CONSERVATION ACTION

News of the February 3, 1999 Conservation Commission meeting

Contact: Jo Radmacher, (573) 51-4115;

E-mail: Jo.Radmacher@mdc.mo.gov

The Conservation Commission met on February 3 at Marriott's Tan-Tar-A Resort in Osage Beach, in conjunction with the Missouri Natural Resources Conference. Commissioners present were:

Randy Herzog, St. Joseph

Anita B. Gorman, Kansas City

Howard L. Wood, Bonne Terre

Ronald J. Stites, Plattsburg

During the conference banquet on February 2, Chairman Randy Herzog conferred upon Dr. Albert R. Vogt, Director of the School of Natural Resources at the University of Missouri-Columbia, the Commission's highest honor, its Master Conservationist award.

The next meeting of the Conservation Commission was set for March 26 at the Country Club Hotel, Lake Ozark, in conjunction with the Conservation Federation of Missouri annual meeting.

The Commission presented the 1999 Natural Areas Management Award to Len E. Gilmore, Wildlife Management Biologist in the West Central Region, in recognition of his outstanding management efforts of natural areas in his region.

PRESENTATIONS

Commission meetings are open to the public. Those wishing to be placed on the agenda for a presentation or other business must send a written request to Director, Department of Conservation, P. O. Box 180, Jefferson City MO 65102-0180, or FAX to (573) 751-4467, at least 10 working days before the meeting date. The Commission heard presentations by:

· Vice President Jeff Churan of the Missouri Conservation Heritage Foundation, preparatory to presentation of the deed conveying approximately 391 acres in Wright County from the Foundation to the Conservation Commission the first tract acquired by the Foundation through citizen donations, with fund raising leadership provided by Janice and David Reynolds of Springfield.

The Commission approved accepting as a gift the approximately 391 acres in Wright County from the Missouri Conservation Heritage Foundation to be known as the Cedar Gap Conservation Area.

· Wildlife Division staff of an update on the Private Land Program.

LAND ACQUISITION

The Commission acquires land only from willing sellers and makes annual payments to compensate local governments and schools for lost tax revenues at assessment levels current when acquired. Public access to acquisitions is appropriate only after closing of real estate transactions, at which time boundaries have been marked and further information is available. The Commission approved proceeding with:

· purchase of approximately 40 acres in Vernon County as an addition to Bushwhacker Lake Conservation Area.

· purchase of approximately 39 acres in Vernon County as an addition to Osage Prairie Conservation Area.

· purchase of approximately 15 acres in Harrison County as an addition to Grand Trace Conservation Area.

· purchase of a perpetual access and parking easement and a roadway easement in Atchison County for access to and public use of Deroin Bend Conservation Area.

The Commission also approved donation of approximately 196 acres in Iron County to the City of Ironton and the sale of an approximately 17.4-acre portion of Coldwater Conservation Area in Wayne County to an adjacent landowner to correct the ownership of a bordering tract.

ADMINISTRATION: The Commission also took the following action:

Authorized entering into a contract with the lower bidder for construction of two access projects (Cooper Creek Access on Lake Taneycomo in Taney County and Ralph Cox Memorial Access on James River in Stone County).

Authorized designation of four ownerships totaling approximately 6,295 acres in Shannon County as a Missouri Natural Area.

Approved naming the 1,300-acre east side wetland restoration project on Fountain Grove Conservation Area the Mike Milonski Wetland Complex, as a memorial to the Department's former assistant director.

Approved the Department's revised Organization Plan and Chapter 1 of the Wildlife Code to reflect an organizational change and changes in program assignments.