Missouri Annual Report 2026
Read about our achievements over the past year for nature and people.
Letter from the Director
This year marks The Nature Conservancy’s 70th anniversary in Missouri. I wasn’t there at the start (far from it, thank you very much), but I recognize something familiar in those early members: they were problem solvers.
TNC has long understood that action moves us forward. Pair it with the best science, strong partnerships and the courage to take informed risks, and you have the formula we have used to conserve more than 150,000 acres of Missouri’s wild places.
I recently revisited that history with Doug Ladd, our retired director of conservation science in Missouri. We dug into the projects, partnerships and decisions that have shaped TNC’s work and Missouri itself.
The discussion reminded me that there have always been challenges, and people willing to solve them. In this report alone, you’ll read about expanding habitat for bison, helping farmers sustain productive working lands, and launching a bridge program to reconnect free-flowing rivers.
Each reflects how practical conservation solutions can address challenges facing Missouri communities. But their impact extends beyond our state. The lessons, partnerships and successes developed here help inform TNC’s work around the world. This summer, TNC CEO Jennifer Morris joined us in the Ozarks to experience the rivers, wildlife and prescribed fire operations that contribute to TNC’s 2030 global goals.
Everywhere you look, progress grows from our deeply rooted principles.
In that spirit of transformation, I have some personal news: I have accepted a new role with TNC as deputy director for our Great Plains Division. There is much I could say or share about this change— excitement, gratitude, fear, hope, confidence. I am feeling them all.
Instead of doing so, however, I’ll share a deeply rooted principle of my own. TNC’s strength has never come from any one individual. It comes from the collective. Together, we find a way. We always have, and we always will. The collective strength of TNC Missouri, including supporters like you, will continue to thrive and move us closer to the world we all envision.
–Adam McLane
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Stories From the Report
Thanks to your support, we're working across Missouri to ensure that people and nature thrive.
Seventy Years of Conservation
A conversation between TNC’s Adam McLane and Doug Ladd, TNC Missouri’s longtime director of conservation science, who retired in 2018.
Power of Connection
From Ozark streams to northern Missouri prairies, conservation projects are reconnecting the pathways wildlife need to survive and thrive.
Resilience on Working Lands
Across Missouri, TNC is working to advance regenerative agriculture through research, demonstration sites and on-the-ground conservation projects.
The Power of Place
The Nature Conservancy's CEO, Jen Morris, visited Missouri this year to see some the incredible places and people helping advance conservation across the state.
Support Our Work in Missouri
Since 1956, we have worked to conserve the lands and waters that make Missouri unique and beautiful. Your support has helped us protect more than 150,000 acres, and we’ve still got a lot of work to do. Your donation will make a difference. We can’t save nature without you.