On the evening of September 25th, Missouri Conservation Corps naturalist, Laura Semken, led University of Missouri students on a mission to catch and tag Monarch butterflies on the A. L. Gustin Golf Course. Although golf courses are not known to be typical spaces for native gardens, MU student journalists Hannah Halterman and Sara Eddington captured the beauty of incorporating pollinator plots onto golf courses as they followed along Laura’s educational program. It was a beautiful evening out, and as both golfers on carts and students with butterfly nets traversed the course, a unique blend of wild and recreational use came to light.
The Maneater, the independent Mizzou student news source, recently featured this event. The article highlights Isaac Breuer, A. L. Gustin Golf Course Superintendent, who expressed his love for the pollinator plots and exemplified the intersection between commercial land use and native plantings. The report shows how the combination of nationwide programs and local initiatives can craft opportunities for wildlife conservation anywhere and for everyone.
