On Saturday, March 21st, Missouri Conservation Corps will be teaming up with the members of the Columbia Audubon Society to work in the scenic natural environment known as the Columbia Audubon Nature Sanctuary. This 28-acre nature preserve on the west side of Columbia is comprised of beautifully wooded ravines and restored prairie, historic oak trees and native grasses. The Columbia Audubon Nature Sanctuary is adjacent to Bonnie View Nature Sanctuary, and the two spaces combine to provide 120 uninterrupted acres of grassland and forest in suburban Columbia. This event runs from 9 a.m. to noon, and volunteers are encouraged to dress for a rugged and muddy environment, and to dress for the March weather. Our organization will help lead volunteers in cutting, hacking, and hand-pulling invasive honeysuckle and autumn olive.
The work is being organized by the Columbia Audubon Society, with the goal of restoring native plants and bird-friendly habitat to the sanctuary. A partner of Missouri Conservation Corps since 2023, the Columbia Audubon Society holds monthly meetings featuring presentations by a variety of speakers focusing on the study of Missouri’s birds. The group also organizes local bird hikes, bird counts, and habitat improvement events at Columbia Audubon Nature Sanctuary, Wild Haven Nature Sanctuary, and Bonnie View Nature Sanctuary. Missouri Conservation Corps partners with the Columbia Audubon Society each spring to organize a guided bird hike in Columbia’s Kiwanis Park, an area where we have been restoring a native habitat since our very first volunteer workday in 2021.
Please come and join us on Saturday, March 21st at Columbia Audubon Nature Sanctuary, 3607 Bray Avenue. Volunteers are asked to park along Bray Avenue, close to the trailhead. Missouri Conservation Corps will provide the tools and training for this event, and the Columbia Audubon Society will provide pizza and drinks to our hard-working volunteers at the end of the event. For more information or to sign up for this event, please visit our website events calendar.
