Help celebrate National Wildlife Refuge Week by planting trees at the Big Muddy National Fish and Wildlife Refuge. Be a part of conservation in action this Saturday, Oct. 15 2011, starting at 10:00 a.m. at the Cora Island Unit of the Refuge just north of St. Louis, Mo. Be a part of re-establishing the forest by helping to plant 1,000 trees of diverse native species in pre-dug.
The Cora Island Unit is the Refuge’s newest unit. Acquired in 2009, the 1,265 acres are being converted from agriculture production to wildlife habitat. “Planting trees not only provides food and shelter for wildlife, but also helps shade out unwanted invasive plant species that thrive on open ground after agriculture production is removed,” states Wildlife Biologist and project coordinator Jestin Clark.
To reach the Cora Island Unit from St. Louis
Travel north on Highway 67 to Red School Road. Look for the Refuge signs immediately after crossing the Missouri River. Follow Red School Road for three miles and turn on Cora Island Road at Ebenezer Cemetery. Follow Cora Island Road one mile over the levee into the Refuge.
Please note: Gloves, shovels and refreshments will be provided. Sturdy shoes and clothes ready to work in the dirt are recommended.
The Big Muddy National Fish and Wildlife Refuge encompass over 16,000 acres of public land in ten separate units in the Missouri River floodplain in Missouri between Kansas City and St. Louis. A growing refuge acquiring lands from willing sellers seeking the goal of reaching 60,000 acres of land set aside for wildlife and the enjoyment of the public that fish, wildlife and plants provide. For further information on the Big Muddy National Fish and Wildlife Refuge visit us on the web: www.fws.gov/midwest/bigmuddy. Or on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/BigMuddyNWR
For more information on the Midwest Region of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service visit http://midwest.fws.gov.
