Programs
FoRB sponsors a number of educational and stewardship programs to reach out and engage this and future generations of park lovers. Your donations allow us to hire staff to provide these services to the community. Our programs include:
Nature Detectives (ND)
Nature Detectives was created in 2013 to help local Columbia pre-school children and their caregivers learn how to have a safe, positive, educational, and fun experience out in nature. Each month during the spring and early summer there is a different themed program with storytelling, and nature exploration about the Cave, plus Bats, Streams and various natural Habitats. There are also an array of craft activities for the kids in all out in Rock Bridge Memorial State Park. Each year, with your help, Nature Detectives reaches hundreds of local young people.
See the 2023 Nature Detectives Annual Report - Click Here!
Urban Population Outreach Program (UPOP)
The Urban Population Outreach Program (UPOP) aims to reach children and local youth who might not otherwise be able to participate in outdoor experiences. In cooperation with local youth agencies such as Boys and Girls Club, Fun City, and Central Latino, FoRB offers outdoor activities in the park that include camp skills, nature study (Bats, Stream and Habitat), and Conor’s Cave tours. The Missouri Parks Association provides financial support to FoRB, and the Boone's Lick Chapter of the Missouri Master Naturalist has provided program support. Your donations help us keep this outreach alive and help us connect with a wide range of children in the Columbia area.
Rock Bridge Renew (RBR)
“Rock Bridge Renew” is a park clean up and large scale stewardship event that happens in the spring and fall each year. Volunteers from the public, FoRB Board Members, and Park Staff help with a wide range of projects on this special day. Some of the projects that may be scheduled during RBR include picking up trash in the park, patrolling and litter pick-up along the section of Highway 163 that runs through the park, taking down old fencing, and invasive plant removal. The park and FoRB supply all the tools and materials needed and after the event (usually runs from 9AM till Noon) we have a pizza party for all the volunteers at the Gilbert Shelter. Each RBR Event brings out between 20 and 40 volunteers to help.
The Fall 2023 RBR was a big success. We had about 30 volunteers out for the morning activities. There were two crews doing litter clean-up on SR163 through the park and one big crew out taking care of invasive species. The litter crews collected over 35 bags of material, plus an old tire and some miscellaneous car parts. The litter crew on the south leg tried to see how many “Fireball” and “Honey Whiskey” plastic shot bottles they could find. This crew worked the SR163 shoulders from the Devil’s Ice Box TH entrance south to Whisenhut road - distance of about 1.5 miles each way. The total count of shot bottles for that crew was an astounding 156 of them. After the clean-up, there was pizza graciously donated by Shakespeare’s for all.
The Spring 2024 RBR was held on April 13th. We had over 40 volunteers out helping with litter clean-up on SR163 in the park, and a big crew helping with invasives. Overall, the litter crews filled about 30 bags of junk. One big clean-up was an accident site on the east side of SR163, south of the Devil’s Ice Box Parking lot. We got a fender, lots of tail-light glass and some unidentifiable plastic parts. This year’s “Fireball” plastic shot bottle contest was won by the 163 -south crew. That crew collected 87 shot bottles. The 163-north crew got 74 shot bottles. Total Fireball count this year was 161. This year we had a large group of students from the MU “Clean-up Columbia” program out to help. Afterward, Shakespeare’s pizza was enjoyed by all.
