As of 5 p.m. Thursday (April 2), four Missouri state parks will close temporarily, and off-roading will cease for a while at another one in an effort to stem the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus.
The parks that will close include Castlewood State Park in Ballwin; Elephant Rocks State Park in Belleview; Watkins Woolen Mill State Historic Site and Park in Lawson; and Weston Bend State Park in Weston. In addition, St. Joe State Park in Park Hills will close its off-road-vehicle riding area.
Also, the gates to individual parking lots may close at all state parks when the lots reach capacity, the Missouri Department of Natural Resources reported.
The “operations modifications” will run through at least April 30, the Missouri DNR reported.
“We’re continuing to evaluate the situation and make adjustments to operations as the COVID-19 pandemic evolves,” said Carol Comer, director of the state DNR. “As conditions and recommendations change, we will make additional closures as needed. Before heading out to a state park, we encourage our citizens to check mostateparks.com for advisory updates and the latest actions in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Nature Conservancy offers online learning resource
With students out of school and many parks and playgrounds closed because of the coronavirus pandemic, families might want to check out a new online learning platform offered by the Nature Conservancy, a nonprofit environmental organization.
“Students and teachers are outside the traditional classroom setting right now,” said Adam McLane, The Nature Conservancy’s Missouri state director. “TNC’s new resource blends virtual learning and shares stories of nature from across the U.S. and beyond – offering students the opportunity to learn how nature impacts everyday life.”
The Nature Conservancy and its 550 scientists recently launched Nature Lab, a new online learning platform designed to help students learn the science behind how nature works and how we can help keep it running strong.
Nature Lab features a free curriculum and engaging videos that may be viewed on computers, tablets and smartphones.
“As schools around the world shut down in response to COVID-19 and parents work to balance the demands on their time and energy, we know that students will have very different learning experiences over the next few months,” said Kate Ireland, director of Youth Engagement Programs for the organization. “I’m proud that The Nature Conservancy, with our newly relaunched Nature Lab curriculum, can offer families some support and open up new worlds for young people.”
A variety of age appropriate courses are available for students in kindergarten through 12th grade. There are also bonus Virtual Field Trips offered, like "The Secret Life of Corals," "Borneo: The Symphony of the Rainforest" and more.
To learn more about Nature Lab and other youth engagement opportunities offered by The Nature Conservancy, visit nature.org/naturelab.