History
The legacy of Shaw Nature Reserve began in 1925 when the Missouri Botanical Garden purchased the Reserve land to set up a safe refuge for the plant collection from the smoke pollution of the 1920s. Over the years, tens of thousands of school children and adults have learned more about nature and the environment by observation and through the guidance of Shaw Nature Reserve's educational and professional staff. Teachers themselves come to improve their teaching of ecological principles as well as to gain a greater appreciation of the natural world. In recognition of its worth as an educational resource, the Reserve was designated a National Environmental Education Landmark by the U.S. Secretary of the Interior in 1972.
Specialties
Since 1980, Shaw Nature Reserve has become a focus for native habitat management and restoration: prescribed burning, correctly timed field mowing, selective thinning of woodlands, judicious use of herbicides for invasive species control, plant diversity enhancement, and reconstruction