Give a Hand: Help 4-H'ers reach goal of 250,000 meals.Source: Lupita Fabregas, 573-882-5035
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Missouri 4-H’ers across the state need generous donors to give a hand in this final week of the 4-H Feeding Missouri food drive.
“We know that every $1 donated buys 10 meals for a family. If everyone gave just $5, that would be the helping hand we need to meet our goal of donating 250,000 meals to serve hungry Missourians,” said Lupita Fabregas, director of University of Missouri Extension’s 4-H Center for Youth Development.
The second 4-H Feeding Missouri food drive started Jan. 1 and runs through April 30. Even with in-person local food drives, fundraising, volunteer service, and education and outreach activities suspended for much of that time, 4-H clubs have raised the equivalent of more than 218,000 meals.
To reach the 2020 goal of 250,000 meals, Missouri 4-H is asking Missourians to donate online at www.FeedingMissouri.org/4H, or text “4HFM2020” to 44-321 to donate.
Donations go directly to Feeding Missouri, a coalition of the state’s six major food banks that provides hunger relief through a network of more than 1,600 community-based food programs in every county and the city of St. Louis. The COVID-19 pandemic has put unprecedented demands on food banks and pantries across the state with so many people out of work and with existing community resources feeling the strain, said Chris Baker, resource development manager of Feeding Missouri.
For this year’s effort, Missouri 4-H Feeding Missouri is partnering with Missouri Farmers Care for its Drive to Feed Kids campaign, which works to raise awareness of food insecurity and increase resources for the Feeding Missouri network of food banks.
“Truly, our 4-H Feeding Missouri effort — in partnership with Drive to Feed Kids — could not come at a better time of direct service to our state,” said Marshall Stewart, MU vice chancellor for extension and engagement.


For more than 100 years, University of Missouri Extension has extended university-based knowledge beyond the campus into all counties of the state. In doing so, extension has strengthened families, businesses and communities.

You can become a scientist in the St. Louis region by taking part in this global citizen science data collecting effort.
St. LOUIS, Mo.-- The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) is joining multiple conservation partners in the St. Louis area City Nature Challenge that kicks off this Friday, April 24. St. Louis is one of more than 160 cities around the globe to take part in the effort.
The City Nature Challenge runs from Friday April 24- Sunday, May 3, and MDC, along with its St. Louis Metro area organizing partners, invite you to pitch in. This innovative effort will enable people to become citizen scientists, so they can observe and record as many species of plants, birds, and animals as possible during the event.
Participants can make observations by taking photos and uploading their observations using the free mobile app iNaturalist. The data collection portion of the City Nature Challenge will take place from April 24th- April 27. In addition to connecting with nature, the objective is to create a snapshot of the biodiversity that can be found around the metro area, including wild plants, insects, birds, and mammals, fish, frogs, fungi, and other forms of life. Then, from April 28-May 3, experts from around the world will identify your observations.
“You may be surprised at what you might discover in your own backyard or windowsill,” said MDC Naturalist Emily Crawford.

Newborn animals, such as birds, rabbits and fawns, are best left alone
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – As the weather warms up and more people head outside, they may encounter a variety of newborn animals. Though young wildlife oftentimes appears to be abandoned, that’s usually not the case. The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) reminds residents that interfering with wildlife can do more harm than good.
“Young animals are rarely orphaned,” said MDC State Wildlife Veterinarian Sherri Russell. “If the young is left alone, the parent will usually return. Parents are normally out searching for food and cannot constantly attend to their offspring.”
Russell added that baby birds are a common newborn people come across.
“If you see a chick on the ground hopping around and it has feathers, leave it alone and bring pets inside because it is a fledgling and the parents are nearby keeping an eye on it,” she said. “Fledglings can spend up to 10 days hopping on the ground while learning to fly. If you find one that is featherless, you can return it to the nesting area if possible, as it probably fell out of the nest.”
Other common issues include dogs catching baby rabbits and lawn mowers running over nests.
“Rabbits seldom survive in captivity and can actually die of fright from being handled,” Russell cautioned. “Even if the animal is injured, return it to the nest because the mother will most likely return.”
Despite what many believe, wild mothers do not abandon their young because of a human scent, and most newborn animals do not survive in captivity.
“While people have good intentions, the care and rehabilitation of wild animals requires special training, knowledge, facilities -- and permits,” she explained. “Without such care, wild animals will remain in poor health and could eventually die. And it is illegal to possess many wild animals without a valid state or federal permit.”
Russell also noted that wildlife can become dangerous as they mature, and can also carry parasites, disease, and can damage property.
“Native wildlife can carry mites, ticks, lice, fleas, flukes, roundworms, tapeworms, rabies, distemper, tuberculosis, respiratory diseases, and skin diseases,” Russell said. “Some of these can be transmitted to humans.”
Although tempting to take them into homes and care for them, the best help people can offer wild animals is to leave them alone.
For more information on Missouri’s many native wildlife species, visit the MDC online Field Guide at  www.nature.mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/field-guide/search.
MDC reminds the public that it is still critical to continue to heed all recommendations for physical distancing, avoiding overcrowding, handwashing, and other public health measures during outdoor activities.

Take a moment to enjoy the therapeutic beauty of springtime in Missouri
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) encourages people to unwind in nature by enjoying Missouri’s flowering trees and shrubs. Many of Missouri’s native trees and shrubs bloom in spring, putting on dazzling displays that attract native wildlife such as birds and pollinators. Flowering spring trees and shrubs can be enjoyed while out in the yard, out on a walk, or even from the indoors while social distancing. In order to make enjoying the outdoors as safe as possible, it’s critical for the public to maintain physical distancing, avoid overcrowding, and continue hand-washing or sanitizing.
Early-bloomers in the coming weeks include:

• Serviceberry with clusters of white flowers that appear before other native trees put on leaves, allowing this often-overlooked tree to stand out in wooded areas. When you spot a blooming serviceberry, take note of the location. You can return in early June to enjoy the serviceberry’s delicious, blueberry-like fruits. Learn more at mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/field-guide/downy-serviceberry
• Spicebush is a small shrub that commonly grows in moist wooded areas and along streams. It produces petite clusters of pale yellow flowers in early spring. As the host plant of the beautiful spicebush swallowtail butterfly, this shrub makes an attractive, wildlife-friendly addition to home landscaping. Learn more at mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/field-guide/spicebush
• Redbud is celebrated each spring for the vibrant pink-purple flowers encircling the trees’ leafless branches. Fun fact: Redbud flowers are more than eye candy. They’re edible and make a tasty and colorful addition to salads and desserts! Learn more at mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/field-guide/eastern-redbud
• Wild plum produces clusters of delicate white flowers that are visited by several species of bees. This small, thicket-forming tree is common along roadsides, in old fields, and on the edge of woods. Wild plum is a valuable food source for wildlife, but people can also enjoy the small, edible plums that ripen in late summer. Learn more at mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/field-guide/wild-plum

MDC encourages people to plant native trees and shrubs and replace non-native varieties such as the invasive Bradford or Cleveland Select ornamental pear trees. Visit grownative.org for a list of vendors that sell Missouri native plant species.
Wherever the location in Missouri, take time to enjoy the natural beauty of spring-flowering trees and shrubs.
With the current public-health emergency caused by the coronavirus (COVID-19), MDC reminds people to continue to heed recommendations for hand washing, phyiscal distancing, and all other public-health measures during outdoor activities. Find more information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on best practices for keeping you and your family safe at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html.

Spring turkey season in Missouri remains open and as scheduled. For more on spring turkey hunting in Missouri, visit mdc.mo.gov/newsroom/mdc-forecasts-challenging-spring-turkey-hunting-season-0.
Flood-prone areas in southeast Missouri will be closed to all hunting during spring turkey season when river levels exceed certain limits on local river gauges. To see if an area is closed for hunting, visit mdc.mo.gov/semofloods.

MDC and the Missouri Conservation Commission have temporarily waived permit requirements for sport fishing and daily trout tags for Missouri residents and nonresidents whose fishing privileges are not otherwise suspended. The waiver of needing a permit or trout tag to fish will run through April 15. Seasons, methods, and limits still apply and will be enforced. Learn more at mdc.mo.gov/newsroom/mdc-temporarily-waive-fishing-permits-starting-friday.
MDC emphasizes that it is still critical for everyone to continue to heed all recommendations for physical distancing, avoiding overcrowding, hand-washing, and other public-health measures while fishing.