DNA shows hunter-shot canine from October to be wandering wolf

USFWS confirms animal shot in Howard County last fall to be a gray wolf, not coyote.

HOWARD COUNTY, Mo – Last fall, a hunter in Howard County shot what has been recently confirmed by the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) to be a wolf. According to MDC Resource Scientist and Furbearer Biologist Jeff Beringer, tissue samples from the 81-pound male animal, mistaken as a coyote by the hunter, were sent to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) for genetic testing. Recently received DNA test results confirm that the animal was a gray wolf from the Great Lakes states of Minnesota, Wisconsin or Michigan. Beringer added that the animal did not have ear tags, tattoos, other identification or physical signs that indicated it was a captive animal.

Courtesy MDC

Also known as timber wolves, gray wolves once inhabited northern Missouri but were gone from the state by the late 1800s due to hunting and habitat loss.

Beringer said that there is no evidence of a breeding population in the state, but wolves occasionally wander into Missouri from northern states. He added that MDC has never stocked wolves and has no plans to restore this once-native species.

A previous case of mistaken identity happened in late 2010 with the shooting of what also appeared to be an unusually large coyote in Carroll County. DNA test results of the 104-pound canine linked the animal to timber wolves from Great Lakes states.

While wolf sightings in Missouri are very rare, another past case occurred in 2001. It involved an 80-pound timber wolf killed by a landowner in Grundy County. The man also mistook the wolf for a coyote, but discovered his mistake when he found the animal wore a radio collar and an ear tag linking it to Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, more than 600 miles away. He notified MDC, which was able to confirm its origin with Michigan officials.

For more information on wolves, visit MDC’s online Field Guide at mdc.mo.gov/node/19615.

Related articles

• Animal killed by coyote hunters verified as wolf (kansas-outdoors.blogspot.com)
• Minnesota Wolf Killings Seem Senseless (outdoorsmidwest.wordpress.com)

Discover nature with Eagle Days around the state

Big rivers, many lakes and wetlands make Missouri especially attractive to bald eagles.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Because of its big rivers, many lakes and wetlands, Missouri is one of the leading lower 48 states for bald eagle viewing. Each fall, thousands of these great birds migrate south from their nesting range in Canada and the Great Lakes states to hunt in the Show-Me State. Eagles take up residence wherever they find open water and plentiful food. More than 2,000 bald eagles are typically reported in Missouri during winter.

From December through February, Missouri's winter eagle watching is spectacular. Discover nature with Missouri Department of Conservation’s (MDC) Eagle Days events around the state, or enjoy eagle-viewing on your own. Eagle Days events include live captive-eagle programs, exhibits, activities, videos and guides with spotting scopes. Be sure to dress for winter weather and don’t forget cameras and binoculars. Watch for eagles perched in large trees along the water’s edge. View them early in the morning to see eagles flying and fishing.

Eagle Days events:

•        Dec. 1-2 at Squaw Creek National Wildlife Refuge south of Mound City (816-271-3100)

•        Jan. 5-6 at Smithville Lake north of Kansas City (816-532-0174)

•        Jan. 26-27 at Lock & Dam 24 at Clarksville (660-785-2420)

•        Jan. 26-27 at MDC Springfield Conservation Nature Center (417-888-4237)

•        Feb. 2 at Mingo National Wildlife Refuge northwest of Puxico (573-222-3589)

Other places for winter eagle viewing:

•        Lake of the Ozarks at Bagnell Dam Access east of Bagnell

•        Eagle Bluffs Conservation Area on Route K southwest of Columbia

•        Lock & Dam 25 east of Winfield

•        Old Chain of Rocks Bridge south of I-270 off of Riverview Drive in St. Louis

•        Riverlands Environmental Demonstration Area east of West Alton

•        Schell-Osage Conservation Area north of El Dorado Springs

•        Swan Lake National Wildlife Refuge south of Sumner

•        Table Rock Lake and Shepherd of the Hills Fish Hatchery southwest of Branson

•        Truman Reservoir west of Warsaw

Invasive Species Week has special significance in Missouri

Image via Wikipedia

Missourians who care about conservation can help

protect the natural world by participating in this national observance.

JEFFERSON CITY–Some invasive plants and animals come in ships from halfway around the globe. Others leapfrog from one watershed to the next in bait buckets. Occasionally they arrive in pickup trucks under cover of darkness. The National Invasive Species Council (NISC) wants to get all Americans involved in stopping them.

Invasive plants and animals are in the news more than ever today. Despite the flood of information, the nature of the threat sometimes seems vague and distant. To increase popular awareness of hos invasive exotics threaten the nation’s economy, ecology and culture, NISC has designated Feb. 26 through March 3 National Invasive Species Awareness Week. Learn how you can reduce the threat from invasive species athttp://bit.ly/ywWuoa.

Missouri’s location astride several transcontinental transportation arteries and the nation’s largest river systems puts the Show-Me State squarely in the middle of invasive species issues. The problem is not new. The common carp, originally native to Eurasia, has been in the United States since the 1800s, about the same time that kudzu arrived from Japan. Dozens of other species that we now think of as part of the Show-Me State’s native flora and fauna actually are naturalized inhabitants. Most of them get along reasonably well with the natives. A few cause problems, however.

The zebra mussel is a prime example of a troublemaker. This thumbnail-sized freshwater mollusk also originated in Eurasia. It arrived in the Great Lakes in the 1980s in the ballast tanks of cargo ships. Since then, it has spread to several states, including Missouri. Zebra mussels are so prolific that they choke out native mussels, damage boats, docks and marine engines and block water intakes of municipal and commercial utilities.

Kudzu is another good example of a destructive invader. It didn’t sneak into the country the way the zebra mussel did. The Japanese government proudly escorted the vining plant into the United States for its debut at the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia. It was touted for its value as a forage plant and widely promoted for erosion control.

Kudzu liked its new home so well that it took off at a gallop southward and westward and has only slowed down where cold or drought made it feel unwelcome. Along the way, it bushwhacked unsuspecting native plants, including trees.

Those two stories neatly bookend the larger tale of invasive species in America. Introducing organisms into new areas, whether deliberately or by mistake, is one of the world’s most powerful lessons about unintended consequences.

Missouri’s catalog of invasive plants and animals is too extensive to list. Species of primary concern at the moment include the following.

·        The Asian longhorn beetle, emerald ash borer and gypsy moth are destructive forest pests.

·        The walnut twig beetle spreads thousand-cankers disease, which threatens Missouri’s multi-million dollar black-walnut industry.

·        Feral hogs damage wildlife habitat and agricultural crops and carry diseases that affect livestock and humans.

·        The bighead, black and silver carp could drastically alter the food chain of lakes and streams with consequences that remain uncertain.

·        Bush and Japanese honeysuckle choke out native vegetation, reducing biological diversity and degrading wildlife habitat.

·        Canadian thistle arrived here before the revolutionary war and degrades the value of pastures. Several other invasive, exotic thistle species cause similar problems.

·        The Chinese mystery snail, originally an aquarium specimen, is elbowing aside native snail species in urban streams statewide.

·        Various crayfish have displaced native crayfish species in at least 21 Missouri watersheds. Some of these were introduced through interstate bait trade. Others became invasive when introduced into watersheds adjacent to their natural ranges.

·        Sericea lespedeza was introduced into the United States in hopes of improving pastures and providing food for wildlife but turned out to be highly invasive and destructive to native grasslands.

·        Spotted knapweed, garlic mustard, Chinese yam, Japanese knotweed, Johnson grass, purple loosestrife and several other herbaceous plants are displacing native plants, causing agricultural damage and reducing the biological diversity of Missouri’s wildlands.

It can be difficult to get excited about the abstract concept of “biodiversity.” You might wonder why it matters if Missouri has 50 plant species or 50,000. Aren’t they all green?

Diversity is important for two reasons—stability and utility.

First stability. Natural communities with lots of species are stable, because no single factor, such as disease, drought or parasites, can take out many of the components. In contrast, communities with only a handful of species are vulnerable to collapse, because adverse factors that affect a handful of species can eliminate a large portion of the remaining plants or animals. Such collapses can affect things people depend on, including food and wood products. Even more vulnerable are fish and wildlife, which are at the heart of outdoor traditions that have shaped and continue to sustain the American character.

Then there is utility. What use are diverse natural communities? Think of Missouri’s thousands of plant and animal species as items in a huge toolbox for dealing with future problems, such as how to feed ourselves or treat diseases. You don’t know which tools are useful until you need them. Plants and animals that seem unimportant sometimes turn out to have traits—such as drought tolerance or medicinal value—that would be tragic to lose. Cancer drugs, drought-resistant crops and industrial chemicals are among the benefits we already have derived from nature. Do we want to have invasive species randomly tossing tools out of our toolbox?

Changes caused by invasive species can even affect cherished cultural traditions. Take hunting. How would the loss of acorn-producing oak trees due to a gypsy moth infestation affect deer and turkey numbers? Or fishing. No one knows yet how Asian carp or zebra mussels will alter the food chains of infested lakes and streams. How will those changes affect sport fish, such as bass, catfish and crappie, or commercial fishing on Missouri’s big rivers? Clearly, everyone has a stake in keeping invasive species out of Missouri.

The Missouri Department of Conservation has information about invasive species prevention and control at mdc.mo.gov/node/4086. Once at this site, search “invasive species.”

-Jim Low-

New Report Shows US Fish and Wildlife Service Fisheries Program Helps Support 68,000 Jobs in U.S. Economy

 – Midwest fisheries’ recreation and conservation activities are huge economic drivers for nation

The fisheries program of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, in association with state agencies and other conservation organizations, contributes $3.6 billion to the nation’s economy and supports 68,000 jobs across the country, according to a new report issued by the agency.

The Service’s Midwest Region Fisheries Program, comprised of five National Fish Hatcheries, six Fish and Wildlife Conservation Offices, two Sea Lamprey Control Stations, and a Fish Health Center, generated nearly $800 million in economic contributions in fiscal year 2010.

“The conservation efforts of our Midwest Region Fisheries offices, hatcheries and program, are major contributors to the recreational and commercial fishing provided by our Great Lakes and river systems, which in turn generate big business for local economies in the Midwest,” said Service Midwest Regional Director Tom Melius.
The report, Conserving America’s Fisheries, An Assessment of Economic Contributions from Fisheries and Aquatic Resource Conservation, shows that each dollar invested in the Service’s Fisheries Program, combined with its partners, generates about $28 in economic contributions and value. 

Midwest Perspective:
Based on this $28:1 return on investment, economic values of Midwest Region Fisheries Program activities include: 

• $246.4 million from Midwest Region National Fish Hatcheries and Fish Health Center

Based on $8.8 million invested in operations and maintenance in fiscal year 2010

In fiscal year 2010, National Fish Hatcheries in the Midwest Region distributed 16.4 million fish and 22.8 million eggs for stocking purposes, with an emphasis on native species including lake trout, brook trout, sturgeon and walleye. Hatcheries also produced and distributed more than 1.5 million native mussels, including two Federally endangered species.

• $322 million from Midwest Region Sea Lamprey Control Stations

Based on $11.5 million invested in operations in fiscal year 2010

In fiscal year 2010, the Service’s Sea Lamprey Control Stations in the Midwest Region treated 78 stream sites to control larval sea lamprey infestations, operated and maintained 30 barriers to block spawning runs of adult sea lamprey, collected more than 21,000 lampreys from 20 streams for sterile male operations, and reduced sea lamprey spawning populations in two of five Great Lakes.

• $229.6 million from Midwest Region Fish and Wildlife Conservation Offices

Based on $8.2 million invested in operations in fiscal year 2010

In fiscal year 2010, Fish and Wildlife Conservation Offices in the Midwest Region, working with partners, removed or bypassed 32 fish passage barriers opening 1,012 miles to uninhibited fish access. The program also restored 120 miles of stream and shoreline habitat.

National perspective:
Overall, hunting, fishing, and outdoor recreation contribute an estimated $730 billion to the U.S. economy each year. One in twenty U.S. jobs are in the recreation economy – more than there are doctors, lawyers, or teachers.

The economic contributions generated are evidenced at sporting goods stores, marinas, guides and outfitter services, boat dealerships, bait shops, gas stations, cafes, hotels, and many other enterprises.

The report – the first time that Service economists have analyzed the economic contributions of the nation’s fisheries programs – finds that a total of 68,000 American jobs are associated, directly or indirectly, with the fisheries conservation programs and projects.

“Since 1871, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Fisheries Program has been a leader in managing species, conserving habitat and sustaining the biological health of America’s aquatic resources,” said U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Dan Ashe. “These resources are inextricably tied to the health and wealth of our nation. These benefits are ecological, scientific, aesthetic, recreational, commercial, subsistence, social, cultural – and economic in nature.”

The report also shows the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s National Fish Hatchery System alone generates $900 million in industrial output and $550 million in retail sales. National Fish Hatchery programs generate 8,000 jobs and $256 million in salaries and wages.

Meanwhile, the National Fish Passage Program works with partners to reopen an average of 890 miles of river habitat annually, which has a economic value of $483 million and supports 11,000 jobs. That is more than $542,000 in economic benefit per stream mile restored.

The Service’s Fisheries Program plays a vital role in conserving America’s fisheries, along with key partners from states, tribes, federal agencies, other Service programs, and private interests.

The fisheries program consists of almost 800 employees nationwide, located in 65 Fish and Wildlife Conservation Offices, 70 National Fish Hatcheries, 9 Fish Health Centers, 7 Fish Technology Centers and a Historic National Fish Hatchery and Archives.

The program supports the only federal fish hatchery system, with extensive experience culturing more than 100 different aquatic species.

Related articles

• Fisheries' recreation and conservation activities are huge economic drivers for nation (missourioutdoors.blogspot.com)
• Fish and Wildlife Service Releases Blueprint for the National Wildlife Refuge System (missourioutdoors.blogspot.com)
• U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Lists the Ozark Hellbender as Endangered (missourioutdoors.blogspot.com)

New tests find no zebra mussels at Pomme de Terre Lake

Boaters and anglers play critical roles in preventing the spread of aquatic invasive species.

HERMITAGE Mo – Follow-up testing at Pomme de Terre Lake has given the southwest Missouri lake a clean bill of health regarding zebra mussels. State officials say the news emphasizes the important role boaters and anglers play in preventing the spread of these invasive mollusks.

Laboratory testing of water samples collected by the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) in spring 2009 detected the free-swimming, microscopic larval form of zebra mussels, called veligers, from three sample sites in the 7,820-acre lake.

In fall 2009 and again in 2010, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) collected additional water samples at Pomme de Terre Lake for testing. Zebra mussels were not detected.

Based on contradictory sampling results in 2009 and 2010, MDC and USACE cooperatively conducted independent sampling at Pomme de Terre Lake in June (2011). MDC and USACE samples were sent to separate laboratories for testing. Zebra mussels were not detected in any of the 2011 samples from either agency.

The 2009 finding prompted MDC and the COE, which owns the lake, to put up signs cautioning visitors to Pomme de Terre to clean boats and trailers before moving them from the lake to other waters. They extended the education campaign to the 56,000-acre Harry S. Truman Reservoir, another COE lake downstream from Pomme de Terre.

With Pomme de Terre now found free of zebra mussels, the agencies remind boaters and anglers of the importance of preventing the spread of invasive aquatic species.

“With test results showing Pomme de Terre free of zebra mussels, it is now even more important that boaters and anglers take precautions to keep it that way,” said MDC Invasive Species Coordinator Tim Banek.

The zebra mussel is native to Eurasia. It hitched a ride to North America in the 1980s, arriving in the Great Lakes in the ballast tanks of oceangoing ships. Since then, the thumbnail-sized invader has leapfrogged across much of the continent on commercial and pleasure boats, whose owners unwittingly transported the mollusks when trailering boats from one body of water to another.

Female zebra mussels can produce a million offspring annually. They attach to any solid surface, sometimes several layers deep. They interfere with the natural food chain, making lakes and streams less productive for sport fish and replacing native animals.

Heavy zebra mussel infestations can weigh down docks, buoys and other marine equipment. Infestations on boat hulls increase water drag, leading to higher fuel and maintenance costs. They can clog marine engines’ cooling systems, creating a danger of damage due to overheating.

Zebra mussels also drive up utility bills by clogging water intakes of public and private utilities. Keeping those pipes open requires millions of dollars of maintenance annually.

“We don’t know exactly what changes might occur, but other areas where zebra mussels have taken hold have experienced ecological changes that were bad for fishing and tourism,” said Banek. “Missourians can avoid spreading zebra mussels with some reasonably simple precautions.”

Banek urges boaters to remember three points:

Clean – Remove all plants, animals and mud, and thoroughly wash everything, especially live wells, crevices and other hidden areas. Wash boat bilges, trailers, motor drive units and live wells with hot water at least 104 degrees. Most commercial car washers meet this standard.

Drain – Eliminate all water before leaving the area, including live wells, bilge and engine cooling water.

Dry – Allow boats and other equipment to dry in the sun for at least five days before launching in other waters.

Anglers can also avoid spreading zebra mussels and other invasive pests by obtaining live bait locally and disposing of leftover bait properly.

“Even things as seemingly harmless as earthworms and crayfish can be trouble,” said Banek. “Some commercial bait comes from as far away as Canada. If you catch minnows in one place and take them somewhere else to fish, you could be transporting invasive Asian carp species without knowing it. Get your bait where you plan to fish, and put leftover bait in a trash container headed for the nearest landfill before leaving your fishing area. Never toss live bait into a lake or stream to feed the fish.”

For more information on zebra mussels and other invasive species, visitwww.missouriconservation.org.

-Jim Low-

Judge imposes maximum fine in zebra mussel case

Sentence highlights personal responsibility for negligent introductions.

SMITHVILLE – An Independence man received the maximum fine for introducing zebra mussels into Smithville Lake last year.

David Wayne Frazier, 51, pleaded guilty in Clay County Circuit Court to a charge of transporting a prohibited species. Judge Janet Sutton imposed a fine of $1,000 and six months of probation.

The case is the first prosecuted under a provision in Missouri’s Wildlife Code designed to stop the spread of invasive species. It began on June 28, 2010, when fisheries workers with the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) discovered adult zebra mussels on a private boatlift during a swimming inspection of the Camp Branch Marina. An investigation by Conservation Agent Scott Stephens revealed that in October 2009, Frazier moved the boatlift from Lake of the Ozarks, where zebra mussels already were established.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) and MDC staff immediately removed and decontaminated the lift. MDC, in cooperation with the Corps, Clay County Parks and Recreation and the City of Smithville, used a copper-based algae killer to eradicate the zebra mussel infestation in August 2010.

The Corps continues to monitor the lake for residual zebra mussels. None have been detected so far.

“Transporting invasive species like zebra mussels, emerald ash borers or silver carp from place to place can damage Missouri’s recreation, tourism and agriculture industries,” said MDC Invasive Species Coordinator Tim Banek.

For information about how to identify invasive species and how to avoid spreading them, visit www.mdc.mo.gov/node/4086.

Record fish a reminder of unwanted “successes”

Image via Wikipedia

106-pound fish was never supposed to swim free in Missouri.

CAMDENTON–Gene Swope, Excelsior Springs, and his grandsons will always remember April 23, 2011, as the day they set a Missouri State fishing record. Fisheries Programs Specialist Andrew Branson shares their excitement, but he has mixed emotions about the monster fish that earned them a place in the record book.

Swope was snagging for paddlefish with grandsons Garron Grass and Justin Swope near the Old Oar House Inn at Lake of the Ozarks when he snagged a 106-pound bighead carp. A 35-minute tussle ensued. When Swope finally brought in the 4-foot, 8-inch fish, it took the combined strength of all three anglers to wrestle it into the boat.

Fisheries Management Biologist Tory Mason verified the fish’s weight on a scale at the Lawson Agri-Services. The catch easily eclipsed Missouri’s previous record of 80 pounds for a bighead carp caught through snagging or other “alternative methods.”

Branson, who administers the state fishing records program for the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC), said the bighead carp is classified as a nongame fish. Snagging is a legal method for taking nongame fish in Missouri, but it is not a method allowed under the rules of the International Game Fish Association. Consequently, Swope’s fish does not qualify as a world record, even though it outweighs the existing record by 16 pounds.

According to Branson, bighead carp are not known to spawn successfully in lakes or ponds. They need current to suspend their eggs in the water during development. The fact that anglers are not catching any young bighead carp at Lake of the Ozarks is a good sign.

“Bighead carp are an invasive Asian species,” said Branson. “This is an example of how invasive species can thrive outside of their native environment, and the importance of preventing their spread. At least anglers are removing some of these from the lake, and that’s good news.”

Good news, said Branson, because bighead carp and other invasive species have the potential to upset the ecological balance in Missouri waters. The consequences for popular species, like paddlefish, bass and crappie, could be serious. The presence of Asian carp in Missouri waters also has implications for other forms of recreation, such as boating and skiing. Bighead carp are close relatives of silver carp, which have become notorious for their habit of jumping several feet in the air when passed by watercraft. Human injuries have grown more common as Asian carp spread and multiply.

Tim Banek is MDC’s invasive species coordinator. He said anglers have an important role in preventing the spread of invasive species. One thing they can do to prevent the spread of Asian carp is not to move baitfish from one lake to another or release them alive.

“Many different kinds of fish look like minnows when they are small,” said Banek. “It is easy for a few invasive fish to get mixed in with baitfish. If any of those get loose, they can start a completely new infestation. It’s important for anglers to obtain minnows and other bait locally and dispose of unused bait properly.”

He said proper disposal means putting bait into the trash, rather than dumping it in the water or on the ground. More information about invasive species in Missouri is available at www.mdc.mo.gov/node/10244/.

-Jim Low-

Boaters, anglers should watch for zebra mussels

Image via Wikipedia

With the return of warm weather just around the corner, thousands of Missourians will be taking boats out of mothballs and preparing for fishing and pleasure boating trips. If you are among these, remember that Missouri waters still are at risk of infestation by zebra mussels. The most common way these economically and ecologically damaging pests enter new waters is by hitching a ride on boats or boat trailers.

Adult zebra mussels can live for several days out of water. Their microscopic larvae can survive for weeks in boat bilge water, live wells, engine cooling-water systems and bait buckets.

To help prevent the spread of zebra mussels:

• Inspect your boat and trailer thoroughly, and remove any trash, mussels or aquatic weeds after each outing.
• Drain water from the motor, live well, bilge and transom wells and other parts of your boat.
• Dump leftover bait in trash receptacles away from the water.
• Rinse boat, trailer and equipment (including live wells, bilge and cooling systems) thoroughly with hard spray from a garden hose, and allow to dry for at least 48 hours. If your boat or equipment was used in zebra mussel-infested waters, use a commercial car wash with hot water.
• Dry boat, motor, trailer and equipment thoroughly in the hot sun before using again.
• Learn to identify zebra mussels. Adults have a distinct triangular shell, with a striped pattern. They can reach 2 inches, but most are fingernail-sized.

To report a potential zebra mussel sighting or for additional information, contact a Department of Conservation office (see page 1 for a list of regional office phone numbers). For more information see below.

MU scientists seek volunteers for one-day water quality project

COLUMBIA, Mo. — University of Missouri researchers hope to sample 100 lake and stream sites on May 7 and are looking for volunteers to pitch in as “citizen scientists.”

Members of the Lakes of Missouri Volunteer Program (LMVP), Missouri Stream Teams, Lake of the Ozarks Watershed Alliance and the Kayakswarm have committed to help, but the project needs more volunteers, said Tony Thorpe, an MU research specialist and LMVP coordinator.

The goal is to collect 100 water samples throughout the Niangua Arm of the Lake of the Ozarks, and the Niangua and Little Niangua rivers and their tributaries.

“These samples will provide us with a snapshot of water quality,” said Daniel Obrecht of the LMVP. “The data should show us how water quality changes as we move from the upstream end of the river near I-44 all the way to the Lake of the Ozarks.”

Obrecht hopes that involving citizens in the collection of water quality data will promote water stewardship throughout the region. Samples will be processed and analyzed at an MU laboratory as part of LMVP’s water-quality monitoring efforts.

Volunteers must attend a 20-minute training session before participating. The first training opportunity will be 3-7 p.m. on Tuesday, May 3, at the Bennett Springs State Park Lodge in Lebanon. The second training opportunity will be 3-7 p.m. on Wednesday, May 4, at the Missouri Department of Conservation office in Camdenton. Training will consist of site selection and sampling instruction. No prior experience is required.

According to Thorpe, the event is designed to allow plenty of flexibility to accommodate busy schedules. “Participants can sample anytime between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. on May 7. Just make sure to get the samples to us between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m. Our lab staff will take it from there.”

To participate or for additional details, contact:

Tony Thorpe
Coordinator, Lakes of Missouri Volunteer Program 
302 ABNR
University of Missouri
Columbia, MO 65211
573-882-5430
tony@LMVP.org 
www.LMVP.org/niangua