A community-based partnership, Operation Wild Lands (OWLs) prepares citizen volunteers of all ages to restore and maintain public lands throughout the St. Louis region.  These trained volunteer land stewards assist with the proactive management of public open space to improve wildlife habitat and nature-related outdoor recreation.
Recognizing that natural habitats are a precious resource and that most of the public-owned urban wild acreage in the St. Louis region is passively managed as a matter of practicality, The Open Space Council for the St. Louis Region created OWLs to help facilitate ongoing wildlife habitat improvements that include:

• Area cleanups
• Trail development and maintenance
• Invasive species removal and native plant re-vegitation
• Tree plantings
• Educational field trips

Operation Wild Lands project sites include: Beckemeir Woods Conservation Area: Bittersweet Conservation Area; Gravois Creek Conservation Area; Hickory Woods Conservation Area; Klamberg Woods Conservation Area; Phantom Forest Conservation Area; Teszars Woods Conservation Area; Wild Cherry Ridge Conservation Area; Castlewood State Park; City of Fenton's parks; City of Wildwood's parks; and Greentree Park in Kirkwood.
Become a volunteer.