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Part One; Shanks Area A Dream (EDITOR'S NOTE: Included in Gov. Christopher S. Bond's budget is a $2 million item for four conservation projects. The funds are to come from federal revenue sharing money if ap proved by the Legislature. This week we begin a four-part series explaining what the conservation projects are.) will become one of the mid continent's premier waterfowl areas. But waterfowl areas require a lot of money because of the need to manipulate water and food. The Shanks Area, with its an ticipated diverse natural com munity also is a perfect spot for another ‘Design’ proposal, a conservation interpretive center with a resident ecologist. User fees have been proposed as a method of financing maintenance costs, but the cost of developing the area is too great to start the project that way Next: Urban forests are a new concept in Missouri con servation, an aspect of ‘Design for Conservation. we ‘Trapping Regulations Continue JEFFERSON CITY— The Conservation Commission’ has decided against a ban on steel leg hold traps in Missouri after nearly a year of study, public hearings and recommendations from conservation and other organizations. . The Commission decided there is no biological justification for discontinuing trapping. “Basically, the trapping issue is a moral judgment,” said William A. Stark, Bethany, vice chairman of the Commission. “This is a subjective matter and there are ‘vast differences of opinion as our studies have shown, “Many opponents of trapping also oppose hunting on moral grounds. We don't feel that good conservation laws are those made on emotion, without biological evidence to back them up.” The Commission said it feels trapping is a legitimate method of harvesting the fur resource, a product of the land, and that trapping also is an effective method of controlling furbearer damage to poultry, livestock, crops, dams and levees. “Seasonal trapping removes some animals that otherwise would create problems requiring special control measures,’’ Stark said. He pointed out that regulations now require trappers to check their traps at least once every 24 hours, minimizing the time animals are in the trap. ‘Most sets by skilled trappers are relatively selective and humane, Stark said. “Especially water jets and in stant killing traps.” The anti-trapping movement has drawn a vast amount of public interest. The Commission listened to the opponents of trapping and also sought opinions from many groups with an interest in the future of trapping, such as farm and conservation organizations. The decision doesn't preclude future changes based on demonstrated needs,'' Stark said, ‘But it does reject an out right ban on trapping, and, for now, it continues the present regulations as written.” Ontario has 16 fish hatch eries. Forestry Blow WEST PLAINS — High winds usually make a forester cringe, during March, because they can turn a small forest fire into a big one. But March winds took another slap at the foresters in the West Plains Fire District of the Department of Conservation. A big wind, perhaps a tornado, blew down the Dogwood Tower in Douglas County March 13. Originally five towers were made of wood; now all but three are metal. By Joel M. Vance Department of Conservation One of the finest wildlife and wildlife management plans in the history of Missouri con servation is the one devised for the 7,500-acre Ted Shanks Wild life Area between Hannibal and St. Louis. The only slight hitch is that there is almost no money to put the plan into operation. The Shanks Area, named for a former Department of Con servation Game Division chief who died in 1968, is unique among public lands in Missouri. The Department owned the 1,300-acre DuPont Reservation near Ashburn and leased 2,400 acres, called the Riverlands Tract, from the Corps of Engineers. When 3,800 acres of farmland between the two areas became available in 1969, the Depart ment strained its budget un mercifully to connect the north and south areas into what now is the Shanks Area. Part of $2 million in federal revenue sharing funds, asked by Gov. Christopher S. Bond, for four conservation projects could provide the substantial start on the development of the Shanks Area needed at this time. The request is broken down to $810,000 as a start on the Shanks Area; $40,000 for a start on a natural areas system; $470,000 to begin renovation and im provement of Shepherd of the Hills trout hatchery near Branson and $680,000 to help purchase metropolitan state forest land. The money is for capital im provement only, not operating expense, a budget need that will have to be dealt with ultimately. A citizen effort in 1972 to fund “Design for Conservation’’ gained 164,000 signatures on petitions to put a soft drink tax on the ballot, but the petitions were ruled invalid on a technicality. The citizen effort focused attention on the finance problems in Missouri con servation, and some of these citizens continue to probe the question of an assured source of funding for the long term future. “Design for Conservation,” a plan for future conservation in Missouri, was developed after a year-long study by a trio of nationally recognized con servationists. Their recommendations are the basis for ‘‘Design.”’ Estimates of the cost of the program would be $15-20 million annually. ‘“‘“Gov. Bond's interest is most welcome,’’ says Carl Noren, director of the Depart ment of Conservation. ‘‘We feel that ‘Design’ is such a landmark program in the nation and could do so much for our Missouri quality of life that we’re pleased to note the Governor's spontaneous efforts directed to the beginning of such a program.’ Basically, the Shanks Area would be managed for water fowl, but under a multiple use concept which is the backbone of ‘Design’ there would be a wide range of outdoor activities in tegrated into the ecological system of the area. For example, people would be largely excluded during the time of greatest wildlife stress in late winter, but would be relatively free to use the area for hiking and nature study during the time of greatest natural bounty in summer and autumn. The Shanks Area location near St. Louis makes it certain to receive heavy public use. At the same time, it is a historic gathering place for waterfowl, at the mouth of the Salt River and across the river from the now largely drained Say Bottoms of Ilinois. Most conservationists feel it
Newspaper Details
Neosho News
Neosho, Missouri, US
Sun, Apr 01, 1973
Page 10
Full Page
Clipped by
Gerald L.
USA 24 Dec 2025
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