Ozark Rivers Audubon
Join us for our Monthly Meeting
The Ozark Rivers Audubon Society has monthly meetings which include a speaker on a wide variety of topics. Come join us!
The meetings are held on the second Thursday of the month at 7pm at the First United Methodist Church at 803 N Main St, Rolla in Room 200.
For our November 14 meeting, our speaker will be Valarie Kurre from the Missouri Invasive Plant Council. You do not have to be a member to attend. See you there!
Proposed Presentations for the Upcoming 2024 – 2025 Year
December 12 – Sarah Higgins, MO Extension office, Soils
January 9 – Kristen Heath-Acre, MDC Ornithologist, Brown-headed Nuthatch update
February 13 – Helen Johnston, Master Naturalist, Nature Photography
March 13 – Alison Vaughn, Missouri Department Natural Resources
April 10 – Dev Niyogi, Missouri S&T, Stream Ecology at the Audubon Trails Nature Center
May 8 – Our annual Chapter picnic with visit from Kaylee Woelfel from Missouri River Bird Observatory to speak about designating Rolla as a “Bird City”2
About Us
The Ozark Rivers Audubon Chapter was founded in 1975 as a registered 501(c)3 organization. Our membership has a strong conservation ethic committed to the preservation of birds and bird habitat in the Ozarks.
We host monthly meetings featuring speakers on a wide range of environmental topics. We have regular bird outings and hikes. You do not have to be a member to participate. Follow us on Facebook to keep up on all our latest happenings.
Mission Statement
Visit Audubon Trails Nature Center
The Ozark Rivers Chapter is the steward of Audubon Trails Nature Center. For the nature lover, conservationist, hiker, and runner, the property is open to all. Audubon Trails Nature Center is located north of I-44 at 550 Meriweather Court in Rolla, Missouri. The Nature Center is a unique 70 acre reserve dedicated to community education and habitat preservation.
The Nature Center has five distinct habitats, including a dolomite glade, tall-grass prairie, oak savannah, upland oak forest with two stands of short leaf pine, and a spring-fed riparian zone. To access the reserve from I-44 use the University Drive exit, then north to White Columns Drive. Turn right onto Meriwether Dr. and proceed to the end of the road. The Nature Center is free and open to the public dawn to dusk every day.
Our mission is to maintain a habitat that is as natural and well-preserved as possible. For this reason we ask all visitors follow all posted rules including keeping all dogs on a leash, picking up after your pet and no smoking on the property.
Located within the Rolla city limits, Audubon Trails Nature Center encompasses 70 acres of diverse habitats just waiting for you to explore. Come walk the 5 plus miles of trails through our Remnant Prairie, Riparian Zone, Open Woodlands, Savanna, Pine Forest and Glade. A handicap accessible concrete trail is a gentle distance from the parking lot. Our new trail map is now available (see below) and is posted on the information kiosk at the nature center. You can also download it HERE.
Birding in Missouri
Over 400 species of birds live or migrate through Missouri. The focus of the Ozark Rivers Audubon chapter is to educate ourselves and enjoy our bird neighbors. We have monthly meetings where an invited speaker talks about timely topics dealing with birds. Bird outings are also planned where interested birders of all experience and fitness levels join in the hunt for as many species as we can find and identify. Ozark Rivers birders also participate in national-level birding programs such as Backyard Feeder Survey, the annual Christmas Bird Count, and the Great Backyard Bird Count.
Learn more about birding:
Missouri Audubon
Missouri Birding Society
eBird
Cornell Lab of Ornithology
Bird Conservation and Habitat Restoration
There is a saying that if the habitat is right the birds will be there. Our prairie/savanna is living proof of that adage. Since controlling invasive species and maintaining the prairie we have seen more grassland species than ever recorded before.
When we began the rehab process for the Audubon Trails Nature Center we knew that if certain species begin to show up we were on the right track, so we established a short list of six species that would be our benchmark. They were the Field Sparrow, Henslow’s Sparrow, Common Yellowthroat, Dickcissel, Bob White Quail and the Red Headed Woodpecker. But just as important as the birds that call the prairie home, are the wide variety of birds that visit our prairie during the fall and spring migrations.
Habitat Restoration is an on-going process. We are continually working to manage invasive species. Prescribed fire is an annual activity. For this reason, we hold regular work days. All members of the community are welcome to join, learn about habitat restoration and invasive species control. Follow us on Facebook to keep up on our scheduled work days and join us!
History of the Audubon Nature Center
In the fall and winter of 2002 volunteers from the Ozark Rivers Chapter formed the Audubon Nature Center Planning Committee. This committee developed a strategic plan for the future of the Nature Center. During this time period, Chapter members and volunteers worked many hours to clean up the property. Volunteers picked up over 130 tires and filled a 20 foot dumpster with all descriptions of trash and debris. At the same time a local scout troop completed the first half-mile trail and built a bridge over Miner’s Branch of Spring Creek. A parking area became a reality. The remnant prairie was restored and additional trails designed and built.
We have continued to create new trail, add benches, interpretive signage and maintain the area to the best of our ability. In September of 2022, a beautiful pavilion was completed on the west end of the paved trail. Thanks to generous community donations, four tables were added. The pavilion is available for reservation. Contact us at info@ozarkriversaudubon.org for more information. Currently, work is underway for a native garden surrounding the new pavilion.
ROCS
The Rolla Outdoor Collaborative School (ROCS) is a non-profit collaborative preschool, homeschool and afterschool enrichment program for the families of Rolla and the surrounding areas. The program is completely outdoors and takes place in the beautiful 70 acre Audubon Trails Nature Center. ROCS has a 1:6 teacher-student ratio for preschool age children and at least one additional adult helper is present at all times.
Our curriculum emerges from the children’s interests and follows the seasons. Our program includes a balance of teacher-directed and child-directed activities. Teacher-directed activities include group meeting/circle time, projects, crafts, hikes and science experiments. The remainder of our program time is centered on child-directed activities such as our learning centers (gross motor play, blocks, easel, dramatic play, sensory bins, mud kitchen, books, etc). Our student-centered, process-based philosophy introduces young students to a lifetime of learning.
To learn more about ROCS, please visit our website at www.RollaOutdoorSchool.org or find us on Facebook.
If you have a group that would like to visit the Audubon Trails Nature Center the trained naturalists at ROCS will be happy to customize an outing for your group. Contact us at director@rollaoutdoorschool.org
Become a Member
Everyone is welcome to become a member of the Ozark Rivers Audubon Chapter. Membership is $20 annually per individual. Please print the membership form and mail along with the member dues to PO Box 429, Rolla, MO 65402 or complete the digital membership form here: https://forms.gle/TrX8vmuM3qga8pS89
Please use the link to pay your membership dues or donate:
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