My first time here, too! Karen and I both have a huge love for photography, so it's become a thing that we go out and shoot when I'm in town. It's always been MOBOT, so today we decided to try somewhere different. Since I'd never been to Shaw Nature Reserve, she suggested we go there. And we did---stopping along the way at Subway to pick up a couple sandwiches for a picnic when we got to the Reserve.
The area was opened in 1925 when pollution from coal smoke in St. Louis threatened the garden's live plant collection, especially the orchid collection. The orchids were moved in 1926, but the pollution in St. Louis decreased with waning use of coal for heat, making it unnecessary to move the rest of the live plant collection. The reserve is currently dedicated to environmental education, to the maintenance and restoration of the region's native flora and fauna, and to public enjoyment of the natural world.
We parked near the Bascom House by the wild flower area.
