CONSERVATION ACTION

News of the May 24-25, 1999 Conservation Commission meetings

Contact: Jo Radmacher, (573) 751-4115;
E-mail: Jo.Radmacher@mdc.mo.gov

The Conservation Commission met the afternoon of May 24 and on May 25 at Department Headquarters in Jefferson City. All Commissioners were present at both meetings:

Randy Herzog, St. Joseph
Anita B. Gorman, Kansas City
Howard L. Wood, Bonne Terre
Ronald J. Stites, Plattsburg

The next meeting of the Conservation Commission was set for June 30 at the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation Conference Center in Kansas City.

During the May 24 meeting, the Commission considered and approved a single agenda itemthe Department's internal budget for Fiscal Year 2000. During the May 25 meeting, the Commission took the following action:

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:

• Maria Meyers, Vice President, Science City at Union Station, Kansas City, of a progress report and further exploration of a partnership with the Department in the project.
• Department of Conservation Fisheries Division staff and Department of Natural Resources Environmental Quality Division staff about water quality in Table Rock Lake.

At a special ceremony in conjunction with the meeting, the Commission Chairman presented Service Awards to the following long-term employees:

• Thirty Year Service Award to: Lawrence L. Lackamp of Forestry Division.
• Twenty-Five Year Service Awards to: John P. Dinkins, Charles S. Gunter, William J. Kohne, J. Michael Loe and Dennis W. Steward of Protection Division; Russell K. Drenon of Outreach and Education Division; James H. Maenner of Fisheries Division; Patti J. Moeller, Michael L. Martin and Ronald K. McNeely of Wildlife Division; Linda K. Thomas of Administrative Services Division; and Duane E. Parker of Forestry Division.

Because the Corps of Engineers has extended the public comment period to June 25 on its Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement for the proposed Saint John's Bayou/New Madrid Floodway project, the Commission took no action on the Department's draft letter of comment. Final action will be taken during a telephone conference call meeting on June 22.
The Commission approved a large-scale vegetative management restoration project conversion of drought-sensitive red oak group species to drought-resistant species of white and post oaks and shortleaf pine on approximately 629 acres of Peck Ranch Conservation Area, Carter County.

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:

• exchange of an approximately 119-acre isolated portion of Angeline Conservation Area, Shannon County, for an approximately 160-acre inholding owned by Jim Terrill et ux. of Summersville.
• exchange with the Missouri Highway and Transportation Commissionan approxi-mately 2.17-acre portion of Weldon Spring Conservation Area, Saint Charles County, for adjacent 9.1 acres, for new bridge construction; and an approximately 33.49-acre portion of Carter Creek Conservation Area, Carter County, for provision of two access roads off new Highway 60 into the area, for highway realignment and improvement.
• conveyance of approximately 2.01 acres of Little Black Conservation Area, Ripley County, to Missouri Highway and Transportation Commission, for new bridge construction.

The Commission accepted the Report of the Regulations Committee and approved the 1999 early migratory game bird hunting seasons, based on proposed federal frameworks. For rails, snipe and woodcock, hunting seasons are unchanged and shooting hours remain one-half hour before sunrise to sunset. (More detailed information will be provided in All Outdoors as federal frameworks for early seasons are finalized.)

• Sora and Virginia rails: September 1 to November 9 (70 days); limits25 daily or in possession.
• Common snipe: September 1 to December 16 (107 days); limits8 daily, 16 in possession.
• Woodcock: October 15 to November 28 (45 days); limits3 daily, 6 in possession.

A split mourning dove season was establishedSeptember 1 to September 30 and November 1 to November 30 (60 days); shooting hours remain one-half hour before sunrise to sunset; limits15 daily, 30 in possession.

The early season for blue-winged, green-winged and cinnamon teal will be September 11 to September 26 (16 days); shooting hours sunrise to sunset; limits@4 teal in the aggregate of species daily; 8 in possession.