Columbia FRO assisted Big Muddy NFWR and Friends of the Big Muddy with the large river component of the Master Naturalist Program. 

Andy Starostka and Lee Erickson provided big river ecology expertise to the 30 trainees. 

The program started with a short discussion of the projects that Columbia FRO is involved with on the Missouri River.  General river ecology and many Missouri River use issues were also discussed. 

The field trip continued with a boat tour of the Overton Bottoms Unit of the Big Muddy NFWR. We viewed and discussed ongoing habitat projects including Overton Chute, a pilot chute constructed by the Army Corps of Engineers, and monitored by Columbia FRO.  Several shallow water habitat projects were also visited and discussions ensued on various related subjects. 

The Missouri Master Naturalist program is a community based natural resource education and volunteer program. Its purpose is to develop a corps of well-informed volunteers to provide education, outreach and service dedicated to the beneficial management of natural resources and natural areas within their communities for the State of Missouri.

The Missouri Master Naturalist program is a partnership of the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) and University of Missouri Extension and local partners in each community. Both the Big Muddy NFWR and the Friends of Big Muddy are partners for the local Master Naturalist Chapter that is centered in Columbia.  Previous classes have provided many volunteer hours for the refuge.