Big Muddy Speaker Series May 2026

Missouri’s Natural Heroes presented by Alex Primm for the Big Muddy Speaker Series, hosted in St. Charles County by Greenway Network — 7:00p.m. presentation (6:00p.m. social hour) at Bike Stop Cafe, 701 S Riverside Drive, St. Charles, MO 63301

Which Missourians do we consider heroic? What does it mean to be a hero now? This presentation will describe little heralded Missouri heroes. It will also ask the audience to describe their heroes. We live in a time where we need heroes, especially in rural areas. This program’s particular heroes are conservationists. Thanks in part to several state agencies, Missouri has been a renowned pioneer in restoring wildlife and protecting our environment. Many private citizens have helped establish a tradition of appreciating our natural heritage. Among individual conservation heroes: Thomas Hart Benton, artist; Daniel Boone, early explorer and friend to native people; George Washington Carver, agricultural pioneer, Leonard Hall, conservationist and farmer, Lloyd Stark, governor and nurseryman; Laura Ingalls Wilder, agricultural journalist and novelist. We will also explore Missouri’s natural areas inspiring these conservationists. For more details, see https://bigmuddyspeakers.org/event/missouris-natural-heroes/