Brian, a parks staff presenter for Olivette City, told the Parks and Recreation Commission on June 18 that the department is pursuing a multi‑year habitat restoration program focused on restoring regional Missouri habitat types across several parks.

The presentation, given at the commission’s regular meeting at Stacy Park (referred to in discussion as the Morrison area), covered the full restoration process: site selection and preparation, invasive species removal, seeding strategies, planting and watering, habitat structures (brush piles, rock walls, logs and snags), and multi‑year monitoring and maintenance. "There is sort of — I call it the ecological inheritance of our parks," Brian said, describing older trees and site features the program seeks to preserve while restoring native plant communities.

Why it matters: commissioners heard that restoring oak savanna, tallgrass prairie and woodlands will both expand local biodiversity and reduce operational costs over time by lowering mowing needs in some areas. Brian said the work also aims to reintroduce plant species that are rare in managed urban landscapes in the St. Louis region.

Key details presented
- Site selection and preparation are critical; Brian said poor access or poor soil limits success and that invasive removal and clearing of leaf debris are essential before seeding.
- Seeding and planting: staff use a mix of collected seed and purchased seed; Brian estimated a potential seed budget of about $4,000 per year if the department were to seed widely. He described using plugs, bare‑root stock and container trees, and noted a three‑year pattern where the third year often shows the most established plant community.
- Plant sources and costs: Brian named two regular plant sources: Forest ReLeaf of Missouri (donated plants) and Forest Keeling Nursery (for a wider selection and larger container stock). He said the parks receive roughly "80 trees a year" from Forest ReLeaf and that commercial trays wholesale can cost about $80 each while seed packets cost about $8.
- Volunteers and youth involvement: the presentation highlighted ongoing partnerships with a local high‑school volunteer group called Planting Shade (student volunteers) and described how volunteers contribute to invasive removal, moving woody debris and planting. Brian said about 10 students showed up after heavy rain to work on a recent planting day and that trained long‑term volunteers become valuable assets.
- Habitat structures and wildlife: staff plan to use brush piles, rock walls, logs and snags and, where feasible, bird boxes (including a planned chimney swift tower). Brian emphasized the ecological role of snags and logs in forest health, and noted brush piles provide temporary shelter for small animals.

Site examples and priorities
- Worsen (area around the pond and the Greenway): continued invasive removal, expanding seeded clearings and closing remaining honeysuckle corridors.
- Stacy and Indian Meadows corridors: targeted woodland and prairie work, tree transplants and creek‑edge clearing to reveal and restore streamside habitats.
- A new oak savanna demonstration (the "Savanna") near the parking lot: staff are working with the Missouri Prairie Foundation on seed mixes and have planted an oak/perennial edge to reintroduce a rare regional habitat.

Timeline and maintenance: Brian said restoration is labor‑intensive and generally follows an intensive two‑year maintenance period after invasive removal, with major changes visible by the third year and stabilization over three to five years. He noted soil quality and watering logistics (tank watering and the department's water trailer) as recurring constraints.

Commissioners asked about composting and long‑term funding. Brian said the department lacks the personnel and an on‑site composting location to run a municipal composting program, but staff use compost amendments selectively for very poor soils.

Ending: Commissioners thanked staff for the detailed update and discussed volunteer recruitment and possible grant support. The presentation concluded with plans to continue restoration at the sites discussed and to expand volunteer training and public education around restoration work.