In early April, ORLT Executive Director Peggy Horner headed to Washington D.C. for 2.5 days with 35 other land trusts to meet with our Congressmen to discuss important legislation regarding land conservation. Since the ORLT mission covers all the Ozarks, she met with members from both Missouri and Arkansas.   “I tried to meet with […]

Don Kurz, a member of ORLT, recently published his 10th nature book, “Prairie Wildflowers.”  This field guide covers the wildflowers of the tallgrass prairies of the 15 Midwestern states that are within this unique ecoregion. Don is a retired ecologist from the Missouri Department of Conservation and an avid photographer. He has spent more than […]

We are proud to announce that we’ve officially received our accreditation from the Land Trust Accreditation Commission! The accreditation is designated by the placement of this seal on our website and materials. According to the commission, “The accreditation seal is a mark of distinction in land conservation. It is awarded to land trusts meeting the […]

Every winter our family and friends visit gravel bars in Missouri. This is one of our favorite traditions. Our twelve-year-old heads for the water, no matter what the temperature, in search of sculpins and crayfish. (We believe he was a polar bear in a former life). He picks up, or attempts to pick up, every […]

As the year winds down we are celebrating a productive year and reflecting on our most recent projects. In 2018, we added 3 conservation easements that permanently protect over 1400 acres.. The 181 acre Menefee conservation easement near Carthage, MO protects a grass fed beef operation and Civil War battlefield; the Robbins conservation easement near […]

Murphy Conservation Easement Protects Healthy Forests and Critical Bat HabitatMost of Dave Murphy’s Clark County, MO farm has been in his family since the 1850s. Realizing the importance of protecting this landscape in perpetuity, Dave pursued a conservation easement with ORLT. The 376-acre farm features 240 acres of high quality, old-growth hardwood forests that existed […]

Now that the Labor Day holiday is over and students are back in school, fall seems right around the corner. Fall is one of the best times to experience the Ozarks. Mild temperatures accompanied by displays of reds, yellows, and tans change the landscape encouraging and enticing us to re-explore our favorite routes through the […]

As the August sun blazes overhead in the Ozarks and the length of day starts to shorten, a favorite past time for many Ozarkians is to sit in the shade and soak in the beauty of the hills and hollers, forests and grasslands. A breeze might be present, and likely it will be warm and […]

Hundreds of residents, environmentalists, outdoor enthusiasts, and concerned citizens are opposing proposed developments near St. Louis. In late 2017 a housing development was proposed for the bluffs above the Katy Trail in St. Charles County.  If the developer get its way, this forested, rugged Ozark terrain will host over 300 single-family homes and more than […]

June is a great time to watch our feathered friends. Many species migrate through the Ozarks from Central America to northern Canada – and many more stay here to nest. But how often do you really LISTEN to them? We can hear far more than we can see. Step outside early in the morning and […]