CONSERVATION ACTION
News of the May 24-25, 2000 Conservation Commission meetings
Contact: Carolyn Auckley, (573) 751-4115;
E-mail: Carolyn.Auckley@mdc.mo.gov

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

The next meeting of the Conservation Commission was set for June 28, 2000 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, Kansas City, Missouri.

During the May 24 meeting, the Commission considered and approved the Department's internal budget for Fiscal Year 2001; and presented a Volunteer Service Award to Bob Dyer for 5,000 hours of volunteer service at the Springfield Conservation Nature Center.

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 the following presentations:

--EDM Consulting Engineer, Inc., presenting proposed Phase 1 development of Columbia Bottom Conservation Area.
--Hoover Case, Executive Director, Missouri Fox Trotter Horse Breeders Association, to express association's gratitude for past use of Department areas and to offer support.
--Richard Pender, representing coon hunters and dog owners around Duck Creek Conservation area, to present new information regarding dog use on Department areas.

REGULATIONS

The Commission accepted the report of the Regulations Committee and approved the 2000 early migratory game bird hunting seasons, based on proposed federal frameworks. For rails, snipe and woodcock, hunting seasons are unchanged from the 1999-2000 season and shooting hours reaming one-half hour before sunrise to sunset.

--Sora and Virginia rails: September 1 to November 9 (70 days); limits25 daily or in possession.
--Common snipe: September 1 through December 16 (107 days); limits8 daily, 16 in possession.
--American Woodcock: October 16 through November 29 (45 days); limits3 daily, 6 in possession.

A split mourning dove season was establishedSeptember 1 through September 30 and November 1 through November r 30; limits 15 daily, 30 in possession.

The early season for blue-winged, green-winged and cinnamon teal will be September 9 through September 24 (16 days); shooting hours sunrise to sunset; limits4 daily, 8 in possession.

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:

--purchasing 334 acres in Polk County as a natural area.
--purchasing 78 acres on Lake of the Ozarks in Morgan County as a public fishing access.
--exchanging two isolated tracts in Shannon County for a 140-acre inholding of Rocky Creek Conservation Area.
--trading with Missouri Department of Natural Resources various tracts, benefitting both agencies.
--selling 3.2 acres on the Mississippi River in Scott County known as Commerce Access.
--granting a permanent easement across a portion of Dr. Frederick Marshall Conservation Area in exchange for 1.31 acres critical for Department access to part of same area.

ADMINISTRATION:

The Commission also took the following action:

--approved a draft letter to the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service providing concurrence in the final Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act Report for the St. John' s Bayou-New Madrid Floodway project.
--approved purchase of a 100-plus page manuscript and photo illustrations on landscaping with native plants.
--approved seven area names.