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SPRINGFIELD Mo. – Brad Graevs has a new job with the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC), but he has long history of working with natural resources.
Graevs is MDC’s new private land conservationist for Christian, Stone, and Taney counties. In addition to making one-on-one contacts with landowners in his counties who are seeking conservation advice, Graevs will work with other MDC staff, University of Missouri Extension, Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), and other natural resource agencies to deliver resource management information to landowners through workshops, training programs and special events. He replaces Andy Humble, who is now an MDC Regional Resource Management District Supervisor.
Though Graevs is new to MDC, he isn’t new to work involving natural resource management. Prior to taking his current job, the Buffalo native and Missouri State University graduate worked with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, the U.S. Geological Survey, the U.S. Forest Service, and the Audubon Society.
His work with these agencies has been diverse. He has worked with turtles in the Midwest and studied birds and marine life in the remote Pacific. While in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, he worked with a variety of wildlife, prescribed fire, and with environmental regulation compliance. In all of his jobs, he has worked on some level with private landowners and this diverse background has given Graevs experience that will be useful in his current duties.
“I am excited to work with the folks in my counties to improve the wildlife habitat and other resource concerns on their properties,” he said. “A lot of it is teaching people how to improve the land, teaching people who want to learn and do better, which is a great part of this job.”
Graevs will work out of the USDA/NRCS Office in Ozark. At present, the best way to reach him is at Brad.Graevs@mdc.mo.gov. More conservation information for landowners can be found at https://mdc.mo.gov/your-property.
