Conservation

The Missouri Botanical Garden is implementing a new strategy to focus on conservation efforts around the globe. Garden scientists say a large part of the research will go into improving forest ecosystems threatened by climate change.

Missouri conservationists have reached an important milestone in their effort to save hellbender salamanders. In August, the number released into the wild topped 10,000. Scientists say it’s an important moment for the endangered species.

The zoo plans a $230 million, 425-acre park in Spanish Lake where the animals can roam free in natural habitats.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service listed Mead’s milkweed as a threatened species in 1988. Researchers at the Missouri Botanical Garden have discovered that saving the species is much simpler than previously thought.

Lake sturgeon are ancient creatures that have survived cataclysmic events over millions of years. But scientists worry they might not survive us.

Missouri and Illinois are among dozens of states that have yet to submit plans for improving air quality in protected areas. Environmental nonprofits are suing the EPA to compel the agency to take action.

Nearly half of the world’s plant species are at risk of extinction. New research from the Missouri Botanical Garden aims to better predict which species can be grown outdoors in St. Louis.

Hellbenders once thrived in cold, fast-moving Missouri streams, but their populations have plummeted since the 1980s.

Missouri state officials are considering whether to extend the harvest seasons for eight wildlife species.

Wild turkey populations in Missouri have taken a nosedive in the past 15 years. Biologists say the declines are connected to dwindling numbers of baby turkeys statewide.