Nature Reserve Posts

    This is the close of the series on wetlands and our visit to Shaw Nature Reserve.  The Reserve strives to educate people about plants, animals and ecosystems in the region and they do a fantastic job.  We were excited to learn plans are in the works for gradual improvement of the existing facilities over the next few years.  I especially like the following poem wri...

            During our visit we could see why Shaw Nature Reserve stands out as an amazing ecosystem of woodland, wetland, glade, savanna and prairie.  When we began our adventure walking the Wetland Trail, we went into the watery world of a wetland complex.  This floodplain had been drained and used as farming acreage for over 100 years.  Begin...

  For those of you who may just be joining us, the     For those of you who may just be joining us, the Shaw Nature Reserve includes 2,500 acres of natural Ozark landscape and is an extension of the Missouri Botanical Garden.  It is located 35 miles southwest of St. Louis in Gray Summit, Missouri.       The Whitmire Wildflower Garden is a five-...

      The Shaw Nature Reserve was founded by the Missouri Botanical Garden in 1925 when the coal smoke of St. Louis threatened the plants housed at the Garden.  Though the orchid collection was moved to the Nature Reserve in 1926, thankfully, the pollution in the city cleared before it was necessary to move the entire plant collection.   The wetlands comprise 32 acr...

      With dragonflies zooming above our heads, we set off in the soon-to-be sweltering heat settling over the St. Louis area.  We would preempt Mother Nature by ‘rushing’ ahead of her and walk the Wetland Trail at Shaw Nature Reserve.  As we amble through the wetland complex next to the wildflowers, we’ll bend your ear awhile to inform and give an overview of ...

    Like a nectar of the gods, bees and birds are attracted to this sweet liquid secreted by flowers of various plants.  Nectar is consumed by such pollinators as bees and hummingbirds, and happily collected by the bees for making honey.  Flowers actually produce nectar to attract pollinators such as ants which, in turn, defend the plant from harmful insects.  &nb...

    Only a few steps beyond this feeding duo is a nature lover’s point known as ‘Window on the Pond’.   Both conservatory and sanctuary, it is located within the incredible Bok Singing Tower Gardens (coming soon to our photologue).   This woodland station is housed in a small, almost shed-like building, with only timber benches undergirded by a dirt floor.  A l...

  Only a portion of Dogwood Canyon is located in Arkansas.  We really began our adventure in Missouri and should have clarified this earlier, but wanted to proceed straightforward into the journey.  The State Line Pool features another beautiful nearby bluff.  Winter months often find breathtaking icicles, some 20’ tall, formed by the water as it drips into the stream. ...

There are numerous spring-fed creeks, streams and waterfalls throughout the park.  At the bottom of this placid tumbling waterfall is one of the many emerald-colored pools of water we enjoyed throughout the tour and, happily, this view was unobstructed by those ‘moving’ trees.  The next magnificent bluff and over-hang is known as the Great Spirit Rock Shelter.  The oldest human ...

Within Dogwood Canyon Nature Park are numerous stone bridges made with native dolomite rock . The first bridge at Little Indian Creek was 100 feet long and contained 160 tons of rock.   As we forded many of the scenic, low-water crossings, it was quite easy to reach out and splash one's hand in the water.  This would have been more refreshing on a hot summer day, but nonethel...