Feb. 1 to Feb. 28.
The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) is in the multi-year process of updating Conservation Area Management Plans and is seeking public input on how conservation areas are important to Missourians. A draft plan for the Little Dixie Lake Conservation Area (CA) is available for public review from
The 733-acre
Little Dixie Lake CA offers hunting, fishing, hiking, birding and other outdoor opportunities in Callaway County, west of Kingdom City. A centerpiece of the area is the 205-acre Little Dixie Lake, created through the damming of Owl Creek. The lake includes a handicapped accessible fishing dock and fishing jetty, and a boat ramp. Rental boats are available from
April 15 to Oct. 15; and outboard motors in excess of 10 hp must be operated at a no-wake speed. The area also has forest, grassland and crop fields that provide habitat and food for wildlife.
Additionally, MDC operates 22 ponds on the area for fisheries research, including vegetation control, pond stocking rates, fish reproduction, and fish rearing techniques. Both MDC personnel and graduate students from the University of Missouri use the area for research.
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.
