The Sustainable Shaw Nature Reserve

Tucked off the side of the Interstate somewhere in between St. Louis and Springfield MO lies a safe haven for Missouri's native plants, trees, and natural habitats. To visit Shaw throughout the seasons tells an ever-changing story throughout the year; rich full of nature and history. Let's talk Shaw Nature Reserve!

Picture life in St. Louis in 1925. In the midst of the "roaring twenties" St. Louis still had many growing pains. Like many cities during the Industrial Revolution pollution was a huge issue. In St. Louis; it was an even bigger issue. At the time smog covered the skies, dark clouds hovered over the city, silt coated the streets. St. Louis was one of the most polluted cities in the nation. The cause was the burning of soft coal in homes and commercial coal factories. (3) The coal burned around the clock to power tobacco plants, steel mills, meat packing plants, and manufacturing facilities.

Post-Dispatch staff photo. Nov. 28 1939: The day 'Black Tuesday' rolled into St. Louis | Post-Dispatch Archives | stltoday.com

It's hard for me to imagine the state of the city in 1925 compared to today's St. Louis. Completely different worlds. Luckily an early settler of St. Louis; a man with a love for nature and horticulture, would pour his life's work and build something incredible that would sustain through the years.

Henry Shaw settled in Missouri on a parcel of land in what was then a tiny river town. Through his subsequent years living on his property he created something magnificent. (1) At the time it was his personal garden, which then turned into a garden to share with the community, and today it stands as the oldest Botanical Garden in the United States.

The Missouri Botanical Gardens are the foundational piece of Shaw's legacy and Shaw Nature Reserve is the brick and mortar. The very purpose of its creation was to build a safe haven for plants...lots and lots of plants. Shaw was a pioneer for sustainability and this was his first act....some say the original act in protecting earth's precious resources.

In 1925 Shaw purchased a parcel of land about 35 miles west of St. Louis for the sole purpose of saving the garden's priceless plants, specifically the preciously cultivated orchid collection. The industrial smoke and smog of the city was suffocating the collection, and in order to save the plants...Shaw Arboretum was born.

Shaw Nature Reserve Between 1925 and 1927, crews planted trees 5829293267_6b9a74ee66_b.jpg (1024×688) (staticflickr.com)

So there it is! Shaw Nature Reserve, tucked in the woods off the side of the interstate in the middle of Missouri. A safe haven for trees and plants, a place to walk and hike and learn. It's one of my favorite sanctuaries, learning it's history has made it even more special to me. "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. (2) A historical landmark and a founding creation for adopting sustainability....right here in Missouri! How cool!

(1) "About Shaw Nature Reserve" Shaw Nature Reserve. About Shaw Nature Reserve (missouribotanicalgarden.org) Accessed April 6th 2022

(2)"Orchids in the Smog" St. Louis Love. Orchids in the Smog - Saint Louis Bank Blog (stlouisbank.com) November 18th 2021.

(3) November 28th 1939. The Day Black Tuesday rolled into St. Louis. Nov. 28 1939: The day 'Black Tuesday' rolled into St. Louis | Post-Dispatch Archives | stltoday.com November 28, 2021