Missouri Native Stewardship Services

Missouri Native Stewardship Services Native landscape design and stewardship services in the Missouri and central Illinois marketplace

06/24/2026

Every member of our crew brings a different perspective to stewardship. I asked what she enjoys most about working at Missouri Native Stewardship Services. For Hana, it's all about improving biodiversity.
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She enjoys helping restore native plant and pollinator communities by removing invasive species and creating space for Missouri's native ecosystems to recover and thrive.
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Invasive plants often out compete native species for sunlight, water, and nutrients. By managing those invasives, we're giving native plants, pollinators, birds, and other wildlife an opportunity to return and reestablish the relationships that make healthy ecosystems possible.
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What I appreciate about Hana's answer is that it recognizes stewardship isn't always about adding something new. Sometimes it's about removing barriers and allowing nature to do what it does best.

Thank you, Hana, for your dedication to protecting and restoring Missouri's biodiversity. We're grateful to have you on the team. 🌿

06/22/2026

At the request of the Missouri Prairie Foundation Governor Mike Kehoe proclaimed June 22–28, 2026, as Missouri Pollinator Week, recognizing the essential role pollinators play in maintaining healthy ecosystems and supporting our economy.

For more than 60 years, the Missouri Prairie Foundation has worked to protect and restore Missouri's remaining prairie communities—habitats that support an incredible diversity of bees, butterflies, moths, beetles, flies, and other pollinating insects. Through its Grow Native! program, the Foundation continues to provide education and resources that help people bring these important relationships back to the landscapes around them.

Pollinators do far more than produce beautiful blooms. As they gather food, they transfer pollen that enables nearly 85% of flowering plants to reproduce. Their work supports wildlife, healthy ecosystems, and an estimated $30 billion in U.S. agricultural production each year.

At Missouri Native Stewardship Services, we support organizations like and that continue to champion the importance of native plants and pollinator conservation throughout our state.

Happy Missouri Pollinator Week! 🌼

06/19/2026

I caught up with Josiah in the field and asked him what he enjoys most about working at MO-Native.

Studying horticulture at school, he knows there's only so much you can learn in a classroom.

What he enjoys learning from experts and applying that knowledge in the field every day.
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But Josiah also sees the bigger picture. Beyond helping pollinators and restoring ecosystems, he believes we're helping change the way people think about native landscapes and what they can be.

I love that perspective. Changing landscapes often starts with changing mindsets.

Thank you, Josiah, for your curiosity, passion for learning, and commitment to stewardship. 🌿
15m

06/18/2026

One of the things I enjoy most about these conversations is hearing what brings our team joy in the work they do.

Recently, I asked Crew Lead 1, Kenzie, what her favorite thing about working at MO-Native is. With a huge smile, she didn't hesitate:

"Seeing all the cool plants and all the cool critters that live in them."

And she's right.

One of the most rewarding parts of restoration is watching nature respond. We can establish native plants and improve habitat, but then nature takes over.

Killdeer return to nest. Wild turkeys cross restored landscapes with their poults in tow. Caterpillars munch on leaves. Toads emerge after a rain. Pollinators visit blooms.

Plants, insects, birds, amphibians, and wildlife all work together to create healthy ecosystems. We may plant the seeds, but nature does the rest.

Thank you, Kenzie, for your leadership and for helping care for the native communities that make Missouri such a special place. 🌿

06/17/2026

When I asked Zack what he enjoys most about working at MO-Native, his answer was the opportunity to work on projects at a scale many people never get to experience.
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From 20+ acre solar sites to municipal parks and restoration projects, Zack enjoys being part of work that creates a lasting impact on the landscape and the communities we serve.
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It's exciting to think about the number of native plants, pollinators, and wildlife that will benefit from these projects for years to come.
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Thank you, Zack, for all you do and for helping bring large-scale stewardship projects to life. 🌿

06/16/2026

Seeing a mother turkey leading ten poults across the Waste Connections Sustainability Campus is a reminder that thoughtfully managed landscapes can support much more than their primary purpose.
The four acre restoration area includes our nine species cover crop mix paving the way for 30 plus species low height native pollinator seed mix. This ground was less than ideal, but these first steps help improve the existing soil conditions for the native community to succeed. The "native community" means plants, pollinators, bugs ...and turkeys!
Who KNEW?
Projects like this demonstrate that essential infrastructure and healthy ecosystems don't have to exist separately—they can work together.

From pollinator habitat and bee hives to greenhouse spaces, educational trails, and wildlife sightings like these, the Sustainability Campus continues to show what's possible when land is managed with intention.
Stewardship isn't just about what we see above ground today. It's about creating conditions that allow life to return and thrive for years to come.
Congratulations to the team at Waste Connections for building a place where sustainability, education, and habitat all have a role to play.

06/16/2026

I love asking our crew what keeps them passionate about the work they do. Recently, I caught up with, Brian Welch, and asked him what he enjoys most about working at MO-Native.

His answer was simple:

"Being a steward for Missouri's native plant species."

I think that answer says a lot about Brian and the people on our team. Stewardship isn't just something we do—it's something we believe in.

From managing invasive species to establishing pollinator habitat and restoring native landscapes, Brian helps ensure Missouri's native plants and the wildlife that depend on them have a place to thrive.

Thank you, Brian, for your leadership and dedication. We're grateful to have you on the MO-Native team. 🌿


5m

06/15/2026

I don't often get to be out in the field with our crew, so I'm always interested in hearing about what they're working on and what they enjoy most about the job.

Today, I caught up with Jared Lyeki and asked him what his favorite thing about working at MO-Native is.

For Jared, it's the opportunity to create and provide habitat for birds, pollinators, and wildlife—while educating people along the way.

I love hearing how our team views stewardship. Their passion and knowledge are a big part of what makes MO-Native special.

Thank you, Jared, for all you do and for your commitment to improving the land for the species that depend on it. We're grateful to have you on the team. 🌿

06/09/2026

In February, our team partnered with SSt. Louis Community CollegeHHorticulture at STLCC - Meramecto begin establishing new teaching prairies on campus.
Students were introduced to the process, and together we installed native seed, cover crops, and biodegradable jute erosion control blankets to stabilize the slope while vegetation became established.��
The jute blankets served an important role in the early stages—helping reduce erosion, retain soil, and protect newly seeded areas while roots developed below the surface.��

Today, that same hillside tells a different story.��What was once exposed ground is now supporting flowering plants, pollinators, and the beginnings of a functioning ecosystem.

Bees are already visiting blooms, roots are stabilizing the slope, and students can see firsthand how stewardship transforms a landscape over time.��One of the most rewarding parts of this partnership is that these aren't just demonstration plots—they're living classrooms.��
This is why we do what we do�

06/03/2026

This morning started with garage doors opening before sunrise, equipment checks, reviewing plans, loading trucks, coordinating logistics, and preparing for the day ahead. Then came the drive to the project site and the arrival of 140 trees destined for a solar screening project.

Every tree has a purpose. Every location is planned. Every piece of equipment is maintained and ready for the work ahead.

Stewardship isn't just planting trees.

It's education. It's preparation. It's teamwork. It's understanding soils, species selection, logistics, safety, and long-term ecological outcomes.

Watching our crew work through the morning reminded me how much expertise goes into projects like these. There are no shortcuts. Just dedicated people who care about doing things the right way.

We're proud of the work our team does every day—often before most people have started their morning.

Over the next few weeks, we'll be introducing some of the people behind the work and sharing what they enjoy most about being part of MO-Native.

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8465 Delport Drive
Vinita Park, MO
63114

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