MDC encourages volunteers to help bring St. Louis County parks back to nature with new events in May

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News from the region
Saint Louis
Published Date
04/28/2021
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St. LOUIS, Mo.—The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) and its partners in the Community Stewardship Alliance invite volunteers to help restore St. Louis County parks back to nature at three new workdays in May.  The effort includes improving native pollinator gardens and removing invasive plants, which will help habitat for wildlife and beautify the parks for people.  All three events require preregistration at the links provided.

The first event is weeding at the pollinator gardens behind the Lake House Bar and Grill in Creve Coeur Park on Wednesday., May 5 from 8:45 a.m.-noon.  Volunteers will weed and clean up the native demonstration gardens. Restrooms will be available at Lake House Bar and Grill and Forest ReLeaf.

Register at: https://short.mdc.mo.gov/ZK3.

Next is honeysuckle removal at Lower Meramec Park at 4756 Krumm Road on Saturday, May 8 from 8:30-11:30 a.m.  Check-in and registration are at 8:15 a.m. There will be signs posted with arrows for directions.  Volunteers will use the root docking method or cutting and treating with herbicide to remove honeysuckle.

Register at:  https://short.mdc.mo.gov/ZKU.

The third event is mulching pollinator gardens at Mallard Lake in Creve Coeur Park Wednesday, May 26 from 9 a.m.-noon.  Check-in and registration are at 8:45a.m. Volunteers should park and meet at the Lake House Bar and Grill, 2160 Creve Coeur Mill Road.  Volunteers will mulch the native demonstration gardens. Restrooms will be available at Lake House Bar and Grill and Forest ReLeaf.  In case of inclement weather, the event will be rescheduled for Friday, May 28.

Register at:  https://short.mdc.mo.gov/ZKw.

Participants should bring their own water bottles and dress for the weather. Work gloves and tools will be provided for all events.  As a COVID-19 precaution, social distancing will be observed throughout both events and face masks will be required.

The Community Stewardship Alliance, a collaborative partnership led by the Open Space Council, is a new conservation program intended to provide volunteer leadership to restore and maintain the natural areas within St. Louis County Parks. Partners of the collaborative effort include MDC, Forest ReLeaf of Missouri, Great Rivers Greenway, Missouri Botanical Garden, Missouri Master Naturalist Great Rivers Chapter, The Open Space Council, St. Louis Audubon Society, Saint Louis County Parks, and St. Louis County Parks Foundation.

MDC invites volunteers to help restore St. Louis County parks back to nature with three new events in April and May, like removing invasive bush honeysuckle and improving native pollinator gardens.