Missouri opens nation’s first nature school to ‘share the wonders of nature’

“Let the love of nature be discovered here and thrive here on these grounds. May this love for the outdoors change the world for the better,” said former Missouri Department of Conservation Director Sara Parker Pauley. She made those comments Friday during a ceremony to celebrate the opening of the first-of-its-kind nature school in America.

The Boone County Nature School is a decade in the making. It’s not wasting time getting down to business. The doors will swing open this week to teach students in the central Missouri county about the great outdoors.

If you’ve visited a Bass Pro Shops or a Cabela’s, the inside of the school has a similar feel. It has stuffed wildlife, fish, animal skulls, and other critters decorating the halls and classrooms.

Then there are the real-life animals. Snakes are slithering around (in confined spaces). Bees are buzzing. Fish are swimming and turtles are crawling.

The more than $6 million school is nestled on 111 acres of conservation land. It overlooks the water, where children can learn to kayak, canoe, and fish.

They can walk along a variety of hiking trails that are lined with forest and prairie. Students can learn about different species of trees and birds that fly by.

A shallow pond will teach young learners about frogs, salamanders, and other slimy creatures.

Kids will find out how to point and release an arrow at the archery range.

They will also be taught about navigation through map and compass techniques.

The school is a team effort between Columbia Public Schools and the Missouri Department of Conservation. During Friday’s ribbon cutting ceremony, Columbia Public Schools Superintendent Brian Yearwood said the first-of-its-kind school is cutting edge.

Missouri Department of Conservation Director Jason Sumners said he wants nature to be a playground for children, just like it was when he was growing up.

“I feel like I’m kind of the tail end of the generation that had nature as our playground, right? It was easy for us to get outdoors and understand the value that comes from that and we certainly recognize the disconnect that exists today between kids and nature. The things that we’re able to do with conservation in Missouri, because of the Missouri model of conservation, are so unique and so innovative and so creative that we certainly are the envy of the country. And this project, in and of itself, is a shining example of those things that are possible,” he said.

Land for the project was gifted by Vicki Russell and the late Hank Waters. Columbia Public School Board President Suzette Waters said her family bought land near the school more than 40 years ago, with the hope of one day donating it for this cause.

“The idea was to share the wonders of nature with children across Boone County,” said Waters. “This place is where my children learned to appreciate the outdoors. But now, thanks to the sharing of this beautiful land by Hank and Vicki and the support of the many already mentioned, this will be a place where thousands of Boone County’s children will have the chance to experience, investigate, and fall in love with nature. That was the original vision all those years ago, and today we celebrate its arrival. I know Hank would be thrilled, along with all of us here to see this amazing place. I can’t wait to see this building filled with kids. This is for them.”

The roughly eight-thousand square-foot building has four classrooms representing Missouri’s ecosystems – forest, aquatic, prairie, and caves. It has a wet lab for hands-on activities and a kitchen for students to learn how to whip up tasty native foods.

Jenna Stiek, a conservation educator, told Missourinet that “pond to plate” and “field to fork” will be in store for students. Whether cicadas will be on the menu is unknown, but wild game, wild edibles, and fish will be part of the culinary magic.

Stiek said the primary focus will be to teach fifth graders over seven days. Their learning will be spaced over three sessions to allow students to observe the native landscape during the fall, winter, and spring.

Students from other grades in Columbia and in Boone County can sign up to visit the school when class is not in session.

Maddie Fennewald, a media specialist with the Missouri Department of Conservation, sums up what can be found on the slab of land.

“I think my favorite part of the nature school is the fact that it really does encompass the majority of the work that the department does all in one spot,” she told Missourinet. “We’ve got, you know, northern Missouri traditionally was prairie-heavy and was kind of changed into forested areas for agriculture. But here, these students get to see the forest. They get to see the trees. They get to see kind of the diversity of ecosystems that you’ll get all over Missouri, which is really interesting.”

A garden and orchard are in the works. The school may also add a camping experience for sixth graders.

For more information about the Boone County Nature School, click here.

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