Savanna in Kennedy Forest

The Savanna in Kennedy Forest is an 8-acre native plant community restoration that began in 1999. The restoration of this site was spearheaded by volunteers from the Kennedy Woods Advisory Group (KWAG), with support from the St. Louis Department of Parks, Recreation and Forestry and the Missouri Department of Conservation. The goal of this restoration was to re-establish high-quality savanna habitat similar to what was historically found in the St. Louis region. Many members of the community were involved in the seed collection and dispersal that was used to establish the now-flourishing native plant communities. Today, visitors can enjoy a sunny summer walk to view the ever-changing wildflower blooms. Birders can regularly catch sight of large raptors like the red-tailed hawk perched in a dead tree snag looking for another meal. Most notably, this site offers a sunny opening with many wildflowers to attract a wide array of pollinators including more than 33 species of bees and wasps and more than 20 species of butterflies and moths.