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Hello. My name is Sarah.
I'll be your tour guide today to introduce you to the Missouri Department of Conservation
--people working for nature, and you! Even if you never venture into the outdoors
much farther than your own backyard, you benefit from the work of the Conservation Department
each day.
Healthy animals, plants, and habitats are the foundation of what makes Missouri a great
place to live and work.
Missourians voted in 1936 to create a Conservation Commission.
Four citizens are selected by the governor and the legislature approves their participation.
The faces change, but this commission continues to serve the citizens of our state.
The Conservation's mission is to protect and manage the fish, forest, and wildlife of the
state. This includes providing opportunities to enjoy
and learn about nature. Department staff are committed to providing
excellent public service.
If you do like to fish, hunt or view nature you probably know something about the Department
of Conservation. But whether you know a little, or a lot, join
me as we explore the many ways the Conservation Department touches the lives of every Missourian,
every day.
I'm in what Missouri hunters call the "turkey woods".
The sights and sounds of Missouri woodlands are beautiful in the spring.
Our forests, and all the nature of Missouri, mean many things to Missouri residents.
This is a good time to tell you how the Department listens carefully to what Missourians say
about conservation.
Citizens continue to tell us that they are interested in nature and want to protect Missouri's
natural heritage. And most agree that land should be acquired
for fish, forest, and wildlife conservation.
Missourians also support conservation efforts through their participation in outdoor recreation
and their daily actions. Some purchase their own conservation license
plates, as a creative expression of their favorite outdoor passion.
Conservation happens all year, whether you simply like to read about nature or go hunting.
Even in the spring, Missouri deer hunters are arranging vacation schedules and buying
clothing and equipment for fall deer hunting. Deer hunting has an over 1 billion dollar
impact on Missouri's economy and helps manage the size of Missouri's deer population.
Some deer hunters donate their harvested deer to the Share-the-Harvest program which provides
venison to food pantries and other organizations.
Overall, fishing, hunting, nature viewing, and the forest industry have an economic impact
in Missouri of over 11 billion dollars each year.
That's a conservation benefit you can take to the bank!
But only a couple of generations ago this economic engine and abundant wildlife would
have been almost unthinkable. The support of Missourians for conservation
has made success stories possible. From the restoration of deer, turkey and bald
eagles, to improved streams, forests and other habitats.
The people of Missouri have recognized that conservation is a long-term effort.
Today, Missouri has some of the best deer and turkey hunting in the country.
Work continues with quail, prairie chickens, collared lizards, and a long list of wildlife
and plants. From forests to prairies, and from streams
to rivers, the health and quality of Missouri's animals, plants, and aquatic life are under
constant review and managed for preservation and improvement.
Conservation Department employees have a passion for their mission and work with a small amount
of money. Less than one percent of the state budget
is spent on conservation each year. Most of the funds for the Department of Conservation
come from a one-eighth of one percent sales tax that Missourians voted to establish in
1976. This, in addition to sales of fishing and
hunting permits, has helped Department staff provide management and recreation opportunities
for Missourians and is viewed as a model for other states.
Many Missourians help with conservation efforts. Volunteer instructors have provided hunter
safety training to over one million Missourians. Private landowners and farmers implement practices
to manage their own lands to improve their own financial success and the well-being of
Missouri's fish, forests, and wildlife. Over 80,000 volunteers help with stream teams.
Other volunteers work at interpretive centers and Department facilities.
These actions provide benefits for us all.
Did you know that the Department of Conservation helps communities and landowners in a wide
variety of ways? The Department helps communities manage lakes
for fishing and recreation.
The Department also makes payments to counties, instead of taxes, on land that has been purchased
since 1976. Cooperating counties receive help to maintain
roads that might have little traffic except for access to conservation areas.
Over 600 fire departments gain valuable training and equipment to help prevent wildfires.
A tree nursery supplies seedlings to create improved habitat.
And hundreds of cities and towns receive technical and financial assistance to care for community
trees.
Wherever you live in our state, conservation staff are close by.
There are service centers and offices located throughout the state for easy citizen access.
There are conservation agents to enforce wildlife laws in every county.
And conservation areas are located throughout the state.
I'm going to go show grandpa! That's great.
On conservation areas, like here at Maple Leaf Lake, you can share the outdoors with
your children, or friends and family of any age, for some inexpensive and memorable fun.
Some conservation areas have facilities for easier use, like specially designed fishing
docks and hunting blinds. Conservation lands are managed to provide
habitat for nature and so that people can enjoy them in their own way.
If you are looking for a hands-on experience, there are nature and interpretive centers.
Most other areas are relatively undeveloped, with few facilities, for a more direct contact
with nature, through bird watching, photography, hunting, camping, hiking, and floating.
But don't think that conservation work stops on Department lands.
Even though there are many public conservation areas throughout the state, the Conservation
Department owns or manages less than 2 percent of Missouri's acres, and you might be surprised
to learn that 93 percent of Missouri is privately owned.
Helping Missourians be active conservationists is an important part of conservation success
in Missouri.
The Conservation Department staff provide a wide range of information, education, news,
video programs, and web pages to help you learn and experience the outdoors of Missouri.
Conservation programs bring to life the personal meaning that nature has for each of us.
And conservation staff help educate the next generation of Missourians through school programs,
free materials for teachers, and many kinds of conservation information.
For children and adults, opportunities are offered so that everyone can learn more about
the nature of Missouri.
You might live in one of the one-half million households that enjoy the Missouri Conservationist
magazine.
Free to state residents on request, the articles and photographs let readers experience every
corner of the Show-Me state in all its natural splendor.
The magazine is just the beginning. Easy to access information from the Conservation
Department is everywhere you look, in books, videos, your local paper, radio, television,
and on the Internet at the conservation website, missouriconservation.
org.
Everyone in our state is needed to conserve fish, forests, wildlife.
You can use native plants in your backyard or on the farm using information from Grow
Native! Participate in the No More Trash efforts to
keep Missouri clean. Help with a Missouri Stream Team.
Volunteer at a nature center. Become a Master Naturalist .
Serve as a hunter safety instructor. You can help pass on the heritage of fishing,
hunting, and nature appreciation by simply sharing your passion and interest for the
outdoors with someone else.
Well, that does it for our tour. I hope you've enjoyed it as much as I did,
and that along the way you discovered something new about how your Department of Conservation
touches all our lives. The Missouri Conservation Department, serving
nature, you, and me.