In 2025, Open Space STL proudly celebrated its 60th anniversary, honoring its legacy as the St. Louis region’s first activist environmental and conservation group, whose dedication to protecting natural treasures led to the creation of iconic spaces like Queeny Park, Bee Tree County Park, the Chubb Trail, and Castlewood State Park.

Founded in 1965, Open Space STL works independently and collaboratively to conserve and sustain land, water, and other natural resources for the health and well-being of people throughout the St. Louis region.

Our programs include:

Operation Clean Stream

Since 1967, Open Space STL has organized Operation Clean Stream, one of the country’s most significant and longest-running Meramec River restoration projects.

Operation Wild Lands

Volunteers assist with the proactive management of public open spaces to improve wildlife habitats and nature-related outdoor recreation.

Land Trust

Open Space STL works as a land trust to identify areas that can be protected for conservation or recreation, discouraging improper land use and detrimental development.

Trash Bashes

The River des Peres is an annual clean-up of the River des Peres watershed, and the Confluence Trash Bash is an annual clean-up of the Missouri and Mississippi river watersheds

Community Stewardship Alliance

The Community Stewardship Alliance (CSA) is a conservation program intended to provide focused, trained, volunteer leadership to restore and maintain the natural areas within our St. Louis County and City of St. Louis Parks.

Watershed Planning

The goal of this and previous planning efforts is to achieve and restore the Meramec River and its tributary streams to water quality standards, and to maintain healthy streams throughout the Lower Meramec Watershed.