If you told people 100 years ago that many of Missouri's summer birds go as far as Latin America in the winter, they would not have believed it.

      Today more is known  about migratory birds, and you can join us to hear Brad Jacobs, from the Missouri Department of Conservation, speak about their fragile lives at 7 p.m. on Thursday, January 12 at Runge Conservation Nature Center. His topic is "Bird Conservation in Latin America: A New Role for States". 

      Jacobs is a Wildlife Ecologist as well as chairperson of the steering

committee for the Midwest Working Group of Partner’s in Flight. PIF is an international effort to focus resources on solving the problems that face neotropical migrant birds.

      Partnerships formed

among countries, government agencies, conservation organizations, educational institutions, private industries and concerned individuals, all center on the study and conservation of neotropical

Missouri has magnificent

natural areas that are being managed to preserve their unique characteristics. Ken McCarty, from Department of Natural Resources, will tell about these great places on Thursday, February 9 at 7 p.m. at Runge Conservation Nature Center.

      McCarty will talk about natural areas and what  is being done to give them special recognition and protection. Our state has some of the largest springs in North America and the second greatest number of caves in the United States. There are tallgrass prairies, deep rich forests, barren glades and numerous crystal clear streams.

      All these make for an unusually varied, beautiful and

interesting natural history that has shaped Missouri’s cultural history as well.

      To preserve some of the significant natural elements, certain areas have been designated as Missouri Natural Areas. Natural areas are managed and protected for their scientific, educational and historic values. They are formally recognized as the least disturbed and highest-quality biological and geological sites across the state.

      These natural biological communities or geological sites are managed to perpetuate their natural character, diversity and ecological processes. DNR and other agencies agree that Missouri Natural Areas

should encompass the best

Text Box: September/October, 2005 Text Box: Newsletter of River Bluffs Audubon The TimberdoodleText Box: Bird Conservation Program Slated for January 12 Text Box: February 9th Meeting Features Missouri’s Wonderful Natural Areas Text Box: January/February 2006 Text Box: Newsletter of River Bluffs Audubon Text Box: After summer weather cools to fall, scarlet tanagers leave Missouri and fly south to forage in tall trees of fragile mountain forests from Panama to Bolivia .