50 Years of the Open Space Council

The Open Space Council is completing our 50th year of land and water conservation in the St. Louis area. To celebrate, we’ve compiled a collection of photos from over the years. We hope you will enjoy this trip down memory lane. Of course, there is always more work to be done. Please join us for this summer’s Operation Clean Stream and fall Operation Wild Lands events. We’re also excited for another float trip on the beautiful Courtois, Huzzah, and Meramec Rivers for Paddle for a Cause 2016 on June 5, 2016. All proceeds support Operation Clean Stream. Thank you to all of our friends and volunteers who ensure that we will continue to protect area land and water for another 50 years and beyond!

To learn more about the history of the Open Space Council, check out this article from the Webster-Kirkwood Times or a comprehensive history by past OSC president, Robert Rubright.

Old cars piled up along the Meramec River

Trash hauling

Article from the St. Louis Globe Democrat, 1967

Article from the St. Louis Globe Democrat, 1967 (continued)

Floating on the Meramec River

Meramec River Float, 1983

Bee Tree Park, purchased by St. Louis County in 1986 with funds from the Open Space Council

Promoting Operation Clean Stream

009 OCS

010 OCS

Tires removed during Operation Clean Stream, 1996

The Missourian, 2003

Operation Clean Stream, 2005

ASLA Civic Stewardship Award, 2006

015

016 May 2007

Kiefer Creek clean up, 2007

Mound Builder Award, 2007

Operation Wild Lands, 2007

Webster-Kirkwood Times, 2008

Missouri Conservationist, 2008

South County Times, 2008

Operation Clean Stream, 2010

Eureka-Pacific Current News, 2011

Save Our County Parks, 2012

Operation Wild Lands, 2013

Missouri Wildlife, 2013

The new Nancy Eschbach Forest River Trail Park in Sunset Hills, purchased by St. Louis County in 2014 with help from funds provided by the Open Space Council