that TNC was able to offer the Nature Lab curriculum as a way to engage the next generation with the places, science and conservation stories of our work, helping them connect what they see on the screen to actions they can take in their own neighborhood.” Demand for Nature Lab has been very high, with viewership on the Nature Lab Vimeo page reaching over 17,000 daily. Most viewership dips correspond with weekends, indicating that Nature Lab is successfully being used as a supplemental tool for virtual learning.
students to travel the world and explore natural environments without leaving their home or classroom. Each virtual field trip contains a video, teacher guide and student activities. Here are a few of the places and topics to explore:
The Coral Reefs of Palau
Explore Nature Lab from your home or classroom Navigating Nature Lab is simple. Just click on the students’ age group, and you’ll find a collection of appropriate videos and support materials designed in partnership with educators and TNC scientists. Each topic includes a downloadable teachers’ guide with information about how the materials can be integrated into the classroom, either virtually or in-person.
Powering the Planet
START exploring today at nature.org/NatureLab
China’s Great Forest
THIS PAGE Students observing leaves © Devan King/TNC (L); SIDE BAR, TOP TO BOTTOM Aerial view of Palau © Jez O’Hare; Wind farm turbines in West Virginia © Kent Mason; Giant panda © Nick Hall
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HONORING A LEGACY
Remembering Our Friend
To honor John’s years of dedicated guidance and extraordinary service to The Nature Conservancy, a scenic overlook platform at Dunn Ranch Prairie will be named for him as a constant reminder that his ongoing vision keeps watch over the fields of native flowers and wandering bison he so dearly loved.
John McPheeters, a longtime supporter, trustee and dearest friend to The Nature Conservancy, passed away in June 2020. John clearly understood that our actions today forge the future. He foresaw the exponential growth of TNC programs and led strategic planning and capacity-building efforts to ensure a future that would be vibrant and sustainable. “Our dad chose a path connected to nature from an early age,” recalled John’s children, Lizzy, Katherine and Alex. “On our family farm in Clarksville, Missouri, he implemented changes that will have an immensely positive impact on the environment and future generations. We are grateful for his work and vision.” John served as a TNC trustee from 1999 to 2015, and as board chair from 2002 to 2005, demonstrating leadership, insight and long-range vision. After retiring from the board, he continued to be a valued adviser on complex land and water issues. His impact outside TNC was remarkable, as well. As co-founder of Magnificent Missouri, John raised vital funding for Missouri conservation through public events and education. Committed to bringing nature into the city, John and his wife, Connie, opened Bowood Farms nursery and organic food restaurant Café Osage, bringing their farm-grown plants and produce to St. Louis. He was also deeply engaged with the Missouri Botanical Garden, the Garden Club of St. Louis, and the Center for Plant Conservation, making important contributions and lifelong friends in every organization. “Our dad taught us to value the impact the natural world has on all of us, not only out in the fields, woods and rivers but also in urban parks and backyard gardens,” said his children. “His influence will always be with us as we continue his advocacy for nature and conservation, so that our children and future generations will live in a state where nature and people thrive together.”
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THIS PAGE John McPheeters © Kristy Stoyer/TNC
HONORING A LEGACY
A Father’s Gift
Bruce Haberichter loved being out in nature. For over a decade, Bruce volunteered at the Waterfall Glen Forest Preserve in DuPage County, Illinois. “He organized groups of people who would meet each month to clear and take care of a savanna on the preserve,” said his father, Jean Haberichter. A not-so-typical volunteer task that Bruce undertook at the preserve was monitoring the amphibians. “He had an ear for frogs,” Jean said with a laugh. “I would go with him on occasion, but I wasn’t much help.” Bruce would venture out in the evenings with a cassette recorder to document how many species of frogs he could hear on the savanna and the strength of the sounds. “He could pick out what sound went with what species,” said Jean. “They could then monitor the health of the savanna by
the data he collected, and the number of species he identified.” Bruce was meticulous in everything he did as an electrical engineer and active steward of the outdoors. When he passed away in 2010, his family planted a tree in his memory at Waterfall Glen. But Jean wanted to do more. “I knew of The Nature Conservancy, and I liked their approach to protecting land,” he said. To honor Bruce’s commitment to nature, the Haberichter family made a generous gift to TNC in his memory. “He loved the outdoors,” said Jean. “It’s what my son would have wanted.” Now, living just outside of St. Louis, Jean enjoys reading about the work of TNC, knowing that Bruce’s legacy and passion for conservation continues to make a difference in the world.
Define Your Legacy Over the years, thousands of individuals from all walks of life have taken action to protect our natural world for future generations through legacy giving. Many of these passionately committed supporters choose to join The Legacy Club, a distinction for those who have included TNC in their estate plans or established a life-income gift. Legacy benefactors understand the long-term nature of our work and want to support conservation beyond their lifetime. Their gifts provide financial support and inspiration to keep our conservation work going strong through times of great uncertainty. Legacy gifts are not only meaningful for the giver but are pivotal to our success in advancing conservation outcomes. We honor every legacy through our work and thank them for making a lasting commitment to protect lands and waters for generations to come. To learn more about how you can join The Legacy Club, contact Mona at (314) 968-1105 ext. 1118 or at mona.monteleone@tnc.org
THIS PAGE TOP Bruce Haberichter © Courtesy of Jean Haberichter; BOTTOM Black-eyed Susan © Carrie Blythe
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Leave a legacy for generations to come. What better legacy is there to leave than your commitment to protecting the Earth for generations to come? Whether you are taking those first steps toward planning your estate or are in the process of updating your estate plan, The Nature Conservancy is here to help. Don’t let another day pass by.
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