The Conservation Commission met March 19 and 20 at the Joplin Holiday Inn. Commissioners present were:

Howard L. Wood, Bonne Terre, Chairman
Stephen C. Bradford, Cape Girardeau, Vice-Chairman
Cynthia Metcalfe, St. Louis, Secretary
Anita B. Gorman, Kansas City, Member

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 (573) 751-4467, at least 10 working days before the meeting date. The deadline for the next meeting is April 14, 2003.

The Commission met in open session March 20. The Commission heard the following presentations:
Jeffrey P. Bonner, President and CEO of the St. Louis Zoo, presented information about the zoo's cypress swamp exhibit.
Wayne Freeman, Executive Director of the Great Rivers Habitat Alliance, presented the concept for a Confluence National Wildlife Refuge.

REGULATIONS:

The Commission approved changes to the Wildlife Code of Missouri, including:
Establishing a tag-and-release fishing promotion permit for contests and promotions at Lake of the Ozarks, Stockton Lake, Table Rock Lake or Truman Lake;
Changed the reciprocal fishing privilege agreement with Kentucky to increase fishing opportunities for fishing permit holders from both states;

ADMINISTRATION

In other action, the Commission:

• Signed a memorandum of understanding with partners in the Wildcat Glades Conservation and Audubon Center project.
• Extended the grant performance deadline for the St. Joseph Nature Center project.
• Presented awards for 2,000 hours of volunteer service to Therese Helm, Springfield Conservation Nature Center, and Judee Sachleben, Shepherd of the Hills Fish Hatchery Visitor Center.
• Approved the purchase of approximately 23 acres in Shannon County as an addition to Angeline Conservation Area.

Revoked or suspended hunting and/or fishing privileges of the following people for Wildlife Code violations:

--Charles J. Dickens, Campbell, 1 year, all privileges;
--Lloyd Dickens, Clarkton, 1 year, all privileges;
--Michael L. Hawks, Kennett, 3 years, all privileges;
--Edward W. Hellwig, Butler, 1 year, all privileges;
--Sandra L. Kephart, Corning, 1 year, all privileges;
--Brian L. McCown, Kansas City, 1 year, all privileges;
--Timothy L. Nance, Tarkio, 2 years, all privileges;
--Wesley G. Proffer, Chaffee, 1 year, all privileges;
--Kenneth D. Webb, Glasgow, 3 years, all privileges;
--Nathan K. Wilkerson, Fisk, 1 year, all privileges.

Revoked or suspended hunting privileges of the following people who inflicted injury to another person by firearm while hunting:

--Patrick E. Bernand, Lancaster, 1 year;
--Mark E. Bushnell, Queen City, 2 years;
--Heath A. Kessinger, Campbell, 1 year;
--Barry R. Koch, Lawson, 1 year;
--Richard B. Shields, Hollister, 1 year;
--Raymond W. Skaggs, Silva, 2 years.

These hunters must successfully complete an approved hunter education program before their hunting privileges are restored.

• Suspended all hunting and fishing privileges of 82 people who are not in compliance with applicable child support laws.
• Revoked or denied Missouri hunting and/or fishing privileges of 158 people according to the provisions of Interstate Wildlife Violator Compact. Under the compact, all 17 participating states honor one another's hunting and fishing suspensions and revocations. A hunter or angler who loses privileges in one state loses the same privileges in all 16 other compact states.
• Approved the designation of two Missouri Natural Areas.

The Commission set its next meeting for April 28 and 29 at the Jerry J. Presley Conservation Education Center near Eminence.