Volunteers at Mallard Lake
Photo courtesy of Mitch Leachman, the Executive Director of the St. Louis Audubon Society and coordinator of the Bring Conservation Home program
By Dawn Weber
Board Member-at-Large, Wild Ones – St. Louis Chapter
The St. Louis County Department of Parks and Recreation and partners are working on a habitat restoration project on the north and west sides of Mallard Lake in Creve Coeur Lake Memorial Park. The project aims to restore habitat and maintain the health of the park’s ecosystem, as well as create a beneficial, educational, and natural experience for park visitors to enjoy. The habitat restoration efforts will include removing invasive plant species, enhancing parts of the Mallard Lake shoreline, planting pollinator gardens, and developing prairie, woodland, savanna, and wetland areas.
A significant objective of the project is to educate and involve the community in local natural resource conservation and outdoor recreation. Partners will work with local schools, youth groups, non-profit organizations, and volunteers to enhance wildlife habitat at the park and provide environmental education for local youth and families.
Partners involved in this project include St. Louis County Department of Parks and Recreation, St. Louis Audubon Society, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Missouri Department of Conservation, Forest Re-Leaf of Missouri, Missouri Master Naturalists, Wild Ones – St. Louis Chapter, St. Louis Art Works, and the Creve Coeur Lakehouse.
More volunteers
Photo courtesy of Mitch Leachman
Our Wild Ones Chapter has set aside funds to donate to the project when needed for a specific purpose.
Also, we ask that our members assist with the project at three upcoming community volunteer days. Additional information about each day is listed at the end of this post. The dates are:
- Saturday, October 1 – Pollinator garden planting
- Saturday, October 22 – Tree planting
- Friday, November 4 – Invasive honeysuckle removal
Registration is requested for all projects: Please provide your:
- Name
- Contact information
- Number attending
to Mitch Leachman at mitch@stlouisaudubon.org or call (314) 599-7390.
Registration: Starts at 8:30 a.m.
All projects begin: at 9:00 a.m.
Length: All events are half-day.
Items provided: Gloves and other supplies/materials
Who can attend: All ages are welcome, but those under 18 must have parental/adult supervision at all times.
Saturday, October 1, 2016
Pollinator garden planting
Creve Coeur Park
Rain Date: Saturday, October 8
Help us continue our multi-year project partnership to create prairie, woodland, and pollinator gardens! Bring a shovel if you have one. We will meet in the south lot at the Lakehouse, 2160 Creve Coeur Mill Road, St. Louis, MO 63146 (map).
The north garden was designed by Wild Ones member Jeanne Cablish, and Karen Westman Spreitler designed the south garden. Both gardens will serve as home demonstration gardens with layout and plant list signage.
Saturday, October 22, 2016
Tree planting
Creve Coeur Park
Rain Date: Saturday, October 29
Bring a shovel if you have one. Project site is just south of Page/364 and north of Mallard Lake. Access is via Creve Coeur Mill Rd, north of the Creve Coeur Lakehouse and right at the Forest ReLeaf Nursery, just before the overpass. Continue along the trail, through the roundabout (carefully) and park on the side of the trail. (Note: GPS may take you to the wrong location. Here are the directions to the Nursery and then continue as above. Nursery_Directions_2015)
Friday, November 4, 2016
Invasive honeysuckle removal
Creve Coeur Park
Bring your favorite lopper or saw. We will meet in the south lot at the Lakehouse, 2160 Creve Coeur Mill Road, St. Louis, MO 63146 (map).
What a great opportunity to get experience planting! if you’ve been holding back in creating your native garden because you’re not confident about the planting process, these are really good opportunities to learn alongside others.