February 2005
Meat lockers depend on annual deer harvest
Friday, February 25, 2005
 |
| Business booms at the Russellville Locker and Feed Plant each November, thanks to Missouri's abundant deer harvest. Processing venison is important to meat processors statewide. (Missouri Dept. of Conservation photo) |
JEFFERSON CITY--Mike Wyss and his employees at the Russellville Locker and Feed Plant are breathing a sigh of relief these days. Between mid-November and the end of December, they did about a quarter of their annual business. The pace was frantic, but Wyss isn't complaining. Without the flurry of business provided by deer hunting season, he would have a much harder time keeping his business in the black. Wyss' father, Howard, started the family business in 1949. Back then, cattle, hogs and other domestic livestock made up 100 percent of their business. That is how it stayed until the growth of Missouri's deer herd changed business as usual.
"Deer became a big part of our business about 20 years ago," says Wyss. "We were fortunate. Starting in the late '80s, our beef and pork business shut down. For some packers then, deer made up 60 to 70 percent of their gross. It was a long time between Novembers." Now Wyss's deer-processing business commences with the opening of archery deer season Sept. 15. The volume increases slowly as that season progresses, and then there is a huge increase when firearms deer season opens.
During the 11-day November firearms deer season, the Russellville Locker and Feed Plant takes in 450 whole deer. Another 200 to 300 deer arrive as boned meat dressed in the field. By the time December's muzzleloader and antlerless-only deer seasons are done, Wyss and his staff have processed approximately 1,000 deer. Some hunters want basic meat packing service. For $70 Russellville Locker and Feed skins the deer, cuts it into steaks, roasts, loins and chops and wraps and freezes it.
However, most hunters want their kills turned into specialty products ranging from summer sausage, smoked hams and jerky to bologna, bratwurst, breakfast sausage and venison burger ground together with bacon.
Specialty meats are meat processors' bread and butter, because they involve more work, not to mention secret seasonings. More processing means more income for Wyss' business and more pay for his workers. During deer season he hires six to eight extra meat cutters to handle the rush.
Roger Alewel of the Missouri Association of Meat Processors says deer season is critical to meat processors statewide. "All of our members consider the deer processing season very important to their business," said Alewel, "and they work hard to accommodate hunters."
The meat processing industry is only one of many economic sectors that benefit from deer hunting. Spending by the state's 486,794 deer hunters supports hunting equipment manufacturers and retailers, convenience stores, motels, restaurants, service stations and other service providers.
A 2000 study by the Missouri Department of Conservation showed that deer hunters spent more than $413 million on equipment, trip-related goods and services and permits during deer season. An economic model developed at the University of Missouri indicates that this spending generated $394 million in added business activity in other economic sectors for a total benefit of $800 million to the state's economy. Sales of both resident and nonresident deer hunting permits have increased since then.
Nonresident deer hunters' spending is particularly beneficial to Missouri's economy. The average nonresident deer hunter makes 6.7 trips here each year and spends approximately $30 per trip. With more than 13,000 such hunters visiting Missouri each year, their contribution to the state's economy tops $2.6 million.
-Jim Low -
Archers add to deer-harvest record
Friday, February 25, 2005
Missouri bowhunters killed a record number of deer in 2005, bolstering what already was a record harvest.
JEFFERSON CITY--Bowhunters checked a record 35,988 deer during the 2005 archery deer season, boosting the year's already ample deer harvest even higher.
The archery deer harvest tops last year's total by 2,328. Top archery deer harvest counties were Franklin with 972 deer checked, Boone with 868 and Jackson with 701.
Missouri's firearms deer harvest, including deer taken during the urban, youth, November, muzzleloader and antlerless-only segments, was 273,905. Together, the firearms and archery harvests total 309,893. That is about a third of the estimated statewide deer population. It is enough to keep deer numbers in check in most of the state. Exceptions include urban areas, where hunting is less prevalent.
The fact that two urban counties--Jackson and Boone--made the top three statewide is an encouraging sign for cities looking for ways to control suburban deer populations. Several Missouri cities are examining the possibility of allowing bowhunters, whose safety record is almost flawless, to thin burgeoning deer herds to reduce deer-car accidents and property damage from deer.
Four other urban counties -- Clay, Jefferson, St. Charles and Greene--made it into the top three counties for archery deer harvest in their regions.
- Jim Low -
SMSU professor is Conservationist of the Year
Friday, February 25, 2005
Duane Addleman leads the list of eight Missourians honored for work on behalf of the state's natural resources.
SPRINGFIELD, Mo.-Growing up south of Kansas City in the 1930s and '40s, Duane Addleman helped his dad cut trees for fence posts and piled up the resulting brush, creating ideal homes for wildlife. He didn't know it then, but he was forging ties to the land that would one day earn him the Conservation Federation of Missouri's highest honor, Conservationist of the Year.
Addleman was one of eight Missourians who received 2004 Conservationist of the Year awards at the Conservation Federation's annual meeting at Lake of the Ozarks Feb. 11. Looking back on a lifetime of conservation work, he credits childhood experiences with charting his path. "I started out running a trap line as little bitty kid," said Addlemen. "I sold rabbit skins for 25 cents each. It was wonderful experience for a kid. You learned a lot about wild animals, and it taught you discipline."
He also credits that discipline with helping him become the first Archie High School Graduate to earn a PhD. His career as a professor of health, physical education and recreation and later as a college administrator led him to Michigan and eventually back to Southwest Missouri State University, where he still teaches. There were years when his career left little time for outdoor pursuits, but he always found time to maintain his connection to the land.
"While I was in Michigan I bought a 74-acre farm and began planting trees. I planted 10,000 a year. When I moved back to Missouri in 1985, I bought the old family farm and then some more land besides, and I started planting trees and shrubs there to make it better for deer. Eventually I grew to love planting trees for its own sake."
Addleman jokes that his wife sometimes feels like she is married to Johnny Appleseed. No wonder. Addleman conservatively estimates that he has planted more than 100,000 seedlings.
"With such wonderful support from our Conservation Department, anyone can make their land better for wildlife," said Addleman. He should know. In 2002, projects he completed under the Conservation Reserve Program earned him the Quail Habitat Award from the West Central Missouri Chapter of Quail Unlimited.
Conservationist of the Year Award recipients typically have conservation careers as broad as they are deep. That certainly is true of Addleman, who has been active in the Watershed of the Ozarks, the James River Basin Partnership, the Quality Deer Management Association and the National Wild Turkey Federation. He began teaching hunter education classes in 1994 and continues to teach four classes a year. Addleman also has served on the Conservation Federation's Board of Directors, Executive Committee, Ways and Means Committee and Bylaws Committee. A life member, he can usually be found at the annual Fall Hunting Classic at Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World, promoting the Conservation Federation and recruiting new members. He also spends as much time as he can nurturing his grandchildren's love of nature. His tree planting has slowed down a little in recent years, but not because his enthusiasm has diminished. "I started planting trees to get more deer," he said, "but after awhile I just came to love planting trees. I am running out of room for trees on my 360 acres, but I still plant something every year. When the Conservation Department's forest nursery began offering blackberry seedlings I got some of those. I have some wonderful blackberry patches."
Besides the overall Conservationist of the Year Award, the Conservation Federation annually honors conservation work in specialized fields. Other recipients of 2004 Conservationist of the Year awards:
--Youth Conservationist Martin Brantner has been active in Missouri Stream Team and received the Outstanding Biology Student Award at Lutheran High School in Kansas City.
--Conservation Educator Al Vogt served as director of the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Natural Resources, served on the Governor's Task Force on Environmental Education and has worked to strengthen environmental education in Missouri.
--Forest Conservationist Clint Trammel worked as a farm forester with the Missouri Department of Conservation before becoming Forest Manager for Pioneer Forest, Missouri's largest privately owned forest and a trend-setter in the field of sustainable forestry practices.
--Wildlife Conservationist Lonnie Hansen is a resource scientist with the Conservation Department, where he has worked on deer management for 18 years. He was instrumental in developing management strategies to ensure future deer population control.
--Water Conservationist Gerry Boehm is Executive Director of the St. Charles County Greenway Network. He was the prime mover in organizing the Regional Clean Water Celebration at the St. Louis Science Center and was involved in many other activities during 2004 promoting stream protection and awareness of water quality issues.
--Professional Conservationist Mike Hoffman is forest management chief for the Conservation Department. He led the organization of Missouri's Forest Legacy Program. The program aims to identify and protect environmentally important forest land from conversion to non-forest uses, primarily through conservation easements.
--Conservation Communicator of the Year Jim Low is news services coordinator for the Conservation Department. He is a past president of the Missouri Outdoor Communicators and second vice president of the Outdoor Writers Association of America. His news releases keep Missourians informed about Conservation Department activities.
-Jim Low-
March 1 trout opener will include some changes
Friday, February 18, 2005
 |
| Below-average crowds are expected at Missouri's four trout parks March 1, because the season opener falls on a Tuesday. However, anglers will find plenty of rainbow and brown trout. The Missouri Department of Conservation will stock three fish for every angler expected to attend the event. (Missouri Dept. of Conservation photo) |
A higher stocking ratio and reduced creel limits will boost angler success.
JEFFERSON CITY--Plenty of trout and less competition will greet anglers on the 2005 season opener. Those who brave the weather to wet a line on opening day at Missouri's four trout parks also will find some regulation changes.
The March 1 event is a tradition for thousands of Missourians and more than a few out-of-state anglers. They rise before dawn, sometimes in beastly weather, and line the banks of spring-fed streams at Bennett Spring State Park (SP) near Lebanon, Montauk SP near Licking, Roaring River SP near Cassville and Maramec Spring Trout Park near St. James. Catching rainbow and brown trout is the immediate objective, but equally important is the camaraderie of a seasonal ritual.
Attendance at the trout opener varies from approximately 8,000 to more than 14,000. Attendance soars in years when March 1 falls on a weekend. This year's Tuesday opener may mean below-average attendance, but fair weather could bolster the number of opening-day anglers. By the same token, cold, rainy or snowy weather could further reduce the number of anglers on hand.
The Missouri Department of Natural Resources owns Bennett Spring, Montauk and Roaring River state parks. Maramec is owned and operated by the James Foundation. However, the Missouri Department of Conservation operates hatcheries at all four parks and provides trout to stock their waters.
To ensure a good start to the season, the Conservation Department stocks three fish for each angler expected to visit trout parks on opening day. The return of normal rainfall after several years of drought has replenished springs that supply water to trout hatcheries. As a result, production of trout in hatcheries is recovering to pre-drought levels.
Bennett Spring SP, where Missouri's trout park legacy began more than 75 years ago, expects 2,400 anglers March 1 and will stock 7,200 fish. Anglers will be asked to help evaluate an experimental brown trout stocking program in Zone 1 by filling out survey cards. They will receive the cards when buying daily fishing tags. Drop boxes at locations throughout the park will make it easy to drop off completed survey cards.
At Maramec Spring Trout Park an expected crowd of 1,600 anglers will find 5,000 newly stocked trout swimming in the park's waters. Another section of wheelchair-accessible sidewalk has been finished at Maramec, increasing access for anglers with mobility impairments. The St. James Chamber of Commerce will sponsor fishing contests and other opening-day activities and provide free coffee and donuts for anglers, adding to the party atmosphere on opening day.
Montauk SP could see a crowd of 2,300 anglers if the weather is good. The Conservation Department hatchery there will stock 6,900 trout. Fisheries Division Administrator Steve Eder will be on hand to celebrate the season opener and visit with anglers.
Roaring River SP is expecting 2,300 anglers and the hatchery will stock 7,000 trout to greet them. The first two tags issued this year will go to Les and Suzie Jacobs in recognition of their support of youth fishing programs there.
New this year at Roaring River is the prohibition of fishing from the south bank (the bluff side) of the stream in Zone 2. This is to reduce bank erosion.
Missouri fishing permits expire the last day of February. Permit-buying lines are long at trout parks on opening morning, so savvy anglers buy their permits before arriving.
Higher flows from springs also have helped boost the number of fish Conservation Department hatcheries can produce. That will enable the agency to return to its normal stocking rate of 2.25 trout per angler at trout parks. For the past three years, the rate has been two trout per angler.
The Conservation Department also is trying to spread trout-catching opportunities more evenly among anglers by lowering creel limits this year. Effective March 1, the daily limit on trout will be four.
Under the old creel limits, some anglers took home five fish while others caught only one trout or none at all. Lowering the limit to four daily will give less successful anglers a better chance of getting in on the fun. The change will reduce the harvest for some anglers, but it will spread the harvest among more anglers and create more successful fishing trips.
The four-trout limit applies to most waters statewide, not just trout parks. Some areas have more restrictive rules. Those are outlined in the 2005 Summary of Fishing Regulations, available wherever fishing permits are sold.
Also new to all four trout parks is a 15-inch minimum length limit on brown trout. This is aimed at taking advantage of the fish's growth potential.
Brown trout can grow larger than rainbow trout. Missouri's state record is 26 pounds, 13 ounces, compared to 18 pounds, 1 ounce for rainbow trout.
"With all the anglers after them, brown trout just haven't been able to grow as large as they could," said George Kromrey, who oversees the Conservation Department's trout hatcheries. "This minimum length limit will allow them to grow larger before they can be kept. We hope this will lead to anglers seeing more big browns at the parks and other trout areas."
Kromrey noted that the 15-inch minimum will actually be more liberal than the previous regulation at Bennett Spring SP, where an 18-inch minimum has been in effect.
The Conservation Department's trout hatcheries are among the state's oldest fish hatcheries. None has undergone significant renovation since 1978. To make sure they can keep up with future demand for trout, the agency plans a major overhaul. Plans call for 44 projects over the next five years. These range from water supply improvements already underway at Roaring River Hatchery to installing liquid oxygen aeration systems at Montauk, Roaring River and Shepherd of the Hills Hatchery near Branson.
"Trout are among Missouri's most popular game fish," said Kromrey. "Keeping hatcheries operating at peak efficiency and keeping up with demand is an important use of the money we receive from taxpayers. Besides providing recreation for Missourians, our investment in trout attracts thousands of out-of-state anglers who support Missouri's thriving tourism industry.
"
- Jim Low -
Fishing, hunting regulation changes take effect March 1
Friday, February 18, 2005
New trout regulations account for most of the changes in fishing regs. Changes in hunting rules include a longer fall turkey season.
JEFFERSON CITY-Hunters will have 16 extra days to chase turkeys this fall. Anglers will be allowed to use green frogs and bullfrogs as fishing bait. Target shooters will find new hours at ranges on some conservation areas. Those are a few of the Missouri hunting and fishing regulation changes that will go into effect March 1.
Missouri's hunting and fishing year begins March 1. That's when hunting and fishing permits expire and when new regulation changes go into effect.
FISHING REGULATION CHANGES
Most of this year's fishing regulation changes involve trout. Missouri trout streams now are divided into three categories:
--Blue Ribbon Trout Areas -- Harvest is limited to maintain the density of adult trout, create excellent catch-and-release fishing and provide the occasional chance to harvest a trophy
--Red Ribbon Trout Areas -- High-quality trout habitat stocked primarily with brown trout to provide good catch-and-release fishing and a chance to harvest quality-sized trout.
--White-Ribbon Trout Areas -- Coldwater streams capable of supporting trout year-round, stocked with rainbow and, in some cases, brown trout to provide great opportunities for catching and harvesting trout and the occasional chance to harvest a large trout.
Creel limits on trout in Missouri's four trout parks and most other waters decrease from five to four daily and from 10 to eight in possession. The reduction is aimed at helping less successful anglers get a bigger share of the fishing action.
Exceptions to the four-trout daily limit include:
--Barren Fork Creek in Shannon County from Country Road AD to its confluence with Sinking Creek--one trout. (Blue-Ribbon Area)
--Blue Springs Creek in Crawford County from Blue Springs to its junction with the Meramec River--one trout. (Blue-Ribbon Area)
--Crane Creek in Stone and Lawrence counties upstream from Quail Spur Crossing on Stone County Road 13-195--one trout. (Blue-Ribbon Area)
--Current River and its tributaries from Montauk State Park to Cedar Grove--one trout. (Blue-Ribbon Area)
--Eleven Point River in Oregon County from Greer Spring Branch junction to Turner Mill Access--one trout. (Blue-Ribbon Area)
--Little Piney Creek in Phelps County from the Phelps County line in Sections 9 and 16 of T35N, R8W, including Piney Spring Branch and Lane Spring Branch to Milldam Hollow Access-one trout. (Blue-Ribbon Area)
--Mill Creek in Phelps County from Yelton Spring to its junction with Little Piney Creek including Wilkins Spring and spring branch-one trout. (Blue-Ribbon Area)
--Meramec River and its tributaries except the Maramec Spring Branch, in Crawford and Phelps counties from Highway 8 Bridge to Scott's Ford--two trout. (Red-Ribbon Area)
--North Fork of the White River in Ozark County from the upper outlet of Rainbow Spring to Patrick Bridge-one trout. (Blue-Ribbon Area)
--The unimpounded part of the North Fork of the White River and its tributaries in Ozark County from Patrick Bridge to Norfork Lake--two trout. (Red-Ribbon Area)
--Roubidoux Creek in Pulaski County from the elevated utility crossing approximately .5 mile below the Business I-44 Bridge in Waynesville to its confluence with the Gasconade River--two trout. (Red-Ribbon Area)
--Spring Creek in Phelps County from Relfe Spring to the Big Piney River-one trout. (Blue-Ribbon Area)
All brown trout less than 15 inches long must be released immediately at Missouri's four trout parks and on the unimpounded portion of any steam unless otherwise restricted.
All brown and rainbow trout less than 18 inches long must be released immediately on:
--Barren Fork Creek in Shannon County from Country Road AD to its confluence with Sinking Creek--one trout.
--Blue Springs Creek in Crawford County from Blue Springs to its junction with the Meramec River--one trout.
--Crane Creek in Stone and Lawrence counties upstream from Quail Spur Crossing on Stone County Road 13-195--one trout.
--Current River and its tributaries from Montauk State Park to Cedar Grove--one trout.
--Eleven Point River in Oregon County from Greer Spring Branch junction to Turner Mill Access-one trout.
--Little Piney Creek in Phelps County from the Phelps County line in Sections 9 and 16 of T35N, R8W, including Piney Spring Branch and Lane Spring Branch to Milldam Hollow Access-one trout.
--Mill Creek in Phelps County from Yelton Spring to its junction with Little Piney Creek including Wilkins Spring and spring branch-one trout.
--North Fork of the White River in Ozark County from the upper outlet of Rainbow Spring to Patrick Bridge-one trout.
--Spring Creek in Phelps County from Relfe Spring to the Big Piney River-one trout.
A trout permit is required in addition to the prescribed fishing permit for fishing at:
--Maramec Spring Trout Park, Bennett Spring State Park (SP), Montauk SP and Roaring River SP during the winter no-creel season.
--Stone Mill Spring Branch in Pulaski County from Nov. 1 through Feb. 28.
--Lake Taneycomo from the closed fishing zone 760 feet below Table Rock Dam downstream to the U.S. Highway 65 Bridge.
From March 1 through Oct. 31, no person with four trout already in possession may fish on the designated portions of Montauk SP and Roaring River SP where catch-and-release fishing only is permitted.
At Stone Mill Spring Branch, trout fishing is permitted from March 1 through Oct. 31. The daily limit is four, and no person shall continue to fish for any species after having four trout in possession. Fishing also is permitted from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. from Nov. 1 through the last day in February as posted. Only flies and artificial lures may be used, and all fish must be released immediately.
Fishing is permitted at Stone Mill Spring Branch on designated waters during posted hours. Not more than one pole and line may be used by one person at a time. Gigging, snaring, snagging and the taking of live bait are prohibited. Flies, artificial lures, unscented soft plastic baits and natural and scented baits may be used, except in waters posted as restricted to specific baits or lures. The use of any foods to attract fish, except when placed on a hook, is prohibited.
This year, anglers may use as bait bullfrogs and green frogs taken and possessed under statewide regulations. The daily limit for southern leopard frogs, plain leopard frogs and cricket frogs is five each.
An experimental hand-fishing season for catfish will run from sunrise to sunset June 1 through July 15 in parts of the Fabius and Mississippi rivers in northeastern Missouri and part of the St. Francis River in southeastern Missouri.
Hand fishers must have a resident or nonresident annual fishing permit, a daily fishing permit or an exemption and buy a $7 Hand Fishing Permit, which will be available from the Conservation Department's Central Office in Jefferson City.
The daily limit is five blue, flathead and channel catfish in the aggregate, with a possession limit of 10. Flathead and blue catfish less than 22 inches long must be released unharmed immediately.
Hand fishing is restricted to feet and bare hands. Hooks or other devices are not allowed. Furthermore, hand fishers may take fish only from natural cavities or those created by bona fide construction, such as bridges and boat ramps. Hand fishers must report all fish they take.
The river sections included in the experimental hand-fishing season are:
--The Mississippi River from the mouth of the Fabius River upstream to the mouth of the Des Moines River
--The Fabius River system from its mouth to the Highway 61 bridges and the South Fabius in Marion County from the Highway 61 Bridge upstream to Dunn Ford Access.
--The part of the St. Francis River that forms the boundary between Arkansas and Missouri.
This year, gigging and bowfishing are prohibited on Blue Springs Creek and parts of Crane Creek, Mill Creek, the North Fork of the White River and Spring creek. Details are spelled out in the 2005 Summary of Missouri Fishing Regulations, available wherever fishing permits are sold.
HUNTING REGULATION CHANGES
This year's fall firearms turkey season will run from Oct. 1 through 31. In previous years, the season has been 14 days long. The bag limit will remain two birds of either sex, but hunters will be allowed to take both birds in one day. In the past, hunters could take only one turkey per day.
The November portion of firearms deer season will open Nov. 12. The closing date and dates of other portions of the season will be announced in early summer.
Only portable tree stands are allowed on conservation areas this year, and only from Sept. 1, 2005, through Jan. 31, 2006. Unattended stands must be plainly labeled with the owner's name and address on durable material. Screw-in steps or other devices that damage trees are prohibited.
Hound-running areas approved after March 1 must be at least 40 acres. Foxes and coyotes may be held in temporary confinement facilities on such areas or another location specified on the permit.
Beginning March 1, legally obtained groundhog pelts may be possessed and sold throughout the year.
This year, male pheasants may be taken from Nov. 1 through Jan. 15 north of I-70 and in that portion of St. Charles County south of I-70.
Effective this fall, waterfowl hunting will be allowed during designated seasons on designated portions of Lone Jack CA until 1 p.m. daily. Waterfowl hunting on Units 1 and 2 at Four Rivers CA have been added to the list of areas managed by daily drawing, where waterfowl may be taken only by holders of a valid area daily waterfowl hunting tag and only in designated areas. On Units 3 and 4 of Four Rivers CA, waterfowl hunters must pre-register and check out daily at designated hunter record boxes before and after the hunt, but there is no daily draw for hunting there.
For safety reasons, the Conservation Department has set shooting hours of one-half hour before sunrise until one-half hour after sunset at unstaffed shooting ranges on CAs.
Another new regulation forbids the release of transgenic fish or wildlife into the wild without written authorization from the Conservation Department director. Transgenic fish or wildlife may be possessed and used only as authorized by the Wildlife Code, which defines "transgenic" as any organism or progeny thereof that contains DNA from a species that was not a parent of that organism.
These and other regulation changes are explained in the 2005 Summary of Missouri Hunting Regulations and the 2005 Summary of Missouri Fishing Regulations. These booklets are available wherever Missouri hunting and fishing permits are sold. Regulation changes also are discussed in detail in the February issue of Missouri Conservationist magazine.
-Jim Low-
Grants to help schools maintain quality education
Friday, February 11, 2005
 |
| The Missouri Department of Conservation is stepping up to help cash-strapped schools maintain quality education through field trips. The agency's Conservation Field Trip Grant program makes grants of up to $700 available to qualifying schools. To learn more, visit www.missouriconservation.org or contact Veronica Feilner, 573/522-4115 ext. 3285, veronica.feilner@mdc.mo.gov.(Missouri Dept. of Conservation photo) |
The Conservation Department's Conservation Field Trip Grant program will help schools preserve field trips that enhance learning.
JEFFERSON CITY--Students learn best when they are excited and engaged. That is the principle behind the Conservation Field Trip Grant program.
The program, funded by the Missouri Department of Conservation, enables teachers from kindergarten through high school to take students on field trips to explore the state's fish, wildlife and natural habitats.
"The Conservation Department staff is eager to do all we can to help young people learn about our state's fish, wildlife and natural habitat," said Outreach and Education Division Administrator Lorna Domke. "Exploring the outdoors is the best way to learn about the impact and importance of conservation in our lives."
Domke said many educators have told the Conservation Department that budget cuts have reduced or eliminated field trips for their classes. "Lack of the small amount of money required to take a field trip is not a good reason to deny a child the opportunity to experience nature first-hand," she said.
Conservation Field Trip Grants provide up to $700 to cover the costs of taking students to places that bring scientific principles to life.
Eligibility criteria for Conservation Field Trips Grants are:
--Field trips must take place from April 10 to May 20.
--Field trips must be to fish, wildlife or natural habitat-related sites in Missouri.
--Field trips must address specific science or other academic instructional goals and be connected to classroom instructions.
--Grant requests must be for transportation costs only.
--Estimated transportation cost per student may not exceed $7.
--At least 25 students must attend the field trip.
The application period is March 1-15. Grants will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. Applicants will be notified by April 1 whether their proposals will be funded.
Field trip grants provide reimbursement for actual expenses. Schools that receive grant approval will submit transportation receipts and narratives describing the trip accomplishments and benefits. Documentation must be received by the Conservation Department within fourteen days after the field trip is taken or by June 6.
Educators in all Missouri elementary and secondary schools or school districts--including public, private, parochial and home schools--may apply. Applications are available from Conservation Department education staff and regional offices or may be downloaded from the agency's public website at www.missouriconservation.org. Click on keywords "Education" and then "Conservation Field Trip Grant."
For more information, contact Veronica Feilner, 573/522-4115 ext. 3285, veronica.feilner@mdc.mo.gov.
-Arleasha Mays-
Commission to meet March 10-11 in Cape Girardeau
Friday, February 11, 2005
JEFFERSON CITY- The Missouri Conservation Commission will meet March 10 and 11 at the Conservation Department's Southeast Missouri Headquarters, 2302 County Park Drive, Cape Girardeau.
The Commission will meet in executive session March 10 and in open session at 8:30 a.m. March 11.
Commission meetings are open to the public. Items to be placed on the agenda for presentations or other business should be sent in writing to Director, Missouri Department of Conservation, P.O. Box 180, Jefferson City, MO 65102-0180, fax 573/751-4467, at least 10 working days before the meeting date. The deadline for the next meeting is Feb. 25.
People requiring special services or accommodations to attend the meeting can make arrangements by writing to the same address, or by phone at 573/751-4115.
Commissioners are: Cynthia Metcalfe, St. Louis, chairman; Anita B. Gorman, Kansas City, vice-chairman; Lowell Mohler, Jefferson City, secretary; and Stephen C. Bradford, Cape Girardeau, member.
-Jim Low-
Regional quail meetings set for April
Friday, February 04, 2005
 |
| Regional quail and grassland bird management plans will be unveiled at public meetings throughout Missouri April 2 and 9. The meetings are part of the Missouri Department of Conservation's ongoing effort to keep citizens informed and learn their ideas and desires. (Missouri Dept. of Conservation photo) |
Eight meetings will give people around the state a chance to learn about Conservation Department plans and express their ideas.
JEFFERSON CITY--A series of public meetings in April will give Missourians a chance to learn about plans to restore bobwhite quail numbers. Those who attend will be encouraged to express their ideas about the quail plan and other conservation subjects.
The meetings are scheduled in eight regions throughout the state. They will bring together leaders from the Missouri Department of Conservation and the citizen-led Quail and Grassland Songbird Leadership Council. At each meeting, Conservation Department representatives will explain plans for an interagency effort to restore numbers of quail and other grassland birds. Other organizations involved in the effort include the U.S. Department of Agriculture and nongovernmental organizations such as Quail Unlimited and Audubon Missouri.
Meeting dates and phone numbers for more information are:
April 2
--Ozark Region -- Cover Conservation Area (CA) in Oregon County, 9 a.m. to noon, 417/256-7161.
--Northeast Region -- New London in Ralls County, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., 660/785-2424.
--Southwest Region -- Robert E. Talbot CA in Lawrence County, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., 417/895- 6880.
--Northwest Region -- Chillicothe in Livingston County, 816/271-3111.
--Southeast Region -- Maintz Wildlife Preserve in Cape Girardeau County, 573/290-5730.
--Central Region -- Whetstone Creek CA in Callaway County, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., 573/882-8388.
April 9
--Kansas City Region -- NECO Seeds demonstration farm in Cass County, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., 816/655-6250.
--St. Louis Region -- August A. Busch Memorial CA, St. Charles County, 1 to 4 p.m., 636/300-1953.
The meetings are part of the Conservation Department's ongoing program of public meetings. They are held at locations around the state each spring and fall to inform Missourians about its activities and encourage popular participation in conservation program planning.
- Jim Low -
Black Island joins list of Missouri conservation areas
Friday, February 04, 2005
The 2,000-acre tract in Pemiscot County will support a wide variety of wildlife and recreation.
CARUTHERSVILLE, Mo.-The creation of a new conservation area (CA) in Pemiscot County will benefit wildlife that has suffered from the loss of wetland areas. It also will benefit Missourians who treasure wild things and wild places.
The Missouri Department of Conservation recently acquired 2,087 acres in the Mississippi River flood plain north of Caruthersville and named it Black Island CA. The area comprises low-lying cropland and forested uplands.
Wildlife Regional Supervisor Harriet Weger said the Conservation Department will work to restore the bottomland hardwood forest that once covered the area.
Over the last century Missouri has lost 90 percent of the wetland acreage it once had. A special set of circumstances, including conservation-minded landowners and a federal wetland conservation program, allowed the Conservation Department to return a little of that land to its original condition, with benefits for wildlife and to Missourians.
Those benefits will include providing homes for such animals as the federally endangered least tern and the swamp rabbit, whose numbers have declined due to loss of suitable habitat. Recreational opportunities at Black Island CA include hunting, fishing and birdwatching. All these activities will be enhanced by management plans that call for planting native trees such as cypress, cottonwood, willow and green ash. The Conservation Department also is exploring the possibility of building a boat ramp on a river chute that connects the area with Gayoso Bend CA.
Not all of Black Island CA's benefits have to do with wildlife and recreation, however. It also will serve as a holding area for rainwater that otherwise would run off immediately, pushing up flood crests on the Mississippi River. Instead, the water will seep into the ground, replenishing aquifers that feed water wells.
Like Missouri's historic wetlands, Black Island CA also will trap sediment and nutrients instead of allowing them to wash into the Gulf of Mexico.
The Conservation Department bought the area from the Wayne D. Shillinglaw Trust and the Lennie S. Watkins Jr. Trust. First, however, the trusts sold perpetual conservation easements to the Natural Resources Conservation Service under the Wetland Reserve Program (WRP). WRP pays landowners to take flood-prone land out of production permanently and restore it to its historic vegetation and water conditions.
The foundations' choice to enroll their land in WRP was based partly on its marginal value for farming. Periodic flooding ruined crops often enough to make WRP enrollment economically appealing.
WRP also helped the Conservation Department. With the conservation easement, the land could no longer be farmed, lowering it's market value. The Conservation Department paid approximately $204 per acre for the land, much less than it would have cost before WRP enrollment. The restrictions on use don't pose any problem for the Conservation Department's plans.
By selling the easements and then the land itself, the sellers got a fair price for their property. The state got a bargain on a multitude of benefits for people, wildlife and the environment.
-Jim Low-
Agencies join forces to aid imperiled pallid sturgeon
Friday, February 04, 2005
The Corps of Engineers and the Conservation Department are improving hatchery facilities and monitoring the Missouri River sturgeon population.
JEFFERSON CITY--While it is widely known that the pallid sturgeon is endangered, many facts concerning the species' population distribution and trends are largely unknown. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Missouri Department of Conservation are part of a coalition of conservation agencies working to learn more about this elusive fish.
Several agencies are working together to assess the health of pallid sturgeon populations and a select group of other native Missouri River species. The study area extends from Fort Peck Dam in Montana to the river's mouth near St. Louis.
Other agencies involved in the project are the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, South Dakota Game, Fish & Parks and the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission.
These agencies will conduct sampling to learn about sturgeon natural reproduction, to evaluate stocking efforts and to gather information to better determine changes in the ecosystem. This program is one of several efforts funded by the Corps of Engineers to learn about pallid sturgeon habits and habitats.
The Conservation Department's part of the assessment involves sampling fish from a 148-mile stretch of the river from Kansas City to Glasgow. The data being collected will provide information that includes pallid sturgeon survival and growth rates, long-term population abundance trends and habitat usage.
The Conservation Department also does data entry and manages the program's database.
The Conservation Department and the Corps of Engineers also are cooperating to increase Blind Pony Hatchery's capacity to rear pallid sturgeon for Missouri River restoration efforts. Renovations at the Conservation Department hatchery in Saline County are designed to improve the quantity and quality of the water supply and the facility's water delivery system.
Blind Pony Lake, the water source for the hatchery, will be dredged to remove decades of accumulated sediment. The dredging will help reduce the lake's nutrient loads and dissolved oxygen problems, as well as increase the amount of water for sturgeon production.
A new building to house rearing facilities for pallid sturgeon and new, upgraded water lines to deliver quality water to the building will complete the renovations.
The Corps of Engineers also is helping with hatchery improvements at Neosho National Fish Hatchery in Neosho, Mo., Gavins Point National Fish Hatchery in Yankton, S.D., the Garrison Dam National Fish Hatchery in Riverdale, N.D., the Miles City State Fish Hatchery in Miles City, Mont., and the Bozeman Fish Technology Center in Bozeman, Mont.
-Arleasha Mays-
