We will be visiting two places on our Ecology class field trip.  Following is a description of the areas and of the activities we will do while at these areas.

1.  Ted Shanks Wildlife Area -  http://www.mdc.mo.gov/documents/area_brochures/7011.pdf
                                              -  http://www.mdc.mo.gov/conmag/2003/03/20.htm

     Dupont Natural Area         -   http://www.mdc.mo.gov/areas/natareas/p99-1l.htm
 

We will load the bus in front of the cafeteria and leave at 7:45 am sharp.  We will travel down Hwy 79 south for 18 miles to Ashburn, MO where the Ted Shanks Wildlife Area is located.  This public-use area comprising about 7000 acres is devoted primarily to intensive waterfowl management.  We will first go to the management center where the Area Manager - Ryan Kelly - will talk to us about the Area and show us a short film/slideshow about the Area.  Following that we will reboard the bus for a driving  tour of the Ted Shanks Area highlighted by a stop at a duck blind for handicapped people.  Hopefully we will see a lot of ducks too.  We will be at Ted Shanks from 8:30-10:30 am.

2.  Sandy Creek Natural Tunnel Natural Area -  MDC Sandy Creek Link
 
 

We will continue our travels down Hwy 79 south, then cut over on Rt B to get to Hwy  61 at Frankford, and then travel south on 61 to Rt HH near Eolia.  Sandy Creek Natural Area is on private land owned by the Bridle Spur Hunt Club of St. Louis who are nice enough to let our classes visit.  The Natural Area features a rare limestone rock feature we call a natural tunnel or a natural bridge.  In this case the tunnel is an impressive one - about 30 feet high and over 100 feet in length.  We will get to the area about 11:30 and we will hike about 1/4 mile to the Tunnel area.  Weather permitting we will picnic lunch and then explore the Natural Tunnel and surrounding area.  Because the cliff on top of the tunnel is about 50 feet high we will need to remain well away from the edge of the cliff at all times.  For this exploration a moderate amount of hiking and climbing is involved, and we may get our feet wet if Sandy Creek is up.  People with poison ivy allergies will need to keep aware, because there is some poison ivy there.  We should be back at school by 2:30 pm.

What you will need for this field trip:

1.  Appropriate outdoor clothing/footwear.  Dress in layers.
2.  Lunch/drink of some kind and a cooler to keep it in.
3.  Reading/homework for the bus ride - about 2 hours all together.
4.  Bug/tick spray.
5.  Camera optional.

If you or your parents have any questions - please ask - the school phone is 221-2733.
 

 If you need a permission form - please click on the link below:

Ted Shanks/Sandy Creek Field Trip Permission Form