Success Stories

El Dorado Springs, Mo. – Most people walk onto a prairie in mid-summer and notice lush green growth speckled with purple blazing star spikes and yellow coneflowers. Rick Swopes sees more. He notes what wildflowers were held back by a cold spring and which thrive despite summer drought and sweltering late-July sun. Most importantly, he knows which plant’s seeds are mature and ready to pick for the future of Missouri’s native grasslands.

Girl Scout Troop 1791 recently established a 2,000-square-foot pollinator garden with thirty native plant species in Veterans Tribute Park in St. Charles County, MO.  The Troop consists of eight fifth-graders passionate about making a difference.  To combat the decline of native pollinator populations, the girls decided to support pollinators through habitat creation.  Their goal is that the garden will provide shelter and nectaring sources for pollinators and create an educational opportunity for park visitors.  

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo., Sept. 20, 2022 – Pollinators play a critical role in the production of most fruits and vegetables, and a great way to support them is by planting native plants. Bayer is helping the cause by giving away free native-plant seed packets through a new partnership with the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC).

MFA’s Adam Jones discusses the benefits of pollinator habitat in agriculture.

Quail Forever Wildlife Biologist Rachel Settle said Quail Forever is much more than just a quail organization but instead considers itself the habitat organization. 

Simple conversions on your land can lead to beautiful results that support pollinators.

Some of MPF’s many activities in 2018 that benefited monarchs and pollinators include the collection of seed from MPF prairies and work on extensive multi-year restoration projects.

Missourians for Monarchs Collaborative members have risen to this acreage challenge and report nearly 305,000 acres statewide of new habitat and/or land newly managed to favor monarchs.

The 80-year-old retired dentist and his wife have been working in partnership with the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) to make their property a haven for pollinators