MDC seeks citizen input on managing Barton County prairies

LAMAR, Mo. – The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) wants to know what Missourians think about its nearly 1,000 conservation areas around the state. A draft management plan for nine MDC-managed prairies in Barton County is open for public review in February.

MDC invites comments from recreational users, neighboring landowners, conservation groups, elected officials, government agencies and other interested persons or groups. Citizens can comment on the plan for these areas Feb. 1-28. To make comments, go to mdc.mo.gov/areaplans.

Prairies covered in this management plan are the 260-acre Bethel Prairie Conservation Area, 320-acre Comstock Prairie Conservation Area, 160-acre Dorris Creek Prairie Conservation Area, 302-acre Mo-No-I Prairie Conservation Area, 80-acre Mon-Shon Prairie Conservation Area, 240-acre Pa-Sole Prairie Conservation Area, 160-acre Redwing Prairie Conservation Area, 162-acre Edward B. and Marie O. Risch Conservation Area, and the 168-acre Treaty Line Prairie Conservation Area.

Conservation Area management plans focus on natural resource management and public use. The plans do not establish hunting and fishing regulations, which are set by the Conservation Commission and enforced under the Wildlife Code of Missouri. MDC will consider all ideas and will work to balance the issues and interests identified with the responsibility of managing areas for the present and future benefits to forest, fish, wildlife and people.

Decisions on which ideas to incorporate into area plans and on how to best utilize them will be based on the property’s purpose, it’s physical and biological conditions and capabilities, the best roles of the property in its local, regional and statewide context and on the professional expertise of MDC staff.

For more information on area plan comment periods, go online to mdc.mo.gov/areaplans.