Missourians Make Conservation History Happen Every Day

I watched conservation history happen on Thursday. Actually, I watch history happen every day, just like everyone does, except that on most days I don't really notice. The events of some days are more important than others, and it's not always easy to know until later.

Today I was careful to notice. I watched as the Chair of the Missouri Conservation Commission introduced and welcomed two new members to the Conservation Commission. This is important for conservation history, since both are new at the same time, and they will serve regular terms of six years. They will have six years to make conservation decisions that may last beyond my lifetime.

As an employee of the Department, it is inspiring to hear compelling words about conservation from the Missouri individuals that are Conservation Commission members.

As a Missouri citizen, it is even more inspiring to see the interest of the Commissioners and their obvious passion for the fish, forest, and wildlife resources of Missouri. This makes me feel that we surely have the best team of citizens and professionals to make conservation history happen every day in Missouri.

You can read more about the Conservation Commission and the beginnings of the Department in 1936 on the Department of Conservation's Web pages.

An excellent article about the role of private citizens, the start of the Conservation Federation of Missouri, and how Missourians made conservation history in the 1930s is in the January, 2005 issue of the Missouri Conservationist magazine.

Another article about Missourians and how they made conservation history in the 1970s is in the September, 2006 issue of the magazine and is about the role of Missourians to establish the Conservation Sales Tax in Missouri.

And if you want to see today's conservation history, you can read the current issue of the magazine, look at what is happening on the new Department Blog, see the current news of the Department, or simply start at the Department's home page.