CONSERVATION ACTION

News of the July 30, 1999 Conservation Commission meetings
Contact: Jo Radmacher, (573) 751-4115;
E-mail: Jo.Radmacher@mdc.mo.gov

The Conservation Commission met on July 30 at the Regal Riverfront Hotel in Saint Louis. All Commissioners were present, and began the meeting by electing the following officers to serve during Fiscal Year 2000:

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

The next meeting of the Conservation Commission was set for August 31 at the Walter Woods Conservation Area south of Joplin.

The Commission presented Volunteer Service Awards to:
* Janyce Beyer of Webster Groves for 2,000 hours of volunteer services at Powder Valley Conservation Nature Center.

* Joyce Broughton of Sunset Hills for 2,000 hours of volunteer services at Powder Valley Conservation Nature Center.

* Joan Hummel of Affton for 2,000 hours of volunteer services at Powder Valley Conservation Nature Center.

* Karen Kelly of Manchester for 2,000 hours of volunteer services at Rockwoods Reservation.

The Commission presented Special Achievement Awards for personal actions beyond the call of duty to:

* Senior Conservation Agent William O. Lenhart Jr. of Bethany.

* Senior Conservation Agent Gordon L. Jarvis of Washington.

* Fisheries Management Biologist Thomas A. Priesendorf of Hughesville.

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:

* Willis W. Corbett, Pointers and Setters Club of Missouri, Saint Louis; and Dennis Auping, Amateur Field Trial Club of America, New Melle; about horseback field trials on conservation areas.

REGULATIONS
The Commission accepted the Report of the Regulations Committee and approved changes in several area fishing rules for conservation areas and areas owned by other entities to incorporate effective March 1, 2000 findings from the spring fish sampling season.

The Commission approved the following additional changes in the Wildlife Code that will become effective March 1, 2000:

to honor resident veterans, extend the existing wavier of fishing permit requirements for resident veterans with 60% or greater service-related disability to also include hunting privileges, and to waive hunting and fishing permit requirements for resident veterans who were prisoners of war during their military service.

to provide greater customer service, allow the public to purchase hunting (except deer and turkey), fishing and trapping permits by telephone or through the Internet.

Customers would receive a temporary authorization number that would enable them to immediately participate in their sport without having the paper permit in hand. The actual permit would be mailed within 24 hours.

ADMINISTRATION:

The Commission also took the following action:

Approved revision of the Area Residences policy in the Area and Resource Management Policies and Procedures Manual.

Approved naming a recent 207-acre donation in Douglas County, bequeathed to the Conservation Commission in his will, the Richard Massengill Conservation Area.