The Habitats of Heartland Park - Wentzville, MO - Missouri Historical Markers on Waymarking.com

County of marker: St. Charles County
Location of marker: William Dierberg Dr., Heartland Park, Wentzville

Marker Text:
THE HABITATS OF HEARTLAND PARK

WHERE CAN YOU FIND THESE ANIMALS IN THE PARK?

WOODLAND
The wooded areas here at Heartland Park are small but provide many important benefits, to the environment. Woodlands help protect hillsides and streambeds from erosion, keeping our rivers and streams clean. They clean the air, cool temperatures, and beautify our cities and towns. Missouri's woodlands are the home to many kinds of animal life. Keep an eye out for animals such as the pileated woodpecker, ovenbird, black-and-white warbler, wild turkey or even the white-tailed deer.

Meadow / Prairie
When you look at the small areas of meadow located throughout Heartland Park, try to imagine how Missouri must have looked when one-third of the entire state was covered in tallgrass prairie. Today, the demands of agriculture and the growth of our towns and cities have eliminated 99 percent of the original prairie.

Many communities are now including small pockets of prairie in their parks as a way to restore what was lost. Small stretches of meadow provide key areas of habitat for small wildlife. Look out for the prairie mole cricket, Henslow's sparrow, upland sandpiper, and common plants such as bluestem and Indian grass.

WETLAND
Wetlands provide important areas of habitat for a variety of wildlife. Many insects, such as the damselfly nymph, live part of their lives in water and help to feed fish, frogs, and water birds. Dead and decaying plant life are the diet for many aquatic invertebrates. See if you are able to spot a grey treefrog or maybe a heron feeding in the shallow waters.