Community Calendar

The Missouri Department of Conservation will host Intro to Winter Tree ID on January 13 online.

Ever wonder how to identify trees when they have no leaves? Join Naturalist Leah Eden via this online-only program and learn the clues to help you identify trees by their twigs, fruits, and bark.

Open to all ages. Registration required by 1/9/26.

This program will be presented through WebEx. Register with a valid email address for the purpose of receiving a link one day prior to the program. The program will not be recorded.

For more information, email Shepherd@mdc.mo.gov or call (417)334-4865 ext 0.

The Springfield Conservation Nature Center will celebrate the annual return of bald eagles to Lake Springfield on January 17.

The event will include live birds of prey from Dickerson Park Zoo with programs held at the Nature Center at 10 am, 11 am, and noon. Opportunities to view bald eagles in the wild, with the assistance of volunteers and spotting scopes, will be available at the Lake Springfield Boathouse from 9 am to 4 pm.

All ages. No registration is required.

The Springfield Conservation Nature Center will host a candlelit woods walk January 23 along the Boardwalk Trail, which will be softly lit by luminaries. Bring a flashlight and dress for the weather.

All ages. No registration is required.

Nature reveals itself more openly in winter with foliage off the trees and shrubs. The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) is offering a free guided winter hike along Lake Taneycomo on Saturday, Jan. 24.

Join the Shepherd of the Hills Conservation Education Center for a Winter Hike along Lake Taneycomo from 10 a.m. to noon on Jan. 24 at 483 Hatchery Road in Branson. Groups are welcome, but all individuals must register separately. Those 5 years and older may participate; children must be accompanied by an adult.

Register at: mdc-event-web.s3licensing.com/Event/EventDetails/214287

Participants will learn how Missouri’s animals adapt to the colder chill, learn to identify trees and twigs without leaves, and see how trout adjust to changing water temperatures.

Attendees are encouraged to bundle up for a one-mile winter hike along the shores of Lake Taneycomo, wear closed-toed walking or hiking shoes and bring bottled water. Leashed pets are welcome on the hiking trails.

The group will meet outside the front of the Conservation Education Center at the Shepherd of the Hills Fish Hatchery, 483 Hatchery Road in Branson.

To find out more about the Winter Hike along Lake Taneycomo or other events at the Shepherd of the Hills Conservation Education Center, call 417-334-4865, ext. 0.

The cooler temperatures mean Missourians may see short-eared owls flying low over native grasslands.

The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) will host a Short-Eared Owl Hike from 4:30-6 p.m. Jan. 24 at Shawnee Trail Conservation Area.

Register for the hike at mdc-event-web.s3licensing.com/Event/EventDetails/214016

Staff from Shoal Creek Conservation Education Center will help participants spot short-eared owls as the raptors search for mice, rabbits, and other small mammals. Bring the family and dress for the weather for this easy-rated hike. The event is best suited for those ages 10 and older.   

Shawnee Trail Conservation Area is located at SW 50th Road in Asbury. This 3,635-acre area is primarily cropland and grassland, with patches of native prairie, wetlands, old fields, and pasture.

For information about the Short-Eared Owl Hike or future events at Shoal Creek Conservation Education Center, call 417-629-3434. The education center is located at 201 West Riviera Drive in Joplin.

Birdwatching is not only enjoyable, but also contributes valuable data to scientific research. Volunteer naturalists in the Nature Center’s Wildlife Viewing Area will share how you can participate in the annual Great Backyard Bird Count.

Drop by anytime between 10 am and 1 pm. All ages. No registration required. Call 417-888-4237 for more information.