About Dogwood Canyon Nature Park "Promote and protect the natural environment of the canyon’s wildlife and plant life." Aside from a few amenities to make Dogwood Canyon Nature Park more accessible to our guests, the rugged landscape has been left untouched and, with just a little imagination, you can travel back to a time when European settlers first entered the area or, even further, to explore the mark that Native Americans left on these Missouri hills and hollows. The first parcels of the property were acquired in 1990 by Johnny Morris, founder/CEO of Bass Pro Shops. The park is owned and managed by the Dogwood Canyon Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to protecting the canyon’s natural plant and wildlife environment.