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Everything seems right for a memorable dove season opener.
JEFFERSON CITY--Numbers of resident mourning doves are up. Crops that provide food for doves are ready. And with Missouri headed for its second consecutive split dove season, quail and pheasant hunters will be able to share the bounty. All in all, says John Schulz, this year's dove season seems to be shaping up as a memorable one.
Schulz, a wildlife research biologist at the Missouri Department of Conservation's cooperative research center in Columbia, is responsible for keeping tabs on the state's dove population. He says results from this summer's roadside mourning dove survey show significant increases in mourning dove numbers compared to last year and to the 10-year average.
The state's northeast river breaks region showed the most impressive gain, a 45.3 percent increase from 1999 and a 21.3 percent increase from the past five years' average. The northwest prairie region was second, up 39.4 percent from last year and 33.3 percent over five years. The western prairie region's increase was 34.3 percent from last year and 11.9 percent over five years.
Even the Ozark Plateau, where observers counted the fewest doves (.7 per mile of survey route), posted an impressive 30.8 percent increase from 1999 and was up 36.9 percent compared to the past five years. The Mississippi lowlands region posted the largest five-year gain55.5 percent. It and the remaining regions showed gains of 20 to 26 percent over last year. The only exception was the northern and eastern Ozark border region, which had a 4.1 percent increase from 1999 and a .2 percent decrease from five years ago.
Schulz says a mild winter and a relatively dry spring account for the surge in mourning dove numbers.
"Doves are year-round nesters in areas where the climate permits, and this year's warm winter temperatures let many birds get a head start on the nesting season," says Schulz. "Wet weather normally takes a toll on early dove nesting, but this year we didn't have any serious rainstorms until mid-June."
Most of the birds that Missouri hunters pursue on dove season's Sept. 1 opener are ones that spent the summer here, rather than those migrating to Missouri from farther north. Most migrants don't arrive in Missouri until later in the fall. So good news about the number of summer resident doves means good news for hunters on opening day. And because a large portion of the doves taken by hunters every year are killed in the first week or two of the season, 2000 is likely to see a large dove harvest.
This year's dove season also bodes well for hunters who spend time afield in November. For the second year in a row, the Missouri Conservation Commission has approved a split season, running from Sept. 1 through 30 and from Nov. 1 through 30. This contrasts with the preceding eight years, when dove season ran from Sept. 1 through Oct. 30.
Schulz says the change was intended to provide maximum dove hunting opportunity. "Although a few hunters were pursuing doves in October," he says, "dove season was closed by the time quail and pheasant seasons opened in November. The idea was to give Missouri's 75,000 to 80,000 quail and pheasant hunters the chance to shoot doves when other upland game bird hunting opportunities were scarce."
The Conservation Department has received some calls from hunters who enjoyed October dove hunts complaining about the change. In response, Schulz plans to survey hunters to learn their dove hunting habits and preferences. "Our goal is to provide maximum hunting opportunities consistent with the wise management of our dove population," says Schulz. "If we find out that quail and pheasant hunters aren't making use of the November portion of the season to take doves, the Commission may reconsider the split season."
Schulz says he also is undertaking a study to find out where doves bagged by Missouri hunters come from. "Our working hypothesis is that we have four different groups of doves. One group consists of birds that live here year-round. Another is birds that come here to nest in the spring and summer and then fly south to Texas and Mexico to spend the winter. We think a third group consists of migrants that nest in Minnesota and Canada and arrive here sometime in the fall to sit out the cold months."
He said a fourth group might be birds that nest to the north of the Show-Me State and spend the winter south of here. Theoretically, these birds filter through Missouri from July through September.
All this is just educated speculation, though. To test these notions about the origin of Missouri's most prolific game bird, the Conservation Department will be banding doves in the Kansas City area during the next 10 years. Hunters who kill banded birds can keep the bands but are asked to report the band numbers to the Bird Banding Laboratory at 800/327-2263 or to the nearest Conservation Department office.
Schulz also asks hunters to report sightings of sick doves. Trichomoniasis, a disease caused by parasites, can kill doves, and Schulz is interested in the effect the disease might have on dove numbers statewide. Birds with trichomonaisis develop sores in their mouths and throats, making it difficult for them to swallow or drink. The disease poses no danger to humans.
Hunters who see or find sick doves can contact Schulz at 573/882-9880 or, preferably, by e-mail schulj@mail.conservation.state.mo.us.
- Jim Low -
Check the Conservation Department's website or call the nearest regional conservation office for information about places near you.
JEFFERSON CITY--Missourians looking for a place to hunt mourning doves shouldn't have to look far. The Missouri Department of Conservation gives special attention to doves' needs at conservation areas around the state and has information about those areas for dove hunters.
Typical dove management strategies include planting sunflowers and wheat as dove food plots. Harvesting those fields in late summer provides the combination of abundant food and open ground that doves find irresistible. Come opening day of dove season Sept. 1, such spots are prime hunting territory.
Some of the areas managed specifically for doves are well known. These include James A. Reed Memorial Wildlife Area in Jackson County, Bois D'Arc Conservation Area (CA) in Greene County, Lamine River CA in Cooper and Morgan Counties, Eagle Bluffs CA in Boone County and B.K. Leach, William A. Logan and William G. and Erma Park White CAs in Lincoln County.
But that's just the beginning. Dozens of other CAs scattered around the state offer similar opportunities for dove hunters. A list of these CAs can be found on the Conservation Department's website http://www.conservation.state.mo.us/hunt/gamebird/dove/. For more information about these areas, call the Conservation Department regional office nearest you. Those offices are located in Cape Girardeau (573/290-5730), Clinton (660/885-6981), Columbia (573/884-6861), Kansas City (816/356-2280), Kirksville (660/785-2420), Springfield (417895-6880), St. Charles (636/441-8740), St. Joseph (816/271-3100), Sullivan (573/468-3335) and West Plains (417/256-7161).
It's a good idea to visit the area you plan to hunt before opening day to find the exact location of food plots. Also advisable is checking regulations posted at each area. Nontoxic shot is required at some wetland areas, and special rules may apply on heavily hunted areas.
Dove hunting rules at Leach, Logan and White CAs have changed this year. Dove hunting on these areas is allowed only on Saturdays, Sundays and Wednesdays from 1 to 5 p.m. during September. Hunting spots at White and Logan CAs will be allocated by drawings at noon on hunting days. These drawings will take place at the White CA headquarters on Highway Z at Whiteside. Hunters at Leach CA will take part in a drawing at noon each hunting day at the headquarters building off Highway M southeast of Elsberry.
Ten Mile Pond CA in Mississippi County will hold a youth-only dove hunt the morning of Sept. 2. Youths age 15 and younger are eligible for the event. Each youth must be accompanied by an adult. The adult must have a valid hunting permit if the youth is not hunter education certified. Participants must check in at 5:30 a.m. Sept. 2 at Ten Mile Pond CA headquarters. The headquarters building is off Highway VV, 5 miles southeast of East Prairie. For more information, call 573/290-5730 or e-mail LANCAM@mail.conservation.state.mo.us>.
- Jim Low -
Workshops will help teachers breathe life into classroom lessons.
JEFFERSON CITY--Getting teachers out of the classroom is the goal of the Fifth Annual Conference on Environmental Education Nov. 10 through 12.
The event, cosponsored by the Missouri Department of Conservation Office of Environmental Education and the Missouri Environmental Education Association (MEEA), is designed to give educators guidance on how to use local wildlife and outdoor resources as tools for environmental education.
"Our theme for the conference is Environmental Education Close to Home: Your Community as a Classroom," says Conference Co-chairperson Cheryl Riley. "We want educators from all walks of life to attend the conference. We've planned programs and workshops that will help teachers, youth leaders, naturalists and community leaders use the resources within their communities to enhance lessons about the environment and conservation and to help students value natural resources."
Conference activities include more than 50 presentations and workshops with hands-on activities and field trips. There also will be demonstrations of community-based programs for youth, including youth presenters. The conference keynote speaker will be David Sobel, cofounder of Harrisville Children's Center and author of three books on ecological literacy. The MEEA annual membership meeting also will be held at the conference.
Registration for the conference is $100 for MEEA members, $125 for non-MEEA members who sign up by Oct. 20. Late and on-site registration is $150.A special $50 registration fee is available for full-time students. Registration fees cover conference participation and meals, excluding the banquet. Additional fees will be charged for some field trips and professional development workshops. For more information or a registration form, call Susan Brouk, 573/882-2429. To register online or to view the registration brochure, visit the conference website at http://muconf.missouri.edu\Environmental_Education.
Conference participants must make their own lodging arrangements. The room rate at Tan-Tar-A is $89 per night, plus tax. To make room reservations call Tan-Tar-A, 800/826-8272.
- Arleasha Mays -
The Commission accepted the Report of the Regulations Committee, approving recommendations for 2000-2001 waterfowl hunting seasons:
DUCK SEASON - 60 days within each of the three zones, with an opening framework date of the Saturday nearest Oct. 1 (Sept. 30, 2000) and a closing framework date of the Sunday nearest January 20 (January 21, 2001).
North Zone: Oct. 26 - Dec. 24
Middle Zone: Nov. 2 - Dec. 31
South Zone: Nov. 16 - Jan. 14
Youth Hunting Days:
North Zone: Oct. 21-22
Middle Zone: Oct. 28-29
South Zone: Nov. 11-12
(Participants in Youth Hunting Days must be less than 16 years of age and must be accompanied by a licensed adult at least 18 years of age who will not be permitted to hunt. Adults need not be licensed if the youth possesses a valid hunter education certificate card.) Bag limits for ducks and geese will be the same as during the regular season.
Shooting Hours - One-half hour before sunrise to sunset.
Bag Limit - 6 ducks daily with species restrictions of: 4 mallards (no more than 2 females), 3 scaup, 2 wood ducks, 2 redheads, 1 pintail, 1 black duck, 1 canvasback, 1 hooded merganser.
Possession Limit - Twice the daily bag (in total 12; varies by species)
COOT SEASON - Concurrent with duck season in the respective zones with a daily bag limit of 15 and possession limit of 30.
GOOSE SEASONS
Blue, snow and Ross' geese - 107 days in the respective zones with framework closing date March 10.
North and Swan Lake Zone - Oct. 26 - Jan. 31 (98 days)
Middle Zone - Nov. 2 - Jan. 31 (91 days)
South and Southeast Zone - Nov. 16 - Jan. 31 (77 days)
White-fronted geese - 86 days (2-goose limit) or 107 days (1-goose limit) in the respective zones with framework closing date of the Sunday nearest Feb. 15 (Feb. 18, 2001).
North Zone (except Swan Lake Zone)
Sept. 30 - Oct. 8
Oct. 26 - Nov. 26
Dec. 23 - Jan. 31 (81 days)
Swan Lake Zone
Oct. 26 - Nov. 26
Dec. 16 - Jan. 31 (79 days)
Middle Zone (except Southeast Zone)
Sept. 30 - Oct. 8
Nov. 2 - Nov. 26
Dec. 23 - Jan. 31 (74 days)
South and Southeast Zone
Sept. 30 - Oct. 8
Nov. 16 - Jan. 31 (86 days)
Canada geese and brant - 70 days statewide with no more than 30 days after Nov. 30 in the North, Middle and Swan Lake zones; framework closing date Jan. 31, 2001.
North Zone (except Swan Lake Zone)
Sept. 30 - Oct. 8
Oct. 26 - Nov. 26
Dec. 23 - Jan. 20 (70 days)
Swan Lake Zone
Oct. 26 - Nov. 26
Dec. 16 - Jan. 14 (62 days)
Middle Zone (except Southeast)
Sept. 30 - Oct. 8
Nov. 2 - Nov. 26
Dec. 23 - Jan. 20 (63 days)
South and Southeast Zone
Sept. 30 - Oct. 8
Nov. 16 - Nov. 26
Dec. 16 - Jan. 31 (67 days)
The daily bag and possession limits include no more than 20 blue, snow, or Ross' geese daily (no possession limit) and 2 brant daily (4 in possession) and 2 white-fronted geese daily (4 in possession).
In the North Zone (except Swan Lake Zone), Middle Zone, Southeast Zone and South Zone, the bag limit is 3 Canada geese daily (6 in possession during Sept. 30 - Oct. 8); and 2 Canada geese daily (4 in possession) thereafter.
In the Swan Lake Zone, the bag limit is 2 Canada geese daily (4 in possession).
FALCONRY SEASON FOR DUCKS, COOTS AND MERGANSERS: 107 days.
Statewide:
Sept. 9-24
Oct. 16 - Jan. 14
The daily bag and possession limits shall not exceed 3 and 6 birds respectively, singly, or in the aggregate during both regular duck hunting season and extended falconry seasons.
LIGHT GOOSE CONSERVATION ORDER:
The hunting season for blue, snow and Ross' geese is closed statewide beginning Feb. 1, 2001. Persons who possess a valid migratory bird permit may chase, pursue, and take blue, snow and Ross' geese between the hours of one-half (1/2) hour before sunrise to one-half (1/2) hour after sunset from Feb. 1 through April 30, 2001. Any other regulation notwithstanding, methods for the taking of blue, snow and Ross' geese includes using shotguns capable of holding more than three shells, and with the use or aid of recorded or electrically amplified bird calls or sounds, or recorded or electronically amplified imitations of bird calls or sounds. A daily bag limit will not be in effect during Feb. 1 - April 30, 2001.
Relive one of the most colorful aspects of Missouri's timber industry.
DONIPHAN, Mo.Celebrate Labor Day by learning about the work of Ozark loggers in the 1800s. Attend a tie-rafting re-enactment Sept. 2 on the Current River in Ripley County to see how loggers got their goods to sawmills.
A century ago, connecting logs and floating them downriver was the most efficient way to get timber to sawmills. Tie rafters drove nails into the tops of logs before placing them in the river. They placed poles on the nails to connect the logs, creating a raft. They inserted poles between rafts every 75 feet to enable the raft to negotiate bends in the river. When approximately 100 logs were attached the rafts would be floated to sawmills downstream. The last tie-rafting on the Current River occurred in April 1931.
The tie-rafting re-enactment will float a raft of 480 logs eight miles on the Current River from Mark Twain National Forest land to the city of Doniphan. The raft will be more than 250 feet long and weigh approximately 100,000 pounds.
The re-enactment will highlight Ripley County's river and lumber history. The river and the town were important to Ozark timber operations from the 1880s through the early 1900s. The Current River served as a major transportation route for transporting logs and ties to Doniphan. In 1883 the city became an important sawmill town and center for transporting logs by railroad.
The tie-rafting re-enactment is being sponsored by the Ripley County Chamber of Commerce, Doniphan Neighborhood Assistance Program and Ripley County Historical Society. The event may be rescheduled depending on water conditions on the river. For more information, contact Rebecca Johnson at 573/996-2212.
- Arleasha Mays -
A multimillion-dollar land development project that fell through turned into an opportunity for
innovative conservation practices.
EUREKA, Mo.--When plans for a $243.5 million industrial park unraveled, a St. Louis area developer settled on an unusual strategy to cut his losses. He created a bank. Even more unusual was the bank's assets2.6 miles of creek.
Developers Don Breckenridge, Greg Emmeneger and Dale Turvey planned to build an industrial park, to be called the Southwest Commerce Center, on 850 acres at the southwestern edge of Eureka, near the Six Flags amusement park. Because the land was in the flood plain of the Meramec River, they intended to dig a big hole in the ground, collecting enough fill dirt to raise building sites above the 100-year flood level and creating a lake in the process.
The deal fell through due to concerns about tax incentives, urban sprawl, building in a flood plain and destroying a stretch of Fox Creek, which ran through the planned development. Left with a big chunk of land that had become a liability rather than an asset, the developers looked for a way to recoup their loss.
Ironically, the very creek that contributed to the project's demise also held the answer to the developers' dilemma. Fox Creek was considered worth protecting because it was the only stream in St. Louis County that wasn't channelized, silted in or polluted. Its health was evident in the diversity of life it supported.
The Missouri Department of Conservation found more than 40 species of fish, including largemouth, smallmouth and spotted bass, crappie, chubs, minnows, darters, sculpins, shiners, stonerollers, bullheads and several species of sunfish. One of the creek's denizens, the silverjaw minnow, was a species of conservation concernnot yet threatened or endangered, but rare enough to warrant careful monitoring.
Mindful of the precarious position of both developers and creek, the Conservation Department and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers suggested a modified version of a mitigation bank. This approach has been used elsewhere to protect dwindling wetlands. Besides protecting the unique values of Fox Creek, a mitigation bank also would allow the owners to keep their land and build environmentally-friendly developments.
Here's how a mitigation bank works. Federal law requires the Corps of Engineers to examine development projects that will affect streams or wetlands. A Corps permit is required before work can begin. To get these permits, developers must "mitigate" any damage that their work causes to aquatic resources. This means avoiding damage as much as possible. Where damage is unavoidable, they must replace lost wetland or stream values, either at the site or somewhere else.
Sometimes finding suitable mitigation sites is difficult. If the Corps refuses to budge, this makes it hard to get a federal permit for a project. If the Corps is willing to compromise, work may proceed with little or no mitigation. Mitigation banks allow developers to create or enhance aquatic resources to store up credit for their good deeds and sell this ecological "capital" to other developers who need mitigation credit for their projects.
Wetland mitigation banks have been used for some time. However, most aquatic damage from development occurs on streams. The Fox Creek Stream Mitigation Bank is the first stream mitigation bank in the United States, and perhaps the first in the world.
Setting up the bank required the developers to come to an agreement on how much credit they would receive for protecting Fox Creek from development in perpetuity and actually improving its condition. The agreement had to satisfy the Corps of Engineers, the Conservation Department, the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Environmental Protection Agency.
Since the Fox Creek agreement was the first of its kind, the government agencies involved knew it would serve as the template for future stream mitigation banks. Conservation Department Policy Specialist Joe Bachant says they were determined to develop standards that would serve stream conservation well in the future.
"The market will determine what these credits are worth," says Bachant. "Credits from wetland mitigation banks in some areas sell for as much as $60,000 an acre. Our job was to decide what the market price of these stream mitigation credits would actually buy in terms of environmental quality. We set high standards for water quality and stream bank stabilization, because streams have tremendous worth beyond the purely aesthetic and recreational values we normally associate with them. As a result, a creek that was almost worthless before, in spite of its unusually good condition, now has a quantifiable value."
To earn stream mitigation credits, the developers agreed to plant 5,000 trees and shrubs, creating a protected stream corridor 300 feet wide and 2.6 miles long. The developers estimate the cost of this and other measures specified in the mitigation bank agreement at as much as $400,000. In return, they will receive 197.2 stream mitigation credits, which can be sold to developers for projects in the Meramec and Big river watersheds in St. Louis, Jefferson and Franklin counties. Developers outside this area may be able to get permission to buy Fox Creek mitigation credits from the Corps of Engineers. Each credit represents 70 to 75 linear feet of wooded stream corridor.
Under the agreement, they reserve the right to build housing on most of the Southwest Commerce Center site. Only about 100 acres along the creek are off limits. The combined income from environmentally sensitive development and sales of mitigation bank credits will help the developers make the Southwest Commerce Center a paying proposition.
"I have to admit that this was all very foreign to me," says Breckenridge. "But I really have a lot of respect for the way the Corps has approached this, trying to prevent the downfall of the project while protecting the natural aspects of the land."
He says he won't know until November or December whether the mitigation bank will be a paying proposition. The availability of mitigation credits has just been announced. Several companies have expressed interest in buying, but the price of the credits still has to be set. "Since this has never been done before, the pricing is still up in the air," he says. "If we sell the whole bank out it probably will be profitable for us."
The potential profitability of owning stream mitigation credits increased earlier this summer with a change in regulations on wetland developments. Previously, developments that affected less than half an acre of wetland didn't require mitigation. On June 6 the minimum dropped to one-tenth of an acre.
Conservation officials are eager to see how well the mitigation bank works, both for the developers and for the creek. The participating agencies and Missouri Stream Teams (an independent citizen group) plan to monitor water quality, biological diversity, stream bank erosion and other measures of stream quality to document the program's effectiveness. They also will track sales of mitigation credits and administration of the bank.
"I'm excited about the prospects of the Fox Creek Mitigation Bank and optimistic about Fox Creek's future," says Conservation Department Fisheries Management Biologist Kevin Meneau. "This could be a way to save valuable urban stream ecosystems, while encouraging environmentally-sensitive development."
- Jim Low -
A toll-free call, your conservation ID number and a touch-tone phone are all you need to register for hunting reservations at 14 wetland areas.
JEFFERSON CITY--Waterfowl hunters with touch-tone phones can apply for reservations at Missouri's managed wetland areas 24 hours a day, seven days a week from Sept. 5 through Sept. 25.
Don Martin, wildlife programs supervisor with the Missouri Department of Conservation, says hunters can make their reservations either by calling 800/829-2956 or via internet at
Martin says the application process goes more smoothly if you get a copy of the 2000-2001 Migratory Bird Digest from a permit vendor and read through it first. "The digest will help you figure out where all the wetland areas are, season dates in each area and other important details." he says.
Hunters may apply for anyone living in their immediate households. However, reservation holders must be present at the hunt for reservations to be valid. You can apply for reservations at as many as three conservation areas. You can request the first available weekend date, the first available weekday, the first available date, or a specific date. Asking for the first available date offers the best chance of getting a reservation.
Applying early is a good idea. Phone lines may be busy as the deadline approaches. The toll-free number is only for applying for reservations. For answers to questions about the reservation system or conditions at a particular hunting area, call the nearest Conservation Department office or the office where you want to hunt.
Following are numbers for information about waterfowl hunting conditions and facilities at the Conservation Department's managed wetland areas: Four Rivers (417/395-2341), Ten Mile Pond (573/649-2770), Otter Slough (573/624-5821), Eagle Bluffs (573/884-6861), Montrose (660/693-4666), Grand Pass (660/646-6122), B.K. Leach (573/248-2530), Fountain Grove (660/646-6122), Ted Shanks (573/248-2530), Duck Creek (573/222-3337), Schell-Osage (417/432-3414), Marais Temps Clair (314/441-4554) and Bob Brown (660/646-6122).
Results of the reservation drawing will be available at the same phone number and internet site after Oct. 2. Again, you will need your conservation ID number.
Reservations will be issued for half the hunting opportunities at each area. The remaining hunting slots will be allocated to hunters without reservations on a walk-in basis. Each day, reservation holders and walk-in hunters will take part in early-morning drawings to determine where on the area they hunt.
- Jim Low -
What's good for fish is good for people, too.
OZARK, Mo.--U.S. Sen. Christopher "Kit" Bond's ideas about the Fishable Waters Act fell upon receptive ears Aug. 5.
Missouri's senior senator discussed the proposed legislation designed to improve water quality through locally driven efforts last week at an open-microphone discussion at John L. Morris' "Old Mill" facility in Ozark. The audienceland management agency representatives, civic officials, and private landownersvoiced their support of the bill and their commitment to back Bond's efforts to get the legislation passed.
Bond and U.S. Rep. John Tanner (D-Tenn.) introduced the Fishable Waters Act (S. 2441) in April. The bill's goal is to deliver on the Clean Water Act's promise of providing fishable waters. It would provide financial and technical resources, guidance and support for locally led, voluntary, nonregulatory, incentive-based efforts that protect and restore watersheds around the country. Local watershed councils would use these additional resources to prepare customized plans to meet local fisheries habitat and water quality needs. The councils would include willing public and private landowners.
The Fishable Waters Act would provide incentives to focus existing federal revenues on protecting and restoring fisheries habitat.
"The idea embodied in the Fishable Waters Act is to say to the folks who live in the local community 'If you can come up with a good idea, we'll help you finance it,'" Bond told the group. "We want you to recognize what our goals are and to come up with some good ideas on what can be done."
Having local organizations and citizens take the lead roles in enacting water quality measures is the best way to ensure success, according to Bond.
"If the 'feds' allow the 'locals' to make their own decisions, I think it's going to succeed," he said. "I think it's going to succeed a lot better than a solution that is top-driven."
Although the bill's specific purpose is to restore fish habitat, the legislation is about much more than making anglers happy. Improved water quality for everyone is the main goal.
"If the fish are happy with the water, the rest of us are pretty happy with the water, too," said John Morris, the founder of Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World, Inc.
"If you have fishable waters, the chances are it's going to be a good drinking water source and vice-versa," said Loring Bullard, Director of the Watershed Committee of the Ozarks. "All these uses are tied together. Whether we call it a drinking water bill or a clean water act or a fishable act or whatever, the idea is to offer incentives to landowners to do the right thing and protect the watershed. That's good."
The Conservation Department's Ozark Unit Fisheries Chief Kevin Richards said the Fishable Waters Act would give added impetus to efforts that were already underway in Missouri.
"I think the Fishable Waters Act brings a nationwide perspective and increased funding to some of the things that Missouri is already trying to do," said Richards. "We're already involved in loads of watershed projects around the state, whether it's through SALT (Special Area Land Treatment) programs, Earth projects, basin partnerships or our own conservation programs. This is another way to voluntarily encourage partners to practice good watershed management. This Fishable Waters Act could tie in nicely with the Conservation Department's new Private Land Program."
Missouri and other states probably will have to wait to reap the benefits of the Fishable Waters Act. Bond said the chances of the bill passing during this session are slim. However, he plans to reintroduce the bill during the next session and he said the more groundwork that can be laid now, the better chance the bill has of passing next year.
"We want to get people organized and fully informed about this legislation," he said. "We want every member of Congress who's sworn in in January to have a whole stack of letters on his or her desk saying Fishable Waters makes sense, please sign on. If we can build the support, if we can get the people interested, it has an excellent chance of passing."
"It's going to take repetition in order to generate support for this thing and start it steam-rolling," said Burton Steinberg of the American Sportfishing Association. "It can't be done overnight."
- Francis Skalicky -
Trail Rangers work more than 5,000 hours annually to make the Riverfront Trail a popular attraction.
ST. LOUIS--The Grace Hill Riverfront Communities Project seeks to make the St. Louis North Riverfront Trail the road to recovery for riverside neighborhoods.
Through its Trail Ranger program, the nonprofit organization led efforts to build the trail. Since the trail was completed in 1999, thousands of people from throughout the St. Louis metro area have used the trail to enjoy hiking, biking and nature viewing. The Grace Hill Riverfront Communities Project is optimistic the site also will provide an economic boost to the area.
"We had two goals for this program," says Trail Ranger Program Director Douglas Eller. "We wanted it to help residents of the riverside communities take ownership in the neighborhood, to get involved in shaping the future of the community. We also wanted to create a place where people from throughout the metro area will want to come to enjoy our wonderful natural resources."
The Trail Ranger program employed 30 African American young adults, aged 16-20, from the riverside communities to help construct and maintain the Riverfront Trail. Ten rangers are stationed along the path daily to assure trail safety and provide trail users with services ranging from directions to bike repair and emergency assistance.
In addition to their daily duties, the rangers help with cleanups and programs to teach the public about the area's natural resources and history. Last year the Trail Rangers provided more than 5,300 paid and volunteer hours to make the Riverfront Trail a popular attraction.
"The hard work and dedication from the local residents have transformed a neglected area, where people didn't feel safe, into a tourist attraction where you can see eagles and enjoy nature," says Eller. "The Trail Rangers also are learning skills that are helping them compete in the job market. Ten of the rangers have transitioned into full time employment with area businesses."
Eller says the program now looks to capitalize on the popularity of the trail to revive local neighborhoods' economies. "As more people use the trail, they are going to bring needs with them," Eller says. "We want to establish businesses that will relate to those needs and to the trail. Things such as snack shops and bike rentals. And we have a grant from the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) to establish a native plant nursery."
The 12-mile North Riverfront Trail is located along the Mississippi River shoreline from the Gateway Arch to just south of the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge.
The Trail Ranger program was established with a grant from the federal AmeriCorps program. The program also has received funding from the Missouri Department of Conservation, the Natural Resources Conservation Service, the Missouri Arts Council, the St. Louis Regional Arts Commission, the McKnight Foundation, the William A. Kerr Foundation and Mallinckrodt, Inc.
- Arleasha Mays -
Keeping pollutants out of ponds is the key.
JEFFERSON CITY--Overheated Missourians can rest in the shade during blistering weather. Fish in ponds aren't so lucky.
Fish and plants need oxygen in the water to survive. According to the Missouri Department of Conservation, several conditions can cause summer fish die-offs in ponds. Ultimately, though, it is lack of oxygen that does the killing.
The Conservation Department recommends every pond be at least 8 feet deep. The more water there is, the more oxygen there is for fish, and even ponds that once were deep enough can become death traps for fish.
Rainwater running off hillsides carries sediment into ponds. Over time, this sediment raises pond bottoms. Owners should check their ponds' depth every year, especially if the surrounding land is prone to soil erosion.
Another pond problem that can contribute to summer fish kills is overabundant aquatic vegetation. Aquatic plants are a necessary part of ponds and lakes. They keep the water oxygenated, provide food, cover and nesting sites for fish and stabilize the shoreline and pond bottom. But there is a limit to the amount and kind of plants that are desirable in ponds.
Excess vegetation is a symptom of an underlying problemexcess nutrients in the water. Anything that puts phosphorus or nitrogen in pond water can trigger excessive algal growth. Common sources of nutrients include wild or domestic waterfowl droppings, runoff of fertilizer from lawns, crop fields or livestock feedlots or malfunctioning septic tanks or sewage lagoons.
To reduce the effects of nutrient runoff, pond owners can establish buffer zones of unfertilized land 100 feet or wider around ponds. Repairing faulty sewage systems or diverting animal feedlot runoff away from the pond may be the solution in other cases. You can provide a nutrient and sediment trap by creating a wetland between the pond and the source of nutrients. It's also a good idea to check for leaks in sewage lines and lagoons.
Rooted plants are a healthy addition to a pond as long as they don't cover more than 10 to 15 percent of the pond's surface. Algae are another story. Often called seaweed or moss, this free-floating slop can interfere with fishing and swimming. Some types of blue-green algae produce toxins that can harm fish, waterfowl and other animals. But this isn't the most common or the most serious problem caused by algae.
Like all plants, algae need oxygen to live. Plants normally produce more oxygen than they use, but on cloudy days they may use more than they produce. Worse, after several overcast days algae may die off, tying up more oxygen as it rots. When this happens, the amount of oxygen in pond water can fall to levels that are harmful or even fatal for fish.
Oxygen levels usually are lowest just before sunrise. If you see fish gulping air at the surface, you can provide temporary relief by spraying water across the surface of the pond with a high-pressure hose
A herd of longhorns could devastate Missouri forests
JEFFERSON CITY--Judging by its name, you might expect the Asian long-horned beetle to be the scourge of the prairie. But Missouri forestry officials say the exotic insect is a threat to trees, from cities to rural forests.
Forestry officials with the Missouri Department of Conservation recently learned that shipments of goods possibly infested with Asian long-horned beetles may have arrived at five sites in Missouri. Signs of the beetles were found in wooden packing materials with shipments of plumbing fixtures from Houston, Texas.
The shipments went to businesses in Crestwood, Springfield, Peculiar and Kansas City. Businesses in 29 other states also received potentially infested shipments.
The possibility that live Asian long-horned beetles might have arrived in Missouri concerns forestry officials. They say the insect can cause severe damage to several tree species, including maples, willows, poplars, elms, birches, black locust, horse chestnut, green ash, box elder and rose of Sharon.
The U.S. Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is trying to learn if any of the beetles escaped to the wild in Missouri. They have placed traps baited with special attractants in the areas where the infested shipments arrived. So far, they haven't found any adult beetles.
APHIS and Conservation Department officials hope that tree-care professionals will help them discover any developing Asian long-horned beetle infestations.
"Our best chance of detecting an outbreak before it becomes serious lies in educating arborists and others involved in tree care and landscaping," says Conservation Department Forest Entomologist Rob Lawrence. "We can deal with an infestation if we catch it early enough."
Lawrence says Chicago and New York City both are waging intensive eradication campaigns against Asian long-horned beetle infestations. Eliminating the pests requires removal, chipping and burning of infested trees.
As insects go, Asian long-horned beetles are fairly handsome, with sharply contrasting white spots on jet black bodies. They are three-quarters of an inch to one and one-quarter inches long. They get their name from slender, black-and-white striped antennae that can be two and a half times as long as their bodies.
Telltale signs of beetle infestation include round or oval pits in tree bark where female beetles have chewed niches for their eggs, sap oozing from tree trunks or branches where eggs have been laid, coarse sawdust around the limbs or bases of trees and round holes three-eighths inch of an inch or more in diameter on tree trunks and branches.
Missouri forests have many native long-horned beetles and other insects that can cause similar symptoms. However, these are not as serious a threat to our trees. The only way to know that damage is caused by Asian long-horned beetles is to capture an adult.
If you find what you suspect are Asian long-horned beetles, put them in a glass container and freeze them. (They can chew their way out of plastic containers.) If you find adult beetles, call 573/751-5505 (the Missouri Department of Agriculture) or 573/882-9880 (the Conservation Department) or take the beetles to the nearest Conservation Department or University of Missouri Extension Service office.
You can contact forestry officials by e-mail at foresthealth@mail.conservation.state.mo.us. Information about Asian long-horned beetles is available online at http://willow.ncfes.umn.edu/asianbeetle/beetle.htm.
- Jim Low -
Don't throw away those fillets. A few yellow specks won't hurt a thing.
JEFFERSON CITY--"The fish we caught in our pond have little worms in them. Are they safe to eat?"
Every year, the Missouri Department of Conservation gets calls like this from anglers who notice small, yellow grubs in the flesh of fish they are preparing for the table. They are understandably concerned that the grubs larvae of a fish parasite might be harmful or at least unhealthy to eat. But Conservation Department fisheries biologists say that although the grubs may be unappetizing, they don't affect the wholesomeness of the meat.
Missouri Department of Conservation Fisheries Management Biologist Dale Cornelius says fish have always been hosts for yellow grubs. They can easily be overlooked when fish are cooked whole. Anglers who fillet their catch, however, are likely to spot the parasites.
"The yellow grub is a common parasite that can affect any species of fish," says Cornelius. "Fish that are properly cleaned and cooked present no danger of transmitting parasites or disease to humans."
The yellow grub parasite begins its complex life cycle in fish-eating birds. Adult grubs lay eggs in the throats and mouths of the birds. Those eggs are expelled when the birds feed. Larvae emerge from eggs and burrow into the bodies of snails, continuing to grow and change form. When a grub leaves a snail, it attaches to a fish and burrows into the fish's flesh. The cycle then repeats itself when a fish-eating bird eats the infected fish.
Anglers who catch fish that have yellow grubs can remove them, but thorough cooking will kill any missed in cleaning.
For questions concerning fish parasites or pond management contact Randy Noyes, Fisheries Division, Missouri Department of Conservation, P.O. Box 180, Jefferson City, MO 65102-0180, e-mail noyesr@mail.conservation.state.mo.us.
-Jim Low-
Live animals and games highlight MDC fair offerings.
SEDALIA, Mo.-- Experience the sights and sounds of outdoor Missouri at the 2000 Missouri State Fair. Live animal displays, games and other hands-on activities are just some of what you will find at the Missouri Department of Conservation pavilion August 10 through 20.
Get a close-up look at Missouri wildlife. Live mammals, reptiles and amphibians will be displayed. Ten 100-gallon fish tanks will let visitors peek into the underwater world of bass, crappie, bluegills, catfish, paddlefish and other native fish.
Brush up on your nature knowledge with a visit to the conservation discovery room. Hands-on activities include "Be an Expert Tracker" and "Furry Fun," which quiz participants on their ability to identify animals by the tracks they make and by their pelts. There will be information highlighting the Lek Trek, a 12-week series of walks and prairie festivals to raise awareness of Missouri's native grasslands. A diorama featuring grassland plants and animals and information on prairie management will be on display. Missouri Department of Conservation Public Relations Specialist Ralph Duren will perform wildlife calls August 14 through 16.
The fair is a great place to learn about outdoor recreational opportunities and resources management. Hunter education instructors from around the state will have information on safety afield and opportunities to participate in hunter education courses. Booths staffed by Conservation Department wildlife, fisheries, forestry, natural history and private land services experts will be available to discuss resource management questions and to provide information about department services.
Fair goers will find one-stop shopping for permits and conservation books and videos. The "Missouri Conservation Atlas," and the newly revised "Amphibians and Reptiles of Missouri " are among the books available for purchase. Videos for sale include "Keep the Balance," which offers a fun look at why we manage our fish, forests and wildlife. Hunting and fishing permits also will be available for purchase.
The Conservation Department pavilion is located at the south end of the fairgrounds, across from the Highway Gardens.
- Arleasha Mays -
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