Anita B. Gorman Conservation Discovery Center

Educators with the Missouri Department of Conservation imagined a place where children could connect with their environment and conservation services could be provided. The theme of discovery permeates the site, with the building mimicking natural processes to provide energy efficiently and handle its waste intelligently. A “Living Machine” provides on-site treatment of all wastewater and produces reclaimed water suitable for reuse in flushing toilets, recharging the outdoor wetland and irrigation. An early site inventory revealed opportunities to enhance remnant habitats by re-introducing native plantings, beginning a restoration of miniature biomes.