explains Amanda Stapp, mother of three active boys and frequent visitor to Runge Conservation Nature Center in Jefferson City, Mo.
Just this week Amanda and sons Soren (9), Liam (6), and Conor (2) hiked several of the five winding trails through Runge's 90 acres. The eager boys watched with excitement as a flock of wild turkeys strolled across the path in front of them.
While Runge has been a frequent destination for the Stapp family in the past, the outdoor trails have served as an oasis for this active troop during the current COVID-19 quarantine.
"The nature center trails have been a lifesaver! My three boys like being active! Here they can be safe without contact with others," says Amanda.
The Stapp family is not alone in their desire to connect with nature during this nationwide health crisis. The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) has made provision for all area trails at its nature centers to remain open to the public during this critical time. In addition, over 1,000 MDC Conservation Areas around the state are open for hiking, spring mushroom hunting, nature exploration, fishing and a multitude of other outdoor pursuits.This allows families to comply with health advisories while still benefiting from being outdoors and having fun.
Get the Seek App for your own nature explorations.
Although we can't assign a price tag to the benefits of spending time outdoors during an unprecedented health predicament, it does give us an opportunity to recognize the vital value of natural spaces so readily available to virtually all Missourians.
How can you help sustain and enhance these wild experiences for your friends, families and neighbors?
Your investment helps families, like Amanda's, continue to pull on their boots, wade in a creek, catch frogs and watch those turkeys.
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