Workshops that will be presented at this year’s conference: 

Organizer Full name Workshop Title Date Abstract
Dan Marschalek Insect Conservation Friday 10:30 am – 12:30 pm – SESSION 3 Due to their incredible species richness, insects provide important ecosystem functions in our natural areas. Ecosystem integrity and stability rely on the pollination, decomposition (nutrient recycling), predation, and food sources that are provided by insects. This workshop will include six 20-minute presentations on research projects involving Missouri’s insects: Missouri’s prairie butterflies over the last 30 years, Characteristics of prairies associated with the regal fritillary butterfly in Missouri, Pyric pollination, Effects of cattle disturbance on aquatic macroinvertebrates in Missouri farm ponds, A collaborative conservation story: Returning American burying beetles to southwest Missouri, and Informed conservation: The necessity of inventory & monitoring for protecting Missouri’s pollinators
Carol Davit From the Soil Microbiome to Prairie Fish & Salamanders: Missouri Prairie Conservation Significance & Status Friday 8 am – 10 am  – SESSION 2 Tallgrass prairie is one of the most threatened terrestrial communities on earth. Despite the small amount of intact, scattered acres of prairie remaining in Missouri (roughly 45,000 acres left of the original 15 million), these old-growth remnants harbor incredible natural diversity at community and species scales. Learn about the current conservation status of the prairie soil microbiome from MU Soil Scientist Sam Lord, of rare prairie communities from MDC Natural Community Ecologist Mike Leahy, of prairie stream life from MDC Science Unit Supervisor Darren Thornhill, and of threatened amphibians and reptiles of Missouri’s prairies from State Herpetologist Dr. Jeff Briggler. The information you receive will help guide your professional efforts to safeguard native grassland habitats and wildlife.
Dr. Jim Guldin Pestilence in the Hills! Issues of forest health for Missouri in the 21st century  (MoSAF Sponsored) Thursday 1 – 3 pm  – SESSION 1 The 21st century has brought some different challenges for resource managers than those that were found in the second half of the 20th century. The health and productivity of forest ecosystems in Missouri are vulnerable to variability in weather and climate, which are becoming more pronounced in recent decades. Our first keynote presentation will review these historical trends, and those anticipated in the future. The effects of these climatic forcing factors in forest ecosystems include earlier leaf-out and later leaf drop, and wetter wet and drier dry periods. Related to this are higher humidity and increased spring rainfall, milder winters, and increased fall and winter drought. All of these factors drive stress in forest ecosystems, the effects of which are uncertain but can be seen in issues with forest health. Our second keynote presentation will review these. Finally, the workshop will include presentations on several new and recently observed issues of forest health involving post oak, red oak decline, and others. The session will conclude with an open forum so that attendees can ask questions of the presenters.
Carol Davit Invasives Control Need-To-Know: Four Quick Talks on New Herbicide Regulations & Formulas, Invasive Carp, and More Thursday 1 – 3 pm  – SESSION 1 With invasive plants and animals as the second greatest threat to wildlife and habitats locally and globally, all natural resource professionals need up-to-date and practical information to carry out their work. Attendees of this workshop will learn about newly revised Application Exclusion Zone (AEZ) standards issued by the United States EPA, which will affect all herbicide applicators. Also to be presented will be information about the change in active ingredients in many general-use Roundup brand products, which have higher soil mobility and longer persistence, with potentially more severe environmental fates than glyphosate. Attendees will also learn about inspiring, innovative efforts to market invasive carp for human consumption in Missouri, the United States, and the world. Finally, the workshop will provide talking points for attendees to use when interacting with the general public about the problem with invasive plants and also the use of herbicide as a control method.
Brielle Thompson An overview of Structured Decision Making for natural resources Thursday 1 – 3 pm  – SESSION 1 Fish and wildlife management involves making difficult decisions concerning natural resource problems. Familiar natural resource problems may include decisions on how many acres of land must be protected, how an endangered species should be reintroduced, whether an agency should conduct more monitoring of an invasive species, etc. The field of decision analysis offers tools such as Structured Decision Making (SDM) to help frame, structure, and identify solutions for such problems. Various Federal and State fish and wildlife agencies are increasingly using SDM to ensure a streamlined, fair, unbiased, and organized decision-making process. This workshop will provide an introduction to SDM and its key components: framing the natural resource management problem; articulating objectives; developing management actions and alternatives; using forecasting tools to evaluate the consequences, or outcomes, of alternatives; and using tradeoff methods to identify management alternatives when decisions involve multiple competing objectives. Throughout the workshop the instructor will provide real world case study examples and offer opportunities for participatory discussion.
Marc Owen Applied Watershed Science in the Ozarks: Exploring Natural Resources and Ecosystem Management Friday 10:30 am – 12:30 pm – SESSION 3 Natural resources and ecosystem management requires an understanding of natural processes, impacts of past and present human disturbances, along with advances in available technology and techniques to achieve specific management goals. This is sometimes challenging in the Ozarks, where research and information can sometimes be lacking for resource managers. These data gaps offer opportunities for scientists to engage in applied research to help provide information to better conserve, restore, and protect natural resources. This multidisciplinary workshop aims to showcase current projects in the Ozarks by Missouri State University researchers in the College of Natural and Applied Sciences specializing in the fields of geomorphology, geospatial science, and biology. Presentations include the use of drone technology to capture high resolution remotely sensed data, investigating the impact of invasive species on reservoir water quality, understanding river channel evolution since Euro-American settlement, restoring giant river cane along Ozarks waterways, the use of LiDAR derived digital elevation models (DEMs) and machine learning to map sinkholes, and quantifying water-borne pathogens in an urbanized karst-spring system.
Cara Coates How Volunteer Programs Benefit You Thursday 1 – 3 pm  – SESSION 1 Join MDC’s volunteer affiliate unit staff for a workshop session on how to use volunteers to your organization’s benefit. Learn how to recruit, what goes into asking a volunteer to commit, and how to get more done when you don’t necessarily have an abundance of staff at your disposal.
Keith Jones Exploring Patterns in Biodiversity, Invasive Species, and Forest Health in the Missouri Ozarks Thursday 1 – 3 pm  – SESSION 1 This study highlights student-led research on biodiversity, invasive species, and ecosystem health in the Missouri Ozarks. Our research on Quercus alba (white oak) mortality examines patterns of decline through field observations to assess canopy loss and forest health. Drone surveys monitor turtle populations in Indian Creek, identifying species distributions and informing conservation efforts. We conducted an epicuticular wax survey of native plants in the western Ozarks to evaluate environmental stress indicators. Invasive species research includes habitat trapping to monitor the spread of Faxonius neglectus and growth rate analysis of F. longidigitus to understand its ecological impacts. Behavioral ecology studies focused on the influence of katydid vocalizations on bat foraging behavior, using acoustic monitoring to assess hunting activity. Additionally, surveys of local salamander populations investigated the prevalence of Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) and B. salamandrivorans (Bsal), with implications for amphibian conservation. Together, these projects represent a multifaceted approach to understanding the challenges and dynamics of ecosystems in the Ozarks, preparing students to engage in ecological research and stewardship.
NRCS/USFWS Monarch Butterfly Proposed Listing – Information and Discussion Thursday 1 – 3 pm  – SESSION 1 A multi-agency led workshop, including representatives from USFWS, NRCS, MODOT, and MDC.  Topics that will be covered include:  a presentation on the proposed listing of the monarch butterfly and USFWS’s proposed actions to protect the species under the Endangered Species Act;  a review of the recently released National Conference Opinion that NRCS is working under and how it supports conservation planning in 2025;  an overview of the Nationwide Monarch Candidate Conservation Agreement with Assurances (CCAA), MoDOT’s enrollment, and what implementation looks like for their agency; and MDC will describe it’s role at this stage in the listing process and facilitate discussions amongst partners about the proposed listing and 4(d) rule.
NRCS Updates for Wildlife and Forest Management planning Friday 8 am – 10 am  – SESSION 2 Join NRCS State Forester Angela George and NRCS State Biologist Jason Sykes to hear about the recent changes to the planning requirements for some of the NRCS-funded forestry and wildlife management practices in Missouri. On the forestry side, these updates include more user-friendly Implementation Requirement guides for planning forest stand improvement, rehabilitating trails and log landings, and planning firebreaks. We will also introduce the new prescribed burn plan templates. On the wildlife side, these include Implementation Requirements for several new practices, a new Wildlife Habitat Appraisal Guide for evaluation of Urban / Small-scale Ag operations, brief update on a listed bat biological assessment, and funding options for wildlife and related practices in EQIP.  We will also discuss changes to how the Inflation Reduction Act Climate Smart funds can be used.
Abby Stevens (Tammy Teeter organizer) Sustainable farming with the next generation and exploring pollinator use alongside carbon credit programs Friday 10:30 am – 12:30 pm – SESSION 3 The Stevens family are a great example of being Stewards of the Land. They promote educating youth and promoting agriculture, participate in USDA programs, and are involved in their community. Abby Stevens farms alongside her husband, Luke, on his family’s third generation farm in Montgomery County. They raise corn, soybeans, and wheat while practicing sustainable farming techniques to preserve the land for the next generation.  Mrs. Stevens will be discussing those sustainable practices they use on their operation including pollinators, cover crops, and carbon credits.  In addition, Seth Spire, Sustainable Systems Agronomist from the Bayer Carbon program, and Jennifer Eggemeyer, CEO of Heartland Seeds, will discuss program objectives & technical questions about carbon credits and pollinators.