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 […]

Most 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 in the region historically. These forests provide habitat for […]

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 […]

Ozark Regional Land Trust is pleased to invite you to an upcoming Volunteer Workday at Sarcoxie Cave and Spring in historic Sarcoxie, MO on Saturday, April 21, 2018 from 10:00am – 1:00pm. Sarcoxie Cave and Spring is one of ORLT’s most unique projects. The main features of the site are a scenic bluff, historic cave, springs, […]

ORLT is off to a good start in 2018! In mid-January we completed a conservation easement project with landowner James “Pop” Menefee that will permanently conserve 181 acres of pasture, forest corridors, wooded streams, and the site of a historically significant Civil War skirmish.  Pop’s property is located in the Village of Carytown, in Jasper […]

We had an amazing 2017 thanks to our amazing supporters, volunteers, and staff. Here are some of ORLT’s highlights from 2017:205 acres protected in Florissant, MO to include about ⅔ mile of Missouri River shoreline, adjoining bluffs, forestland and fields protected with the Louis and Anne Desloge Werner Memorial Conservation Easement.Partnering with Lindbergh High School […]