Discover Nature Events

Artwork on display in lobby.

An early stage social engagement session for persons with early stage dementia and their care partner. Did you know that getting outdoors, interacting with nature, and learning new skills have shown to have positive benefits for individuals living with Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia? Join us at 9 a.m. Saturday, May 11, 2024 to learn the basics of birding. This session will include tips for using binoculars, ways to identify bird songs and how to use a field guide. This slow-paced, gentle walk will be held on the Farkleberry Knob Trail, a quarter-mile paved trail at the Cape Girardeau Conservation Nature Center in North County Park. We will also discuss how being outdoors can benefit those living with dementia and their caregivers. You may bring your own binoculars, or a pair will be provided for you.

This is a cooperative program with the Greater Missouri Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association.

With the icy winds of winter giving way spring wildflowers start to bloom. Join us at Saint Francois State Park for a hike along a 3.4 mile trail. This trail follows the Current River before climbing 300ft in elevation and looping back. Pack your lunch and enjoy the beautiful scenery when we stop to eat. The difficulty of Swimming Deer Trail is moderately-difficult due to the 300ft elevation gain along the middle of the trail. Participants will meet at the nature center and carpool to the state park.

Snakes are amazing animals and not really scary at all. Come and join us to learn lots of neat things about snakes like how they move, smell, hear and eat. There will be live snakes that are found in Missouri to looks at and even touch. We will also go outside and try to find some snakes in their natural habitat. Participants should be prepared for a short walk on a crushed stone trail. Meet at the Rockwoods Visitor Center. Register each child attending.

No registration required (ages 13+) In the United States, window collisions are estimated to cause 600 million bird deaths annually and almost half of these are at home windows. Do you have a window or two at your home or office that is frequently struck by birds? Join MDC and the Missouri River Bird Observatory to learn why window collisions happen, the best strategies to prevent them and what actions are being taken to reduce window strikes around the KC metro area. It's simple and inexpensive to save birds around your home and office! If accommodations are needed, please e-mail the instructor at least one week prior to the program.

Watch Ancestral Skills Specialist Don Brink transform simple rocks into artistic and functional points similar to the ones used by early humans. Learn the basics and try your hand at this age-old skill.

Walk-in (all ages) Did you know that native plants beautify landscapes and help support songbirds and other cherished wildlife? Join the Missouri Prairie Foundation (MPF) at the Discovery Center for a spring native plant sale. Grow Native! vendors will be on hand with a wide selection of native flowers, grasses, sedges, shrubs, vines and trees for a variety of growing conditions. Vendors will contribute a percentage of plant sale proceeds to benefit MPF's prairie conservation in Missouri. Visit www.moprairie.org for participating vendors and information about pre-ordering or you can shop in person the day of the sale. If accommodations are needed, please e-mail the instructor at least one week prior to the program.

Aww! Babies are cute, and May welcomes many new animal babies to the world. Join this month’s program and learn about the babies born in May. Afterwards, participate in fun sensory activities in crafts. Babes in the Woods programs are designed to empower parents to introduce babies and toddlers ages 0–2 years to the sights, sounds, and textures of nature.

Bring your loved ones in to sip on drinks and nibble on dishes made with wild edible plants. Naturalist Jordi Raos will give a presentation followed by a short garden walk and craft. (Mother not required to attend!) All people attending must register as seating is limited.

Snakes and lizards are really amazing animals. Because they are reptiles, they are much different than the animals we are most familiar with. Come and discover many incredible things about the snakes and lizards that live in Missouri. There will even be a live snake that you will be able to touch if you would like to. We will also go outside and try to find some snakes and lizards in their natural habitat.

Meet at Rockwoods Visitor Center. Be prepared to take a short walk on the Trail Among the Trees.

Please register each child attending.