MDC announces additions to Linscomb Wildlife Area in St. Clair County to boost native grasslands

Partners and donors have made it possible for MDC
 to add two land tracts to the Linscomb Wildlife Area in
 St. Clair County. MDC will restore it to
native wildflowers and grasses, similar to the nearby
 Wah’Kon-Tah Prairie Conservation Area.
Both areas are in MDC’s Upper Osage Grasslands,
 a priority geography for native grassland restoration.

New tracts will be added with help from donors and conservation partners

El Dorado Springs, Mo. – The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) will purchase additional land tracts for the Linscomb Wildlife Area with the help of conservation partners and donors. This addition will provide new opportunities to enhance native grassland ecology and will provide new opportunities for hunting, hiking, and birding in southern St. Clair County.

MDC will add 510 acres in two separate tracts to be purchased from Quail Forever and Pheasants Forever. The Missouri Conservation Commission approved the purchase on July 9. The tracts border the southeast corner of the Linscomb area. They will provide new public access to the south portion of the area. The acquisitions will help restore a piece of western Missouri’s prairie heritage.

Tallgrass prairie once dominated the landscape near Linscomb. Slopes sometimes transitioned into open woodlands with trees or bottomland forest. The Linscomb area’s north boundary is the Osage River. But the uplands were dominated by open prairie.

The NeVada P. Linscomb Trust deeded the initial 1,728 acres for the
 Linscomb Wildlife Area in 1998. In 2003,
the Linscomb Trust purchased 146 additional acres.
 The Missouri Conservation Commission on July 9 authorized
 the purchase of an addition 510 acres, which was made possible
 in part by conservation partners and the
generous donations for prairie preservation
by the late Harry and Lina Berrier of Columbia.

The new tracts appear to have some sandstone glades with few trees, said Stasia Whitaker, MDC wildlife management biologist. They match well with adjoining acres where MDC has successfully restored native wildflower and grass species. This addition will dovetail into prairie restoration efforts in the Upper Osage Grasslands, an MDC priority geography. Conservation partners including private landowners are incorporating native species into practices that benefit native plant and wildlife species.

“Vegetation on the new tracts indicate native species still grow there,” Whitaker said. “They could be significantly restored following a management plan that includes prescribed fire, invasive species management, conservation grazing, and woody vegetation control.”

Less than one-tenth of one percent of Missouri’s once-vast tallgrass prairie remains. Similar changes in land use nationwide have made grassland birds among the nation’s most threatened and imperiled species. Prairies are havens for ground feeding and nesting birds from bobwhite quail to Henslow’s sparrows.

Portions of the new additions for the
Linscomb Wildlife Area have sandstone glades,
 like this lichen-rich glade in winter dormancy
at the nearby Taberville Conservation Area in St. Clair County. 

“These new tracts will boost efforts to preserve and enhance native grassland ecology in the Upper Osage Grasslands,” said MDC Director Sara Parker Pauley. “This also gives people more opportunities to enjoy the outdoors. We are very grateful to our conservation partners for making this possible, and we’re especially thankful for the generous donations the Berrier family made through the years on behalf of prairie preservation.”

Purchase of the new tracts were made possible in large part with donations from the late Harry and Lina Berrier to MDC. The Berriers, of Columbia, for many years donated portions of proceeds from their Show-Me Bar-B-Q sauce business towards prairie preservation and native grassland management.

The purchase was also aided by MDC’s conservation partners.

“Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever are excited to have had the opportunity to play a part in permanently protecting this vital piece of tallgrass prairie,” said Chris McLeland, director of field operations for the organization’s south region. “As a conservation partner and a habitat organization, we do all we can to assist in creating and protecting rare and declining habitats. This project is a first of its kind for us in Missouri, and we are beyond excited to see it added to Linscomb Wildlife Area and under MDC stewardship.”

Restoring functioning native grassland ecology will require public and private partnerships in the years ahead.

"The Missouri Prairie Foundation (MPF) congratulates the Conservation Commission and MDC on this purchase of native grassland," said Carol Davit, MPF executive director. "MPF was pleased to contribute the cost of a market analysis for this property, which assisted Quail Forever in acquiring it. Expanding native grassland habitat is extremely important for grassland-obligate birds like Henslow's sparrows and meadowlarks, and is important in safeguarding our state's natural heritage, which belongs to all Missourians."

For more information on the Linscomb Wildlife Area, visit https://short.mdc.mo.gov/Z8E.

Information about prairie in Missouri is available at https://short.mdc.mo.gov/ZxM. Ranchers can learn about conservation grazing at https://short.mdc.mo.gov/ZnX.

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MDC to host Prairie Days with The Nature Conservancy

Free event at Dunn Ranch and Pawnee Prairie showcases prairie ecology and history

Eagleville, Mo. – Prairie grasses and wildflowers once waved in summer winds throughout northwest Missouri. Trees grew in scattered groves in the grassland ecosystem along streams and some ridges. But the grasses and wildflowers provided the main food base for bison, elk, prairie chickens and butterflies. Very little prairie remains today after 200 years of settlement and farming greatly changed land uses. 

   Prairie Days, however, will give visitors a look back in time and an update on what public-private partnerships are doing to preserve and restore grassland ecosystems. The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) and The Nature Conservancy (TNC) will host the free event on Friday, June 26, and Saturday, June 27. Activities will begin at 8 p.m. Friday with asocial and movies at TNC’s Dunn Ranch, 16970 W. 150th St., Hatfield, Mo. On Saturday, birding hikes will be offered 5:30 to 7:30 a.m. at MDC’s Pawnee Prairie, which is northwest of the ranch. Then Saturday’s activities will shift to Dunn Ranch from 8 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. for bison herd tours, wildflower identification, grazing sessions and presentations on prairie critters and ecology.

  Camping will be available at Dunn Ranch without hookups. Harrison County Lake offers camping with some hookups and primitive sites. Motel lodging is available in Eagleville and Bethany. Booths or demonstrations will be offered by Missouri Prairie Foundation, Missouri River Bird Observatory, Pure Air Natives, Inc., Missouri Master Naturalists and Hamilton Native Outpost.

   Prairie Days will also showcase the public-private partnerships in the Grand River Grasslands. The cooperative effort spanning the Missouri and Iowa state line helps private landowners with grassland management for better production returns and in ways that help grassland species, such as Missouri’s endangered prairie chickens.

   Harrison County’s earliest settlers might be surprised to learn that prairie chickens and the grasses that supported them became scarce.

   “Originally about three-fourths of the land of Harrison County was prairie and one-fourth timber, according to the “History of Harrison County" published in 1921. "The timber was generally along the streams of water, and some on hilly tracks roughened and divided by ravines.”

   The book describes extensively tree species and uses in the woodland areas. Incredibly diverse native wildflowers and grasses that dominated the landscape did not get a similar description. Only in a maturing conservation movement in recent decades has the rich productivity and beauty of prairie plants and wildlife become appreciated.

   Pioneers did value wild game for food and for money from the fur trade.

   “When the county was first being settled game was plentiful, such as deer, turkeys, prairie chickens, quail and there were some elk,” according to the history. “It was reported about this part of the county that David Travis was one of the best hunters among the early settlers and in addition to other game occasionally killed an elk.”

   Bison were found in Missouri prior to the arrival of European trappers and settlers, but apparently not in large numbers, according to “The Wild Mammals of Missouri,” by Charles W. and Elizabeth R. Schwartz. But MDC’s Pawnee Prairie and TNC’s Dunn Ranch were in their final range.

   “By 1840, only remnants of this magnificent animal were found in the northwestern and southeastern sections of the state,” the Schwartz’s wrote, “and these soon disappeared.”

   TNC has restored a bison herd to a fenced range at Dunn Ranch. Studies at the ranch include how the bison and prairie species interact on an ecological basis. MDC conducts research and restoration for prairie species on both public and private lands in the Grand River Grasslands.

   Late June is a pretty time to visit Missouri’s prairies as many flower species are in bloom, such as coneflowers.   For more information about Prairie Days, visit http://mdc.mo.gov/NWprairiedays, or call T.J. Peacher, MDC conservation education supervisor, at 816-271-3100.

    Information about Pawnee Prairie and maps are available at http://on.mo.gov/1LlXs50. Dunn Ranch information is at http://bit.ly/1ellp2i.

Related articles

• MDC to co-host Prairie Days June 26 & 27 at Dunn Ranch (missourioutdoors.blogspot.com)
• Naturalists Searching Champlain Valley for Rare Species (essexonlakechamplain.com)
• The Power of Rivers -- in Whose Hands? (huffingtonpost.com)

Prairie Jubilee celebrates the tallgrass prairie Sept. 27

 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Experience the sights and sounds of Missouri’s tallgrass prairie during the Prairie Jubilee at Prairie State Park near Mindenmines on Saturday, Sept. 27. Sponsored by Missouri State Parks, the event will be held from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. All events are free and open to the public.

Guests can spend the day enjoying family-oriented, fun and educational activities and entertainment. Visitors to the event can participate in the living history loop, which includes an Osage Indian lodge, hunters and trappers, a foam cannon, a spinning wheel, a one-tent school and games.   Entertainment during the event includes an old-time medicine show, a bison chip throwing contest and a performance of nature-themed music from WildHeart.

Guests can also see how the Battle of Island Mound was fought with viewings on the hour. Guided tours will be given throughout the day to view the bison. In addition to the activities, the park’s nature center offers many interpretive displays about the prairie, and several trails of varying length offer the chance to explore the prairie on your own.

A smoked bison lunch, provided by the Liberal FFA, Cloud’s Meats and Prairie State Park, will be available to purchase. The Liberal Area Civic Group will sell desserts and beverages. Wildflowers from the Missouri Wildflower Nursery will be available to purchase.

Guests can start the festivities early on Friday, Sept. 26 with stargazing at the park. At 7 p.m., visitors can learn about the constellations in the night sky and look for some deep space objects as well. It is suggested that guests dress for cooler evening temperatures.

Prairie State Park is located 35 miles north of Joplin near Liberal. All traffic should enter from the north. Take Highway 43 to Highway K, turn left on Highway P, then left on NW 150th Lane and continue to the park entrance. For more information, call the park directly at 417-843-6711. For information about state parks and historic sites, visit mostateparks.com. Missouri State Parks is a division of the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.

Public input sought for prairie management plans

Nevada, 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. A draft plan for several conservation lands in northwest Missouri and the St. Joseph area will be available for public comment June 1 through June 30.

   To preview draft management plans and share comments online, visit www.mdc.mo.gov/areaplans.

   Management plans for seven conservation areas with a focus on tall grass prairie plants and wildlife are open for comment. They include: Taberville Prairie, St. Clair County; Wah’Kon-Tah Prairie, St. Clair and Cedar counties; Monegaw Prairie, Cedar County; Gay Feather, Bristow, Osage Prairie and Little Osage Prairie in Vernon County.

   Wah’Kon-Tah is owned by MDC and The Nature Conservancy and managed by MDC under

an agreement. Gayfeather Prairie is jointly owned by MDC and the Missouri Prairie Foundation.

   A variety of hunting, hiking and photography opportunities are available on the areas. Some rare or uncommon species that may be found include Mead's milkweed, prairie mole crickets, regal fritillary butterflies, northern crawfish frog, slender glass lizard, grasshopper sparrow, loggerhead shrike and northern harrier. Taberville and Wah’Kon-Tah prairies are at the center of preservation and restoration efforts for greater prairie chickens, which are endangered in Missouri.

   Statewide, 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.

   “Missourians care about conservation and use conservation areas for many different reasons,” said MDC Director Bob Ziehmer. “These areas help people discover nature through various activities, and help make Missouri a great place to hunt, fish, and enjoy other outdoor activities. We want to know how conservation areas are important to Missourians. Encouraging public comments on Conservation Area Management Plans is part of MDC’s ongoing efforts of working for and with Missourians to sustain healthy forests, fish and wildlife.”

   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.

Missouri Prairie Foundation BioBlitz June 7 & 8

Outdoor enthusiasts of all ages are invited to enjoy a weekend on an original American landscape—the tallgrass prairie—at Gayfeather Prairie in Vernon County on June 7 and 8. At

this free event organized and hosted by the Missouri Prairie Foundation, adults and children with enthusiasm for the outdoors will team up with biologists to explore and document plants and animals of this 116-acre prairie, owned jointly by the Missouri Prairie Foundation and the Missouri Department of Conservation. In addition to the plant and animal fieldwork, there will be a potluck picnic dinner, stargazing, nocturnal insect observations, and free tent camping on the prairie.

“We are in our 5th year now of the Missouri Prairie Foundation’s Prairie BioBlitz,” said Jeff Cantrell, technical advisor to the Foundation, “and it has created a ‘buzz’ among my friends and colleagues. The buzz used to be after the event—families, master naturalists, and neighbors talked about what a wonderful family-oriented learning event they had just experienced. Now, I see the buzz leading up to the weekend event on the beautiful prairie that will be our classroom and campsite. The learning is casual and fun, and I personally invite all who are interested in nature to participate. Come join us and see what the buzz is all about!”

Across the country, nature lovers and professional biologists team up at “BioBlitzes” to identify as many species as possible (the “bio”) in an area over the course of 24 hours (the “blitz”). The Foundation’s version will begin June 7 at 2:00 p.m. and end the afternoon of June 8.

“Ecologists consider temperate grasslands to be the most endangered, least conserved of any major terrestrial habitat on earth—so Missouri’s tallgrass prairies have global conservation significance,” said Carol Davit, the Foundation’s executive director. “Collectively, our remaining prairies in Missouri support up to 800 plant species, dozens of vertebrates and thousands of invertebrates, but there is still much to learn. We want to see how many species we can find at Gayfeather Prairie, and BioBlitz participants will help in that effort.” Participants at past BioBlitzes at other Foundation prairies have documented blooming orchids, dozens of butterfly species, rare fish, and much more.

On the afternoon and evening of June 7 and the morning of June 8, biologists who study ants, bees, birds, butterflies, insect coloration, fish, moths, mammals, amphibians, reptiles, vascular plants, mosses, liverworts, and soils will lead groups across the prairies to survey and inventory as many species as possible. Biologists with the Missouri Department of Conservation—Fisheries Biologist Tom Priesendorf, Natural Areas Coordinator Mike Leahy, Heritage Zoologist Debby Fantz, and Naturalist John Miller—will be group leaders. Other leaders include entomologists Dr. James Trager and Richard Thoma; botanists Darin Banks, Nels Holmberg, and Dr. John Atwood; ornithologists Dana Ripper and Ethan Duke of the Missouri River Bird Observatory; lepidopterist Phillip Koenig; and soil scientist Dr. David Hammer. In addition, Dan Johnson with the Astronomical Society of Kansas City will provide telescopes and interpret the night sky.

“We are thrilled that so many biologists are giving their time to help uncover the plant and animal treasures of this prairie,” said Davit. “If you love plants and wildlife, this is a great opportunity to learn from experts passionate about their given subjects, and play a role in much-needed data collection as well.”

Gayfeather Prairie includes 76 acres purchased by the Missouri Prairie Foundation in 1976 and 40 acres purchased by the Missouri Department of Conservation in 1984. A total of 305 native plant species has been documented from this high quality prairie, named for its high numbers of blazingstar or gayfeather wildflowers. The prairie is about seven miles east of Milo.

The Prairie BioBlitz is free, but participants must RSVP. For a detailed schedule, directions to the prairie, and to RSVP, visit www.moprairie.org, email info@moprairie.com, or call 888-843-6739.

Experience late summer wildflower display Sept. 3 at Prairie State Park

Image via Wikipedia

 JEFFERSON CITY, MO., AUG. 29, 2011 - As the tallgrass prairie transitions from summer to fall, it is ablaze with color.  On Sept. 3, experience this color explosion on a wildflower walk at Prairie State Park near Mindenmines. The 1.6-mile walk begins at 10 a.m. at the park's nature center and will last approximately two hours.   

            The park naturalist will lead the hike as you walk among the tall grasses and colorful fall flowers to learn more about the prairie ecosystem.  Dress for the weather and hiking across the prairie; long pants, sturdy shoes and insect repellent are recommended.

             Prairie State Park is located at 128 NW 150th Lane in Barton County. For more details, call PrairieState Park at 417-843-6711 or the Department of Natural Resources toll free at 800-334-6946 (voice) or800-379-2419 (Telecommunications Device for the Deaf). For more information on Missouri state parks, visitmostateparks.com.

Bison hike planned June 18 at Prairie State Park

JEFFERSON CITY, MO., JUNE 14, 2011 – If you are interested in seeing one of the greatest symbols of the vanishing tallgrass prairie, take a guided bison hike June 18 at Prairie State Park near Mindenmines. Join the park naturalist at 10 a.m. for a trip back in time to see bison, one of our most magnificent mammals on its native prairie habitat. The event is free and open to the public. 

During the one hour hike, you will learn about bison biology, Native American uses of the bison, herd dynamics, prairies and much more. Dress for the weather and hiking across the prairie; long pants and sturdy shoes are recommended.

Prairie State Park is located at 128 NW 150^th Lane in Barton County. Call the park at417-843-6711 for more details and to register for the hike. For more information on Missouri state parks, call the Missouri Department of Natural Resources at 800-334-6946 (voice) or 800-379-2419 (Telecommunications Device for the Deaf), or visit mostateparks.com.