Missouri Department of Conservation offers FREE nature classes for outdoor lovers of all ages and abilities. Registration is required for most classes unless indicated. Click on the BLUE text for each class. MDC’s Free Classes & Programs Sign up for email or text alerts to stay informed of MDC’s latest programs and events here: Sign Up for MDC News.
Click to learn more about these seasonal topics: NEW FEATURE: Birding
Spiders ~ Eagles ~ Bears ~ Fishing & Hunting ~ Birding
Click to learn more about each topic: Groundhogs ~ Maple Sugaring ~ Vultures
Participants with disabilities should email the instructor when registering to discuss accommodations needed to participate. Support staff are usually allowed to attend to provide assistance, but instructors need prior notice.
Hiking: Nature Boost- A Young Adult Hike
Date/Time: Saturday, February 22, 2025, 10:00 AM-12PM
Registration: Register Here!
Location: Powder Valley Conservation Nature Center
Description of event: Join us at Powder Valley for your daily escape into nature! This hike will take you along the full 2 miles of Powder Valley’s paved trails. The aim of this adventure is to discover how young adults can connect with the outdoors in the St. Louis area.
Birds: Winter Woodpecker Hike
Date/Time: Tuesday, February 25, 2025, 9:00 AM-10:30AM
Registration: Register Here!
Location: Rockwoods Reservation
Description of event: Learn all about woodpeckers, how they survive winter, and how to identify them. We will hike the Rock Quarry Trail Short Loop. This is about a 1-mile hike with a trail with a moderately steep incline and a descent down wood steps
NATURE & ART
Conservation Families: Xplor Game Night
Date/Time: Friday, February 21, 2025, 6:00 PM-8:30PM
Registration: Register Here!
Location: Powder Valley Conservation Nature Center
Description of event: Winter blues? Stuck inside? Come on over to Powder Valley for a game night! See the nature center at night and try out Xplor – The Game! Featured in the December 2024 issue of the Missouri Department of Conservation’s Xplor Magazine, this nature-based board game is free and fun for the whole family!
Birds: Backyard Birds
Date/Time: Saturday, February 22, 2025, 10:00 AM-11:30AM
Registration: Register Here!
Location: Powder Valley Conservation Nature Center
Description of event: In this program we will make some different kinds of suet feeders to take home. This program is designed for participants ages 6-10, but all are welcome.
Mammals: Busy Beaver’s Trading Post
Date/Time: Sunday, February 23, 2025, 12:00 PM-2:00PM
Registration: Register Here!
Location: Busch Memorial CA
Description of event: Climb inside MDC’s own Beaver Lodge to learn all about beavers and earn your very own Junior Trappers Permit. Then, put your beaver knowledge to the test to follow clues in search of beaver pelts to barter and trade for goodies at the Trading Post. Meet in the classroom in the main building at August A Busch Memorial Conservation Area. This program will be indoors and outdoors, so please dress for the weather.
Adaptations: Virtual- Coloration Exploration
Date/Time: Wednesday, February 26, 2025, 6:30 PM-7:30PM
Registration: Register Here!
Location: MDC Virtual Nature Center
Description of event: Explore how animals use coloration to survive in their environments. We will take a closer look and explain the differences among aposematic (warning), cryptic (blending in with surroundings) and sexual/gender dimorphism (male and female) coloration changes in some Missouri animals.
Wildlife: Creature Feature- Flying Squirrels
Date/Time: Friday, February 28, 2025, 10:30 AM-11:00AM
Registration: Register Here!
Location: MDC Virtual Nature Center
Description of event: Did you know flying squirrels can be found statewide in Missouri? Join us virtually to learn all about these rarely seen nocturnal critters! We’ll read a storybook together, and find out where flying squirrels live, what they eat, and more!
Amphibians and Reptiles: What is a Salamander?
Date/Time: Friday, February 28, 2025, 3:00 PM-4:00PM
Registration: Register Here!
Location: Powder Valley Conservation Nature Center
Description of event: In this program we will uncover the mystery of the salamander and learn about the important roles they play in Missouri ecosystems.
Nocturnal Animals: Nature at Night- How Lights Affect Ecosystems
Date/Time: Friday, February 28, 2025, 7:00 PM-8:30PM
Registration: Register Here!
Location: Powder Valley Conservation Nature Center
Description of event: For millions of years, the natural world has thrived on the predictable rhythms of daylight and darkness. While we rest, nature’s nocturnal realm comes to life, with at least 30% of vertebrates and 60% of invertebrates active at night. However, recent studies reveal that the growth of artificial light at night is increasing sky brightness by 10% each year. Join us at 7:00 p.m. for a presentation by Don Ficken, a Missouri Master Naturalist and Founder of DarkSky Missouri and Lights Out Heartland, who will discuss the fascinating world of nature at night and how adopting responsible lighting practices can safeguard Missouri’s ecosystems.
Fishing Programs
Pond to Plate: All About Trout!
Date/Time: Saturday, February 22, 2025, 8:00 AM-10:00AM
Registration: Register Here!
Location: Busch Memorial CA
Description of event: We are going to catch and cook trout pond-side. There may even be opportunities for participants to take home their very own catch! This is a fishing event in the cold fall/winter months! Be sure to come prepared with water, snacks, and very warm clothing (Winter jackets, pants, hats, etc.) Closed-toed shoes are required. Gloves are optional but highly recommended!
Outdoor Survival: Fly Tying
Date/Time: Monday, February 24, 2025, 5:30 PM-7:30PM
Registration: Register Here!
Location: MDC Virtual Nature Center
Description of event: Have you always wanted to get into the art of fly tying but do not know where to start? Join us for our 4-part virtual fly-tying series that will introduce you into the world of fly tying. You will learn about the basic tools, materials, and skills to get you rolling on tying your own flies. You must have your own equipment and tying tools to participate.
Enjoy Winter Trout Season at MDC-Stocked Lakes
MDC was able to stock lakes with trout at the beginning of the season, prior to the flood event.Stocked lakes are located in St. Louis City, St. Louis County, Union City Lake, and the five select lakes on the August. A. Busch Memorial Conservation Area in St. Charles. These lakes include:
- August A. Busch Memorial Conservation Area (Lakes 3, 7, 21, 22, and 23)
- Boathouse Lake – Carondelet Park in St. Louis City
- O’Fallon Park Lake in St. Louis City
- January-Wabash in Ferguson
- Koeneman Park Lake in Jennings
- Suson Park – Carp and Island Lakes in St. Louis County
- Tilles Park Lake in St. Louis County
- Union City Park Lake in Union, Franklin County
- Walker Lake in Kirkwood
- Vlasis Park Lake in Ballwin
Between Nov. 1 and Jan. 31, some lakes are catch-and-release only, and some are catch-and-keep. After Feb. 1, trout may be harvested from all lakes. Anglers can find information on specific winter trout lakes statewide at this Link to Trout Lakes in MO, or check regulations posted at the lakes. All trout anglers between age 16 and 64 must have a valid Missouri fishing permit to participate. Anglers wishing to catch and keep trout must also possess a trout permit regardless of age. Stay up to date with stocking information is by calling MDC’s Fish Stocking Hotline at 636-300-9651. Information
Eagles
Eagles of Missouri, 2025
www.mdc.mo.gov/events/eagle-days
Missouri Birding Challenge
The Challenge is for both new and experienced birders. Get prepared through webinars on birds and birding, including how to get started and how to help birds.
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC), the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), the Missouri River Bird Observatory (MRBO), and the Missouri Conservation Heritage Foundation (MCHF) invite both new and experienced birders to join the first ever Missouri Birding Challenge — May 1-15!
Missouri Birding Challenge participants will compete alone or on a team in different birding categories based on their ages, birding experience, and comfort levels. Birders will use eBird (eBird.org) to record their lists of birds identified at public natural areas around the state, or even in their own backyards. Once participants complete a category, they will be entered into a drawing for fun, bird-related prizes such as binoculars and gift cards. There is a fee of $10-$25 per person or team depending on the category. Fees go toward migratory bird conservation efforts.
Learn more about the Challenge and related topics at mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/
Get Prepared Through Birding Webinars
MDC and partners invite new and experienced birders to prepare for the Missouri Birding Challenge in May by joining the Missouri Birding Challenge Webinar Series on various birding topics. The webinars will introduce participants to birding and educate them on key issues around birds and bird conservation in Missouri.
Register in advance for each webinar and then join the webinar live. Registered attendees will receive a reminder email before the webinar.
Missouri Birds and Habitats with USFWS Ornithologist Sarah Kendrick – Thursday, March 6, 6-7 p.m. Does birdwatching seem overwhelming? Too many species and habitats? Join Sarah for a primer on bird identification by sight and sound using clues about the bird and its habitat. Whether new to birding or experienced, there are always tips and tricks to learn in the world of birds. Register in advance at Register Here
The Full Annual Cycle of Bird Conservation with MDC Ornithologist Kristen Heath-Acre — Thursday, April 3, 6-7 p.m. Join Kristen to learn about the incredible journeys that Missouri’s migratory birds make every year. Learn where these birds go, why, and how researchers are investigating the full annual cycle of migratory birds to better understand, and hopefully reverse, troubling declines in bird populations. Register in advance at Register Here
Seven Simple Actions to Help Birds at Home with Dana Ripper of the Missouri River Bird Observatory, Thursday, May 1, 6-7 p.m. Birds are in trouble. Research shows a loss of nearly a third of North American birds over that past 50 years. Don’t lose hope! Learn how to help bird populations at home and how to make a big impact with just seven simple actions. Register in advance at Register Here
BEARS
Black Bears in Missouri and How to Be Bear Aware
It seems black bears are making the news in the St. Louis region each spring as they are beginning to show up more and more in the area. Since bears are becoming a more common part of the Missouri landscape, especially if travelling to the southern parts of the state, it makes sense to learn more about them. Stay safe in bear country, and keep our bears wild. mdc.mo.gov/bearaware
