Getting Into Nature

The “Great Simpson Lake Clean Up” is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 9, and is an annual project for Meramec College in Kirkwood.

TELL US YOUR SIMPSON LAKE stories. What is the weirdest piece of trash or debris you’ve ever found fouling the lake or the park? PLEASE leave a post below. And, leave a post about another nature area that needs a clean-up!

Take the survey below on future nature needs.

The Missouri area has great bluffs to view the fall foliage, and Times editor and nature author Don Corrigan will talk about where the best bluffs are, and how to get to them, at 7 p.m., Sept. 14, in the presentation room at the Alpine Shop in Kirkwood. Event includes a Powerpoint show and bluff trivia competition. Call 962-7715 for more information.

So where is your favorite bluff? Have you been to Fults, Lover’s Leap, Rocheport or Weston? Please write a post (below) explaining what bluffs you explore and which ones are your favorite. Also, please vote in the poll about the need to protect our natural bluff heritage. Our bluffs are in danger!

Don Corrigan’s “Show Me… Nature’s Wrath” presentations are especially useful for Boy Scouts seeking their Weather Merit Badges. He has tailored his talks, upon request, especially for the requirements of Weather Merit Badges. Even his general presentations on wild Missouri weather cover areas that Scouts should know.

Among the Weather Merit Badge topics covered:

• Scouts must be able to identify five dangerous weather-related conditions. “Nature’s Wrath” covers hail, lightning, tornadoes, ice storms, blizzards, flash floods, heat waves and more…

• Scouts need to know the difference between weather and climate, between the work of a meteorologist and a climatologist. Don has it covered.

• What’s a high pressure system and a low pressure system? In his presentation, Don shows satellite photos of weather fronts and low pressure systems that wreaked havoc on Missouri.

• What is acid rain, ozone depletion and CO2 pollution? Do they interact with the weather? These topics can be covered in wrath presentations.

• For the merit badge, Scouts are required to give 5-minute talks on the weather. Don can show them how it is done with his presentations on “Show Me…Nature’s Wrath.”