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FRANKLIN COUNTY, Mo. — The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) wants to know what Missourians think about its nearly 1,000 conservation areas around the state. MDC is in the multi-year process of updating management plans for conservation areas and invites public comments. Port Hudson Lake Conservation Area northeast of Gerald in Franklin County is among the areas under review.
MDC is inviting public comment regarding Port Hudson Lake Conservation Area to aid staff in developing a 15-year management plan for the area. Interested persons or groups—including recreational users, neighboring landowners, conservation groups, elected officials and government agencies—are invited to view the proposed management plan at mdc.mo.gov/areaplans. The plan includes a link for supplying comments and input.
The plan will remain available for public comment during the month of November. The public comment period for the Port Hudson Lake plan will close November 30.
This 225-acre area contains forest, old fields, and grassland, along with the 55-acre Port Hudson Community Lake. The lake offers fishing for bass, catfish, and sunfish. Facilities on the area include a boat ramp, boat dock, picnic area, pavilion, and a fishing dock.
Port Hudson Lake Conservation Area is on Bald Hill Road. It can be reached by taking Highway C north from Highway 50 to Bald Hill Road, or by taking Highway C south from New Haven to Bald Hill Road, then proceeding one mile west.
Conservation Area Management Plans focus on natural resource management and public use on conservation areas. The plans do not address regulations on hunting, fishing and other area uses, which are set by the Conservation Commission and enforced under the Wildlife Code of Missouri. MDC will consider all ideas received 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 incorporate them will be based on the property’s purpose, its physical and biological conditions and capabilities, the best roles of the property in its local, regional and state-wide context, and on the professional expertise of MDC staff.
MDC conservation areas cover almost one million public acres for the purpose of restoring and conserving forest, fish and wildlife resources, and for providing opportunities for all citizens to use, enjoy and learn about these resources. Most Missourians are within a 30-minute drive of an MDC conservation area.
