The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) had an assortment of notable news during 2024 including new leadership, new state records, awards, renovations, regulation changes, and more. See the news highlights below and follow the links for more information and images.
Farewell and welcomes
MDC Director Sara Parker Pauley announced her retirement in January (effective July 1) after a 30-year career in public service that began as a policy coordinator at MDC and ended as the first female director of the agency when she took the position in November 2016. Read more at mdc.mo.gov/newsroom/mdc-director-sara-parker-pauley-announces-retirement-after-decades-long-career-public.
MDC welcomed Jason Sumners as the new director of MDC in June. Sumners served as the MDC deputy director of Resource Management before being named director by the Conservation Commission. Learn more at mdc.mo.gov/newsroom/conservation-commission-names-jason-sumners-director-missouri-department-conservation
Also in June, MDC welcomed Laura Conlee as its new Deputy Director of Resource Management and Andrew Bond as new Deputy Director of Business and Operations. Learn more at mdc.mo.gov/newsroom/mdc-names-laura-conlee-andrew-bond-deputy-directors.
MDC welcomed 89 new staff members in 2024. MDC is still hiring and has positions open around the state. Find more about MDC job openings at jobs.mdc.mo.gov/.
MDC welcomed a new 160-acre conservation area in Dade County after the Conservation Commission approved the acquisition in February. The new area will be named the Dr. Harry and Lina Berrier Memorial Tract to Sons Creek Conservation Area. Learn more at mdc.mo.gov/newsroom/recent-land-acquisition-adds-valuable-acres-mdc-grassland-focus-area-dade-county.
MDC and just about everyone in Missouri “welcomed” millions and millions of red-eyed buzzing bugs this spring after mass emergences of millions of periodical cicadas. Staff around the state hosted a variety of programs and events focusing on these unique insects. Learn more from the MDC Wild Webcast at youtube.com/watch?v=NU8w18EvI4c.
Congratulations
MDC’s George O. White State Forest Nursery celebrated 90 years of operations in April with a public open house, tours, and educational programs and activities. Nursery staff grow about 2.25 million seedlings at the 100-acre nursery each year. Learn more at mdc.mo.gov/newsroom/mdcs-george-o-white-state-forest-nursery-celebrates-90-years-april-6
MDC helped celebrate 35 years of Missouri Stream Teams in July. The Missouri Stream Team Program is a volunteer-led effort to conserve Missouri streams. Sponsored by MDC, the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, and the Conservation Federation of Missouri, the program focuses on education, stewardship, and advocacy for Missouri stream resources. Learn more at https://mdc.mo.gov/newsroom/celebrate-35-years-missouri-stream-teams-july-27-meramec-state-park.
MDC helped celebrate Smokey Bear’s 80th birthday in 2024 through special activities at nature centers and at the Missouri State Fair and regional fairs around the state. Learn more at .fs.usda.gov/about-agency/features/smokey-bear-legend-legends-80-years-and-counting.
The Missouri Conservation Commission and MDC awarded their Master Conservationist award posthumously to former MDC staff person John Wylie in July. Wylie is the 68th person to receive the award. Read more at mdc.mo.gov/newsroom/mdc-honors-john-wylie-missouri-master-conservationist
MDC staff celebrated Peanut the Turtle’s 40th birthday with a public celebration in August at Powder Valley Nature Center in Kirkwood. Learn more at mdc.mo.gov/newsroom/celebrate-peanut-turtles-40th-birthday-public-celebration-august-24-powder-valley-nature.
Congratulations and thank you from MDC and the Missouri Community Forestry Council to Stan Stevens, the City of Branson, Rockhurst University, and St. Louis Municipal Opera Theater (The Muny) for being outstanding stewards of our community trees and receiving the 2024 Missouri Arbor Awards of Excellence. Learn more at mdc.mo.gov/newsroom/missourians-recognized-making-trees-work-their-communities-0.
The Missouri Conservation Commission and MDC honored retired MDC employee George Seek of Meadville with their Master Conservationist Award in October. Seek worked for MDC for more than 30 years, retiring as chief of the Private Lands Division. Read more at mdc.mo.gov/newsroom/mdc-honors-george-seek-master-conservationist-award.
Congratulations to MDC Conservation Agent Susan Swem on being named the National Wild Turkey Federation’s Missouri Wildlife Officer of the Year for 2024. More at mdc.mo.gov/newsroom/long-time-mdc-conservation-agent-wins-state-nwtf-award.
Fishing feats
Congratulations to Jeffrey Needles of Lake Lotawana for catching the first state-record of 2024 in January – a 12-ounce yellow perch from Lake Lotawana. Learn more at mdc.mo.gov/newsroom/jackson-county-angler-swipes-first-state-record-fish-2024.
Congratulations to Chad Williams of Olathe, Kansas for snagging a 164-pound, 13-ounce paddlefish at the Lake of the Ozarks in March. The fish not only broke the previous state record of 140 pounds, but also the previous world record of 164 pounds. Read more at mdc.mo.gov/newsroom/angler-snags-world-record-paddlefish-during-snagging-season-opening-weekend.
George Chance of Festus broke a state record after catching a massive 97-pound bighead carp from the Mississippi River in March. The previous pole-and-line state record was an 80-pound fish caught from the Lake of the Ozarks in 2004. More at mdc.mo.gov/newsroom/missouri-angler-catches-world-record-sized-bighead-carp
Congratulations to Frank Reynolds of Linn on becoming a state-record holder under alternative methods for grass carp after he shot a 74-pound, 2-ounce carp from a private pond in August. More at mdc.mo.gov/newsroom/osage-county-man-named-state-record-holder-under-alternative-methods-grass-carp
Ryan Young of Buffalo became a new state-record holder when he reeled in a 55-pound, 9-ounce black buffalo in October. More at mdc.mo.gov/newsroom/new-state-record-black-buffalo-caught-stockton-lake.
Power of partnerships
MDC again invited people to celebrate the value of Missouri trees and forests during Arbor Days in April with the Arbor Day Foundation by planting native trees and practicing proper tree care. More at mdc.mo.gov/newsroom/celebrate-native-trees-mdc-through-arbor-days-april.
MDC partnered with the Missouri Invasive Plant Council, Forest ReLeaf of Missouri, and Forrest Keeling Nursery to host a “buyback” program in April for invasive callery pear trees. Missourians with callery pear trees on their properties were encouraged to cut them down and get free, native trees in return. Learn more at mdc.mo.gov/newsroom/mdc-partners-moip-2024-callery-pear-buyback-events
In August, the City of Ozark teamed with MDC and other groups to open the new Garrison Springs Community Forest. The nearly 10-acre tract, located within the city near the heart of Ozark’s downtown, includes an ADA-approved trail, an unpaved trail that leads to a scenic lookout, and an onsite structure that will be opened as an educational center in the future. Learn more at mdc.mo.gov/newsroom/new-urban-forest-cooperative-effort-between-city-ozark-mdc-other-partners.
MDC joined Columbia Public Schools in August for the grand opening of the Boone County Nature School. The collaborative effort between MDC and Columbia Public Schools provides a new 8,230-square-foot building with four nature-themed classrooms, lab space, nature and student-related lobby exhibits, and offices. The building and associated grounds serve students from all six Boone County school districts through unique “place-based” education as well as the public through special conservation-related programming. Learn more at mdc.mo.gov/newsroom/mdc-columbia-public-schools-invite-public-grand-opening-boone-county-nature-school-aug-23.
MDC and conservation partners finished the third year of reintroducing brown-headed nuthatches in the Missouri Ozarks. Partnerships were key in making this conservation effort possible and involved nearly a dozen state, federal, and non-government organizations that came together to capture, translocate, and release the birds. Read more at mdc.mo.gov/newsroom/mdc-partners-finish-third-round-brown-headed-nuthatch-reintroduction.
MDC worked with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks to remove more than 43,000 pounds of invasive carp from portions of the Lamine River. More at mdc.mo.gov/newsroom/mdc-successfully-removes-over-43000-pounds-invasive-carp-lamine-river.
Renovations
MDC completed and opened its pump-station project at the Schell-Osage Conservation Area in Vernon County in July. It was the first of three phases in a long-planned wetland and lake renovation. The project will improve the area’s wetlands for a wide variety of waterfowl, shorebirds, and wading birds, and it will improve Schell Lake for fishing. These changes will enhance opportunities for waterfowl hunters, birders, wildlife watchers, and anglers. Learn more at mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/places/schell-osage-ca/schell-osage-updates.
MDC began extensive renovations to its headquarters in Jefferson City last summer. Learn more at mdc.mo.gov/newsroom/mdc-begins-construction-preparations-commission-headquarters-jefferson-city.
MDC completed and opened a new pump station and drainage system at Fountain Grove Conservation Area in Livingston County in October. The project was the second phase at Fountain Grove and part of MDC’s Golden Anniversary Wetland Renovation program. Renovations include three new electric pumps and a new drainage structure on the west side of the area. Learn more at mdc.mo.gov/newsroom/mdc-commemorates-new-pump-station-fountain-grove-conservation-area-ribbon-cutting-oct-24.
The Conservation Commission approved renovation work of Schell Lake in Schell City in October. The project is part of phase-two renovations of the MDC Schell-Osage Conservation Area Golden Anniversary Wetland Renovation project. Learn more at mdc.mo.gov/newsroom/mdc-starting-renovation-projects-schell-lake-eagle-bluffs.
The Commission also approved construction of the Eagle Bluffs Conservation Area Pump Station Flood Repairs project in Boone County in October. Learn more at mdc.mo.gov/newsroom/mdc-starting-renovation-projects-schell-lake-eagle-bluffs.
MDC’s new Shepherd of the Hills Conservation Education Center in Branson opened to the public in December and features a 7,500-gallon indoor aquarium, new exhibits, a larger lobby than the previous facility, larger restrooms, and more office space. Learn more at mdc.mo.gov/newsroom/mdcs-shepherd-hills-conservation-education-center-opens-public-dec-19.
Regulaton changes
In April, MDC announced changes to turkey hunting regulations for the fall seasons that reduced the harvest limit from four to two birds of either sex and now requires both fall firearms turkey hunters and fall archery turkey hunters to purchase a fall turkey-hunting permit. Learn more at mdc.mo.gov/newsroom/mdc-changes-turkey-regulations-fall-hunting.
Get more mdc news
Keep up with MDC news at mdc.mo.gov/newsroom and by subscribing to Stay In Touch with MDC at public.govdelivery.com/accounts/MODC/subscribers/new.
Among MDC notable news for 2024 was its George O. White State Forest Nursery celebrating 90 years of operations in April. Nursery staff grow about 2.25 million seedlings at the 100-acre nursery each year. Shown is a mule team from the 1930s harvesting tree seedlings at the nursery.
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