PROGRAM
Wild ones view the landscaping near Chesterfield City Hall. Photo by Leslie Penning.
A spectacular wind and rain storm coincided with the start time of our meeting. Therefore, the tour of the native gardens around Chesterfield City Hall was postponed until after the indoor presentation. The weather event resulted in our lowest meeting attendance in years: twelve members and four guests.
Melinda (Mindy) Mohrman, Chesterfield’s City Arborist, gave a program on the many efforts in Chesterfield that promote sound landscaping practices:
- The city makes an effort to showcase native habitat in their parks
- Chesterfield’s Central Park Amphitheater has new, mostly native, landscaping
- The Audubon Society and the city sponsor bird walks
- Officials are working toward Monarch Waystation certification from MonarchWatch
- Planning has begun on an amphibian project
Water feature near Chesterfield City Hall
Chesterfield’s Citizens Committee for the Environment was the driving force for the native landscaping around City Hall, which is certified by the National Wildlife Federation.
The residential street tree program encourages the planting of trees on city streets with the goal to increase the tree diversity in Chesterfield. In anticipation of the continued spread of Emerald Ash Borer, the city has been removing green ash trees that are in decline or poor condition. Information about the city’s residential street program and Emerald Ash Borer can be found on the city’s community forestry web page.
Regarding home landscapes, there is an ordinance that allows managed native landscapes. Species listed as invasive by USDA or MDC, including honeysuckle, are in violation.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Wild Ones volunteers at the 2010 Landscape Challenge in Creve Coeur
2014 Landscape Challenge Planting, September 27
Marsha Gebhardt circulated a sign-up sheet for volunteers to help with the Landscape Challenge planting on September 27. We co-sponsor a yearly Landscape Challenge with Shaw Nature Reserve and the Missouri Prairie Foundation’s Grow Native! program. This year’s winning yard is in Kirkwood on West Argonne Avenue.
Southwest Illinois Chapter
Southwest Illinois now has a Wild Ones seedling chapter which meets in Collinsville on the third Wednesday of each month. St. Louis Chapter members are welcome to attend.
Cindy Gilberg
Wild Ones member Cindy Gilberg passed away on June 30. Our chapter made a donation to Shaw Nature Reserve in her memory. A bluebird box adjacent to the Whitmire Wildflower Garden will soon bear the inscription “In memory of Cindy Gilberg, a fellow Wild One.”
NEXT MEETING
September 3, 2014, 6:15 p.m.
Scott Woodbury will lead a tour of recently re-landscaped Lockwood Park in Webster Groves, MO
Lockwood Park is located at Newport Avenue and Newport Place, just west of Laclede Station Rd, adjacent to The College School.
For directions, see our online calendar.
Recorded by: Fran Glass, Secretary
