Martha Lafite Thompson Nature Sanctuary
407 North La Frenz Road, Liberty, MO
The Nature Sanctuary is comprised of nearly 100 acres of land, including the Missouri Department of Conservation’s Rush Creek Conservation Area. The Sanctuary features five miles of hiking trails to explore diverse habitats that include woodlands, a re-created prairie, a frog pond, the beautiful Rush Creek, abundant wildlife, a nature center, and a full range of nature-related activities for children and adults. The property is managed for a diversity of plants and wildlife in a natural setting.
Our Extension Master Gardener volunteers maintain two areas at the Sanctuary - Bird Island which is a Missouri native savanna forest garden, and the Butterfly and Hummingbird Garden which is a Monarch Way Station. They work to diversify and sustain native plant communities to provide food and habitat for native birds and to attract migrating monarch and black swallowtail butterflies. They are in the garden on the second and fourth Saturdays of the month from March thru October and are available to answer any native plant or gardening questions. They also participate in special events to promote interaction with nature.