All Outdoors, July 2, 1999

1. How to get the most from private forests
2. Ginseng, mountain lion regulations change
3. Outdoor Calendar

News contact: Jim Low, Jefferson City, Missouri, (573) 751-4115
Available via Internet at: http://www.conservation.state.mo.us/news/out

"Each of us needs to withdraw from the cares which will not withdraw from us. We need hours of aimless wandering or spaces of time sitting on park benches, observing the mysterious world of ants and the canopy of treetops."Maya Angelou

1. How to get the most from private forests

Professional foresters can help forest owners achieve their management goals, whether that means encouraging wildlife or maximizing profits from timber.

JEFFERSON CITY--While "unwise" or even "crazy" are likely the descriptions we would use for someone who cuts down healthy corn or bean crops before they have matured, many Missourians think nothing of prematurely cutting down forest land. Failure to understand the value of trees is the No.1 reason landowners don't get maximum benefits from their forested acreage, according to Missouri Department of Conservation Private Lands Specialist Wayne Wittmeyer.

"Far too many people fail to realize the benefits besides wood production their trees are having on their land and in the community around it," says Wittmeyer. "Timber is a valuable resource for wildlife habitat, water, air and wood production. When trees are properly managed, you receive those benefits and realize a greater profit at harvest time."

To get the most from forest land, property owners must cultivate trees and allow them to grow to maturity. The first step to effective tree farming is discussing your goals with a professional forester and getting an evaluation of your land.

Determining the type of trees on your land and identifying problems that could impair their growth are key to increasing productivity of a timber stand.

Professional foresters focus on the landowner's goals, blending the desire for wildlife habitat, hunting opportunities or whatever is most important to the owner, while creating a cash crop from the best quality trees.

After finding out what the forest landowner wants from his acreage and evaluating the existing forest's characteristics, a professional forester recommends actions to achieve the owner's goals. The forester will outline such actions in a forestry management plan.

"Our biggest problem in the state right now is that 80 to 90 percent of the state's tree harvests are done without the advice of a professional," says Wittmeyer. "Often a sale consists of a logger or logging company making a landowner an offer for his trees. Thinking the offer is a lot of money the landowner takes it. In most instances we can get more by marking the trees, putting out bids and letting competition dictate the sale price. Depending on the size and quality of the tree we can increase income from a sale by 20 to 50 percent."

Wittmeyer says enlisting the help of a professional forester in arranging a timber sale also helps the landowner to maintain control of how the harvest is conducted, enhancing the future productivity of the land and protecting wildlife habitat, water quality and other important resources.

For information on managing your forest land, contact the nearest Conservation Department office and ask for the resource forester in your area. Information about managing private forest land also is available on the Internet at <http://www.conservation.state.mo.us/forest/>.

- Arleasha Mays -

2. Ginseng, mountain lion regulations change

Recent changes in the Wildlife Code of Missouri affect the harvest of ginseng roots and when it is legal to kill a mountain lion.

JEFFERSON CITY--The Missouri Conservation Commission recently approved rule changes that affect a wide range of activities. Among these is a provision allowing Missourians to kill mountain lions under certain circumstances.

In January, Missouri recorded its first confirmed sighting of a free-living mountain lion since before the turn of the century. The sighting raised questions about what Missourians should do if they encountered mountain lions and what could be done legally to protect property and people from mountain lions.

The Conservation Commission answered the latter question with an addition to the Wildlife Code rule 3CSR10-4.130 titled, "Owner May Protect Property."

The new provision states that "Mountain lions attacking or killing livestock or domestic animals, or attacking human beings, may be killed without prior permission, but the kill must be reported immediately to an agent of the department and the mountain lion carcass must be surrendered to him/her within 24 hours."

"This isn't a blank check to go out and kill any mountain lion that turns up in Missouri, says Conservation Department Protection Division Administrator Ron Glover. "Anyone who kills one of these animals is going to have to justify that action by showing evidence that an attack occurred. Mountain lions are extremely rare here, and if there is a wild, self-sustaining population of the cats in Missouri we can't have people killing them on a whim."

The Commission also approved a minor change in rules about protecting property from damage by birds. The new provision allows the Conservation Department's director to delegate authority to department staff to authorize property owners to shoot or trap birds that are damaging property.

Another Wildlife Code change approved by the commission involves the requirement for ginseng dealers to register with the Conservation Department. In the past, any person, group or business that bought ginseng in Missouri for resale had to register. The Commission approved an exemption from this requirement for ginseng dealers who are registered in other states and who do not purchase or sell ginseng from an address in Missouri.

Glover said the Conservation Department is able to get all the information it needs about out-of-state ginseng dealers from states where they are registered. "There was no reason to make them register again in Missouri, and that's why the commission changed the regulation," he said.

The Commission added a freshwater mussel to the state's list of endangered species. Missouri has some of the best remaining habitat for the snuffbox musel, but populations of the stout, 2-inch mollusk have been declining, and biologists worry that it may become extinct without protection.

The Commission also approved several changes to special regulations at specific conservation areas. These include:
--changing archery deer hunting at Whetstone Creek Conservation Area (CA) from an open hunt under statewide regulations to a managed hunt.
--eliminating daily waterfowl hunting fees at conservation areas
--changing the period during which hunting, fishing and trapping and boating are prohibited at Smithville lake from Oct. 15 through waterfowl season to Oct. 15 through Jan. 15 in posted areas.
--Removing Platte Falls CA from the list of areas where doves may be hunted only in assigned areas from assigned shooting stations.

- Jim Low -