As stewards of nature, we work to maintain the integrity of land and waterways for practical purposes, recreation, and their natural beauty, to be enjoyed now and for generations to come. Open Space STL seeks to raise awareness about the importance of land and water conservation and the value of clean water.
Since 1965, Open Space STL, has provided the community with iconic parks and conservation areas such as Bee Tree County Park, Castlewood State Park, and Forest 44 Conservation Area through our efforts to raise funds to purchase land and negotiate with landowners. Now 59 years later, we continue to identify areas that can be acquired as new parks or protected from development through conservation easements. Our Land Trust program has conserved thousands of acres of land and will continue to expand recreation opportunities, access to nature and important habitat for plants and wildlife in our communities.
Since 1967, our Operation Clean Stream (OCS) program has annually restored 500 miles of the Meramec River and helps educate the public on the importance of keeping our rivers clean. Alongside Confluence Trash Bash and River des Peres Trash Bash, these trash cleanup programs protect and restore our water sources in the region, benefitting both the wildlife and our community.
Our Community Stewardship Alliance (CSA) and Operation Wild Lands (OWLs) programs are opportunities for habitat restoration and sustained impact in local parks and outdoor spaces. Through volunteer events, we are able to remove invasive species, plant trees, and foster native pollinator habitats.