April 25th - April 27th
MONPS 2025
Spring Field Trip
Join us for our next MONPS weekend! We will be visiting several sites near Joplin MO beginning the afternoon of Friday, April 25th and wrapping up on Sunday morning, April 27th.
Join us out on the prairie at Pleasant Run Creek, a site owned and managed by the Missouri Prairie Foundation since 2014. This 180-acre tract, along with the adjacent Lattner Prairie and Dennis Prairie, comprise a 620-acre complex. Pleasant Run Creek Prairie includes 84 acres of original, dry-mesic sandstone prairie dotted with prairie swale communities. There is a lot to be discovered in this vast landscape of prairie by today’s standards. The nearest restroom facilities are located in Sheldon at Exit 88 off I-49.
Field Trip Leader: Hilary Haley - (816) 255-4805
Friday Evening - April 25th
7:00PM
Friday Night Speaker
Shoal Creek Conservation Education Center
201 West Riviera Drive, Joplin, MO 64804-5637
Michelle Bowe will be our Friday evening speaker. She's going to present on the "Common Spring Plant Families of the Ozarks".
Click Here for Detailed Directions
Located near Shoal Creek Conservation Education Center, Wildcat Glade natural area showcases an excellent example of chert glades. The group will be in search of two federally tracked species - Barbara’s buttons (Marshallia caespitosa var. caespitosa) and Carolina clover (Trifolium carolinianum), the latter of which represents the northern-most population in its range and only location in Missouri known so far. Restroom facilities are available in the SCCEC building.
Field Trip Leader: Hilary Haley - (816) 255-4805
Leave from Best Western – The Oasis at Joplin at 8:45 AM
Saturday, April 26th
12:00 PM - Lunch Break
Lunch at the Shoal Creek Conservation Education Center. We will gather near the entrance and use picnic tables available in the area.
This 340-acre natural area sits within a larger, 486-acre tract which was acquired by MDC in 1984. forested in oak, hickory, eastern red cedar, and other species native to this region. The natural area is characterized by old growth black oak with a heavy understory of dogwood. We hope to view the many spring ephemeral species found within the area. No restroom facilities are located at the site. The nearest facilities can be found in the town of Seneca, 10 miles north of the area.
Field Trip Leader: Hilary Haley - (816) 255-4805
Saturday, April 26th
5:30 PM - Dinner (Optional)
3030 S. Rangeline Road
Joplin, MO 64804
Saturday Evening - April 26th
7:30PM
Board Meeting
Shoal Creek Conservation Education Center
201 West Riviera Drive
Joplin, MO 64804-5637 Phone: (417) 629-3434
Sunday Morning - April 27th
9:00AM
Carver Prairie and Diamond Grove Prairie Conservation Area
Area Map - Diamond Grove Site Info - Diamond Grove Site Info - Carver Prairie
For our Sunday morning field trip, we will try to visit two sites that are located across from each other along Lark Road in Newton County. Both areas showcase stunning tallgrass prairie systems with several species that are of interest. Hairy groundsel (Packera tomentosa), though common in Arkansas, has recently been documented in Missouri for the first time at Diamond Grove. It should be in flower and would be a great opportunity to capture a search image for it. Like Wildcat Glade, Barbara’s buttons are also found at Diamond Grove. On Carver Prairie are locations of the Oklahoma grass pink orchid. It has not been documented on Diamond Grove, but it would be good to look for it there.
Please note that there are two separate sections of Diamond Grove, one is located on Lark and the other is on Carver Road. We will be exploring the Lark Road section and so we will use the parking lot located at this site for our meeting place, but we will begin our trip at Carver Prairie
Field Trip Leader: Hilary Haley - (816) 255-4805
Leave from Best Western – The Oasis at Joplin at 8:30 AM
Click Here for Detailed Directions
Lodging Options
Best Western – The Oasis at Joplin
3508 South Rangeland Road
Joplin, MO 64804
Website │ Phone: (417) 781-6776
A book of rooms is reserved for the group discounted rate of $99.49 per night. Please call and let them know that you are with the Missouri Native Plant Society. Reserve your room before April 15th.