The BRIDGE Volume 25: Issue 6 June 2012 The Newsletter of the Friends of Rock Bridge Memorial State Park  

News from the Friends of Rock Bridge Memorial State Park (FoRB) Friends of Rock Bridge Memorial State Park is a membership supported 501 (c)(3) organized to promote understanding, appreciation, enjoyment and preservation of Rock Bridge Memorial State Park and the surrounding area. email: weaverjc@missouri.edu, address: FoRB, P.O. Box 7642, Columbia MO 65205-7642 website: http://www.friendsofrockbridgemsp.org/  President's Letter - Kevin Roberson: Planning FoRB Workdays, Recruiting Youth

Greetings friends! Summer is upon us and things appear to be slowing down as we try to deal with the heat. hope that on this recent Memorial Day Weekend you were able to rest, relax and be with your family and friends.

Memorial Day weekend is also a good time to think of those that have paid the ultimate price to defend this country and to remember those in our lives that have passed on. I think that it is also a good time to think of those whose work and dedication have made the park what it is today. I said at the dedication to Lew last month that, “there were giants in the earth in those days” and isn’t that the truth.

We can’t duplicate their efforts and we can’t found the park, but we can make a difference and help support and preserve what they have started. You don’t need to be a giant to make a difference. Currently there are two major projects that I have in mind that I believe will make a difference. The first is the FoRB work-days at the park that we are setting up for this fall and next spring. We hope to use these days to gather like-minded people together (including the park aids) to make a positive impact on the park. I also hope that these can be a vehicle to help kick-start my other major project; to get more youth involved in the park and FoRB. I will be calling a planning meeting for this work-day project in the next couple of weeks and hope to reach-out this summer to get some help with recruiting youth to help us protect and support the park. If you would like to help with any of this planning, please drop me a line at kwrcdr@aol.com.

Keep cool and enjoy the park! Best regards, Kevin Roberson FRIENDS BOARD MEETING: Monday June 18, 6:30 pm, at the Park Office, 5901 S Hwy 163  FRIENDS PROGRAM – No program scheduled. NATURE DETECTIVES – A Friends sponsored program for pre-schoolers and their caregivers Check the website for dates and details about this summer’s program 2011-2012 Officers and Directors 2011 - 2012 Officers: President: Kevin Roberson; V.P.: Jeffrey Friel, Treasurer: Jan Weaver, Secretary: Brennan Van Matre 2010 - 2012 Directors: Bill Hobbs, Sue Tillema 2011 - 2013 Directors: Scott Schulte

News from Rock Bridge Memorial State Park Rock Bridge Memorial State Park is managed by the Department of Natural Resources, Missouri State Parks, and is primarily funded by 1/2 of 1/10 of a per cent State Parks-and-Soils Sales Tax. It is located at 5901 S. Highway 163, Columbia, MO 65203. phone: 573-449-7400; Website: http://www.mostateparks.com/rockbridge.htm, email: rock.bridge.memorial.state.park@dnr.mo.gov  Park News - Jim Gast, Park Superintendent: Seasonal Help, Construction, Jim Hellman Remembered

We’re gearing up for another summer at the park. We have several seasonal workers helping this year. Joe and Tristan are primarily painting and re-shingling; Kyle, Steve, Christian are mowing, trimming brush, cleaning and weed-eating; and Mike is conducting programs. We will also have seven State Park Youth Corps workers helping with invasive species control, general maintenance and interpretation.

No word yet on when the last phase of the boardwalk reroute construction will begin. In case you forgot, the last phase is to build a bridge across the creek and then go ¾ of way under the Rock Bridge. The construction crew will also be replacing the first two bridges on the Devil’s Icebox trail while they are here. Since they will need to remove the kiosk to replace the first bridge, we will be getting a new kiosk as well. Funding for this phase comes from a Recreational Trails Program grant. Also no word on when the new vault toilet for the Devils’ Icebox parking lot will be installed.

The park’s annual informational meeting will be held/will have been held on Thursday, May 31st, starting at 6:00 P.M. at the Gilbert Shelter.

I want to express my condolences to the family and friends of Jim Hellmann who died on May 16th in the park after running on the Grassland Trail. Jim was a park volunteer who assisted with trail reroutes and maintenance. He was 57. There’s a nice article at http://www.columbiamissourian.com/stories/2012/05/18/jim-hellmann-remembered-his-musical-talents-and-love-nature/ .

Park Natural History–Roxie Campbell: Wildlife Sightings Abound The park serves as a wildlife refuge and visitors to the park often get to see wildlife. Here are a few recent examples.

• Birds: 1) On May 10th, two birders from Colorado, with the help of a local birder, saw 40 species of birds in four hours as they hiked two miles in the park. 2) During this time of year, Eastern Phoebes (dark gray-brown top with light colored breast) can be seen flying in and out of the Rock Bridge or at Devil’s Icebox because they build mud nests that are attached to rock ceilings or walls. 3) On May 22, two male pileated woodpeckers were observed maneuvering about on one tree trunk for over an hour as they  apparently  both  sought  the  same  territory.    

• Salamanders: 1) This February and March, Tom Garrison, a park volunteer with a research permit, documented the presence of dozens of spotted salamanders and 20 central newts in just one park pond. 2) On several occasions this spring, students on field trips got to see salamanders whether in association with a pond, stream or Connor’s Cave.

• Bats: 1) Hundreds of students who went on Connor’s Cave tours this spring got to see at least one bat. 2) You can see endangered gray bats fly out of Devil’s Icebox if you sign up for one of the upcoming bat programs (see “Park Events”).

• Turtles, snakes, frogs, fish, crayfish, butterflies … the list goes on and on.

Park Events – in the park unless otherwise noted, if registration required call: 573-449-7400 • May 31 – Annual Park Informational Meeting – 6:00 pm, Gilbert Shelter, free and open to the public • June 3 - Volunteer Training: Rock Bridge 101 Invasive Plants and Map Reading - 1:00 pm to 5:30 pm, registration

required - http://mostateparks.com/events?park%5B%5D=50623 • June 15 or 16 – Watch Bats Fly Out of Devil’s Icebox – 7:15 pm to 9:45 pm, Devil’s Icebox, registration required • August 17 or 18 – Watch Bats Fly Out of Devil’s Icebox – 7:00 pm to 9:30 pm, Devil’s Icebox, registration required FoRB Membership - To join, Clip and Mail this section with check made out to FoRB, P.O. Box 7642, Columbia MO 65205-7642

$15 Park Staff/Vol, Student, Senior Name $20 Individual Address $35 Family Phone Email $100 Supporting  

FoRB is a 501.c.3 organization. That means your donations to us are tax deductible! FoRB P.O. Box 7642 Columbia MO 65205-7642  

       June 2012 Issue President's News: Planning FoRB Workdays, Recruiting Youth Park News: Seasonal Help, Construction, Jim Hellman Remembered Naturalist News: Wildlife Sightings Abound

 

Tri-colored Bat. Photo by Bill Elliott, Missouri Department of Conservation

 

Pileated Woodpeckers. DNR file photo

 

Spotted salamander. Photo by Tom Garrison