Conservation : article
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Bees are a fruit tree owner’s friend and need special protection from pesticides, says University of Missouri Extension horticulturist Michele Warmund.
Bees are essential to pollinate many fruit crops, including apple, pear, Japanese plums, sweet cherries, blueberry and elderberry…
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – There’s a new guard dog in town. And it’s more likely to bray than bark.A growing number of sheep and goat farmers are using donkeys to keep predators at bay, says Charlotte Clifford-Rathert, small-ruminant specialist at Lincoln University Cooperative Extension in Jefferson…
MU Extension has partnered with the Highway 13 Butterfly Trail Coalition, which is working to make Missouri a fueling station for pollinators as they migrate between Canada and Mexico.
NOVELTY, Mo. – University of Missouri Extension and partners will hold the first Antlers, Anglers and Ag: Elevating Today’s Outdoorsmen for Tomorrow’s Harvest event Saturday, March 28, at the MU Lee Greenley Jr. Memorial Research Farm in Novelty.
Armadillos are spreading across southern Missouri, causing damage to lawns and gardens. Learn how to prevent, control and live with them.
BLUE SPRINGS, Mo. – One-third of Missouri’s 43 native amphibians have deteriorating populations, but you can help out by taking some steps to make your backyard more attractive to amphibians, said a University of Missouri Extension horticulturist.
An intensive, three-night survey of the bat population on public lands in southeastern Missouri netted more than 600 bats, including representatives of several endangered, vulnerable or seldom-seen species.
WARSAW, Mo.– These fish aren’t biting. Paddlefish never do. They eat by filtering plankton as water passes through their gills. But here on the Osage Arm of the Lake of the Ozarks, paddlefish do put up good fight after being hooked.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – The woolly bear caterpillar (Pyrrharctia isabella), often called the “weather worm,” is said to predict what Old Man Winter has in store. Folklore says the narrower the reddish-brown band on the caterpillar, the more severe the winter.
KANSAS CITY, Mo.– Sometimes visitors at the Kansas City Zoo warn Kelsey Goens that there are kangaroos on the loose. She reassures them that no marsupials have escaped. Two dozen or so kangaroos roam the zoo’s Australia section at will during the day.
Chronic wasting disease (CWD), a fatal degenerative brain disease of deer, moose and elk, has been found in a small number of deer in north central Missouri.
Planting cover crops can cut prevent-plant acres in wet springs, lowering federal crop insurance losses.
COLUMBIA, Mo. - Weedy field borders and brushy fence lines may not be attractive to some people, but for many Missouri farm wildlife and game species, those places are prime real estate.
Controlling moles is challenging; effective methods include traps, baits, and repellents to mitigate lawn damage.
Learn to support pollinators through hands-on classes covering bees, butterflies, habitat, and conservation starting in May.
Missouri launches its first Heroes to Hives program, teaching veterans beekeeping skills and pollinator care.
Tad and Kim Carnahan transitioned from Colorado to Missouri's agriculture, adopting rotational grazing and sustainable practices to enhance their cattle operation.
Help monarch butterflies thrive by planting milkweed, creating pollinator gardens, reducing pesticides, and protecting habitats.
COLUMBIA, Mo.–During this year’s deer season, landowners and hunters can work together to improve the quality of the deer herd in their area by collecting important information once deer are harvested.
Missouri landowners can take practical steps to improve habitat for ring-necked pheasants, whose populations have declined across the Midwest due to habitat loss and changing land use. A new publication outlines science-based strategies to support pheasant populations.
Learn how to safely field dress, transport, and cook venison to prevent contamination and enjoy it safely.
Kirksville Area Master Gardeners have given away more than 9,000 milkweed plants since 2014. Then-chapter president Diane Johnson launched the crusade after reading about the decline of monarch butterfly populations. Since the early 1990s, populations of eastern monarchs have decreased by as much…
Monitoring shows endangered Indiana bat numbers rising at Mark Twain Lake, with volunteers improving habitat and tracking population growth in NE Missouri.
Missouri Master Naturalists celebrate 20 years of volunteer service, education, and conservation across the state.
Woodland owners and natural resource professionals gathered Oct. 3-4 in Mountain Grove for the Missouri Woodland Owners Conference. The conference provided hands-on learning through three field tours.
COLUMBIA, Mo.– Across the state, volunteer master naturalists are monitoring water quality in streams, performing wildlife inventories, helping with prairie-restoration efforts and facilitating activities and educational programs at wildlife refuges, parks and conservation areas.
Landowners interested in improving habitats for wild turkeys on their property have a new tool: University of Missouri Extension, in collaboration with the Missouri Department of Conservation and the National Wild Turkey Federation, has developed a publication featuring habitat evaluation tools…
A determined 13-year-old leads cleanup, invasive plant removal, park repairs, trash removal and safety improvements at an urban Kansas City lake.
A horticulturist searches Ozark forests for the rare woodland swallowtail butterfly, a unique pollinator of the region.
Using drone-based lidar, satellite imagery, and machine learning, specialists are mapping invasive weeds in Missouri's Prairie Fork Conservation Area.
Farmers get guidance and cost-share help to convert cropland to pasture using rotational grazing and conservation practices.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – As the 2011 deer season comes to a close, hunters and landowners can learn about managing white-tailed deer from a new series of publications currently being developed by University of Missouri Extension and the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC).
Bird diversity thrives in urban neighborhoods when vacant lots are managed and trees provide shelter and food.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – University of Missouri researchers, under the direction of MU Extension weed scientist Kevin Bradley, are finding that pigweed seed is popping up in birdseed in alarming numbers.
“It’s pretty shocking,” graduate student Eric Oseland told those attending the annual Integrated Pest…
COLUMBIA, Mo. - Students at Frederick Douglass High School in Columbia are learning about the Missouri River and its history through a series of field trips and activities developed by their teachers in collaboration with researchers from the University of Missouri School of Natural Resources.
NEW FRANKLIN, Mo. - Have you ever snapped a picture of a striking outdoor vista only to find that the image recorded by your camera is less than impressive? Taking good outdoor photographs doesn't necessarily require lots of expensive equipment or advanced technical skills, according to two of…
Spring is ideal for observing wildlife and planning habitat improvements to support local species in your area.
Southern Missouri landowners reduce feral hog damage through a multi-agency elimination partnership.
Quail populations are increasing at a Missouri research farm thanks to habitat management and conservation practices.
A rare Perry County fish thrives as local farming practices improve water quality in the region's caves.
Missouri forests sequester carbon through photosynthesis and wood products, supporting climate goals and biodiversity.
Floods displace wildlife, prompting snakes and rodents to seek shelter near homes. Learn prevention and control tips to protect your property.
Discover the 200-year-old Ozark tradition of sucker gigging—nighttime spearing of fish in clear waters, blending fishing, family, and food.
Overwatering and excessive care can harm your garden. Learn how to strike the right balance for healthy plants and a thriving landscape.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – This could be a noisy summer for southeastern and western Missouri. A brood of 17-year periodical cicadas will emerge in northwestern Missouri (Kansas City and St. Joseph), and a brood of 13-year periodical cicadas will surface in southeastern Missouri (Cape Girardeau).
COLUMBIA, Mo. - Mark Morgan has no desire to catch fish with his bare hands, but that hasn't stopped him from becoming an expert on the controversial sport of hand fishing, also known as "noodling."
Prepare for deer season by learning how to prevent tick bites and protect against tick-borne diseases.
FORSYTH, Mo. – Despite the benefits of conservation practices on farmland, differing goals and expectations can create tension between landowners and tenants when talking about incorporating them into a land lease.
Manage oak woodlands for both acorn production and timber value with effective strategies to enhance wildlife habitat and economic returns.
COLUMBIA, Mo. – “If you get up in the morning and you hear quail singing and it doesn’t make your heart lift, you missed out on a big part of what life really is,” says farmer George Hobson.