Permit Changes Follow Public Comments by a Citizen-Led and Citizen-Driven Missouri Conservation Department

The Missouri Conservation Commission met December 18 and 19 at the Department of Conservation headquarters in Jefferson City.

The Commission received an update on communications received during the public comment period regarding proposed permit changes and then approved the following recommendations made by Director John Hoskins:

• End advancement of proposed increase in resident landowner acreage requirement for no-cost deer and turkey permits from 5 to 80 acres.


• End advancement of proposed elimination of land-lessee no-cost deer and turkey permits privileges.


• End advancement of proposed resident permit price increases.


• End advancement of proposed senior “forever” permit.


• Delay implementation from Fall 2009 to Spring 2010 of proposed recommendation regarding verification of land ownership when seeking no-cost deer and turkey permits.


• Continue support for consistent Hunter Education and age requirements for all mentors.


• Continue support of standard minimum age of six years for deer and turkey permits.


• Continue support of recommendations to simplify youth permits and discount costs of youth deer, turkey and trout permits by 50%.

An additional news release is available on the Department's Web page.

The news release includes:

"Public input, according to the Commission, has again proven to be an essential component of regulation development. Following the recent public comment period on proposed permit changes, several recommendations included in the original package have been sidelined or modified. 'We have a rich history of being a citizen-led and citizen-driven Conservation Department,' said Commission Chairman Chip McGeehan. 'Citizen involvement and trust are essential parts of conservation success in our state, and we thank the many Missourians who have shared their opinions on the proposed permit changes. We will continue to seek points of view from all of our stakeholders, listen, and respond in ways that best protect Missouri’s resources and serve all Missourians.'"

Need more information on hunting or outdoor activities in Missouri? You can find lots more about hunting in Missouri on the Department of Conservation Web pages.

What if There Are No Students of Conservation or Nature in Missouri, or Anywhere?

What if there are no students interested in conservation? What if the general public has no interest in fish, forests, and wildlife? I attended the public meeting of the Missouri Conservation Commission on Friday, April 25 that was held on the University of Missouri campus in the Monsanto Auditorium of the Christopher S. Bond Life Sciences Center.

I did not see any students in the audience.

YES, there are students interested in conservation. I know there are students of conservation in Missouri. I visited with some outstanding students just last month at the University of Missouri, both in the School of Natural Resources and in the Department of Biological Sciences. On Friday, I waited in the lobby after the meeting was over and saw hundreds of students coming and going from the buildings, especially from the School of Natural Resources building next door.

I visited at the meeting on Friday with Dr. Mark Ryan, Director of the School of Natural Resources.

And within the last month, I met with two new faculty members at the University of Missouri to learn about their research interests and how their work might help fish, forests, and wildlife in Missouri. Dr. Carla Barbieri is working in the area of agri-tourism and Dr. Franciso Aguilar works in the area of forest economics.

YES, Missourians are interested in fish, forests, and wildlife. Surveys, focus groups, and public meetings all have information that shows that Missourians are very interested in the outdoors. The information also indicates they simply don't have time to learn about some things and are not as aware as they'd like to be about the outdoor world.

For specific issues, Missourians are extremely interested. A recent series of surveys and public meetings with Missourians provided over 8,000 comments about proposed changes to deer management regulations.

Nature programs, fishing and hunting programs, public school programs, and volunteer opportunities for adults. The Missouri Department of Conservation has many staff dedicated to producing materials, programs, and support for schools in Missouri, school teachers, and for adults that are interested in the outdoors, nature, and conservation. There are listing of events, places to go, and things to do.

Each one of us can make a difference by telling others about conservation.

Everyone in Missouri can make a difference for both conservation and to help brighten the day of others. Just tell someone else about something interesting you saw today in the outdoors.

• The redbud trees in Missouri have bloomed almost all at once this year and are incredibly purple.


• I told several people yesterday that Wood Duck boxes can mounted with the nest box hole about six feet off the ground when using a cone guard under the box. This makes the box easy to monitor, protects the chicks from being eaten, and the ducks still like it.


• I can tell you that conservation efforts in Missouri have an over $10 billion dollar economic impact, and that just counts the direct recreation spending and forest products industry. There are billions of dollars of economic benefits that we each receive each day from clean water, a healthy environment to live and work in, and the products we use.

Learn one new thing every day about nature. It can be fun to be a life-long student of conservation. You just have to be curious and ask a question about something you don't know.

Take action. Conservation improvements happen because people take action, even if it's learning one new thing about fish, forests, and wildlife. It can happen in your own home or backyard.

You can learn about conservation without going to a meeting. I always learn something new when I attend a meeting of the Conservation Commission. But you don't have to go a meeting to learn something new. Check out the Department's Web pages or look outside!

Improving Leadership Skills of Conservation Professionals or Be a Better Conservation Leader on Your Own

The Wildlife Society (TWS) is accepting applications for its Leadership Institute. Applications are due by March 7, 2008. More information is available on The Wildlife Society Web pages.

From the Web page about the Institute:

"From May through September, the ten members participate in a variety of distance learning and hands-on projects, which include reading and interpreting leadership materials, presenting to peer groups, working collaboratively with each other, leading discussions, and developing summary documents regarding professional leadership."

Another opportunity is the National Conservation Leadership Institute. Applications are due by May 31, 2008. A promotional video is available about the program. Their Web page describes the purpose of the National Institute as:

"We are facing a crisis in conservation! The significant loss of baby boomers who provide leadership in the organizations which manage the conservation of our nation’s natural Resources requires immediate and careful attention. Research studies confirm this reality: Between 2004 and 2015, more than 77% of state fish and wildlife senior leadership will retire! More than one-half of Senior Executive Service employees of federal natural resource agencies will retire by 2007! And this alarming trend mirrors that of NGOs and corporate sectors."

Don't think you can't improve your skills if you can't participate in these opportunities. Leadership skills can be learned and require effort and practice. You can improve your leadership skills or do great works for nature even if you are not focused on a conservation career. One way to start is by learning more about leadership by reading the articles in the Leader to Leader Journal, many of which are available online. You can browse through the catalog of authors to find leadership articles that interest you.

Or, simply practice leadership by doing something for fish, forests, and wildlife. You can learn about how to help nature through the opportunities on the Web pages of the Missouri Department of Conservation. There is also information about how you can provide education to young people about conservation.

Census Atlas of the United States Has Insights for Conservation in Missouri

The U.S. Census Bureau has recently published the Census Atlas of the United States, which is a collection of maps and information about population and housing.

The individual chapters are large files to download, but contain useful insights for fish, forest, and wildlife management in Missouri.

In Chapter 2, the population distribution chapter, I was interested to see the trend for Missouri of increasing population in the major cities and southern part of the state. This is also confirmed in Chapter 14, about housing, in that the dates of housing construction are most recent in the same areas. The northern part of the state has a trend of declining population.

Increasing areas of construction in the past has generally indicated more impacts on habitat and water quality, which can alter the health of fish, forests, and wildlife.

You can read more about what you can do in your neighborhood and community to support fish, forests, and wildlife on the Web pages of the Missouri Department of Conservation and in the community conservation items in the strategic plan of the Department.

Your Opinion Counts for Deer Management in Missouri

Your opinion certainly counts for the staff of the Missouri Department of Conservation. The Department of Conservation wants to hear from Missouri hunters about their opinions for deer management in Missouri. A series of 16 public meetings are being conducted to allow anyone the opportunity to provide comments. There will be two meetings in each of the Department's eight regions throughout the state.

You can read about the meetings on the Department's Web pages.

You can provide comments online if you can't attend a meeting.

You can hear about deer management efforts and why the Department wants to hear from hunters from online videos posted by Department staff on YouTube and MySpaceTV.

You can read about the meetings and efforts on the Department's blog, Fresh Afield.

You can read about the effort from an online fact sheet that includes a mailing address and comment card.

You can contact a regional office at the locations described on the Department's Web pages.

The video on YouTube:




And on MySpaceTV:

Deer Management Public Forums - 2008

Add to My Profile More Videos

Planning for Conservation Success in Missouri

Recently, I paid my 2008 dues for several conservation organizations. I pay to support these organizations because of their plans for conservation and for the success they hope to achieve. I believe one of the greatest conservation benefits of these organizations is how communication is enhanced between members and with others. You can help conservation in Missouri and throughout the world by supporting one or more of the many groups that do conservation work.

For example, some groups that I support include:

The Conservation Federation of Missouri
The Missouri Chapter of The Wildlife Society
The Wildlife Society
Sigma Xi, the Scientific Research Society
The International Association for Society and Natural Resources

Many more organizations that do conservation work are listed on the pages of the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies and the many groups listed as affiliates of the Conservation Federation of Missouri.

You can also support conservation in Missouri through the Missouri Conservation Heritage Foundation or the Missouri Department of Conservation.

You Can Make a Difference for Conservation in Missouri by Planting a Tree or Many Trees

In 1992, when my boys were still in elementary school, we planted some trees that we ordered from the Department of Conservation's forest nursery. We planted a variety of trees, but one of my favorites is the bald cypress. One bald cypress that we planted is nearly 40 feet tall today. It started out less than one foot tall and the boys poked it in the ground in the front yard.

It grew quickly. If you would plant one next spring, it could be over 20 feet tall in less than 10 years.

I like the bald cypress. It is found mostly in the bootheel region of southeast Missouri, but it can adapt and grow well even on dryer upland areas, like yards and hillsides, all over the state. Bald cypress trees can live a long time. The tree we planted could still be living in 600 years.

That's a long time to make a statement and make a difference by simply planting a tree.

Missourians think planting trees is important. In a statewide survey in 2003, most Missourians, 82 percent, agreed that the Department of Conservation should help private landowners who want to restore native communities of plants and animals.

You can learn more about the Department of Conservation tree nursery program that offers Missouri residents a variety of seedlings for reforestation, windbreaks, erosion control, and wildlife food and cover. Much more information about forests in Missouri is available on the forestry library pages of the Department of Conservation.

Or you can learn more about using native plants for landscaping or other wildlife benefits on the Grow Native! Web pages.

Support Conservation and Make Your Own Statement for Fish, Forest, and Wildlife Management

Do you support conservation activities in Missouri? Everyone in Missouri, or anyone who visits Missouri, benefits from the beauty and economic advantages of healthy fish, forests, and wildlife. Healthy plants, animals, and habitats help keep water clean in Missouri and a long list of other benefits.




You can support conservation and make your own statement at the same time by choosing a personalized conservation license plate. There are three choices, a deer, bluebird, and morel mushroom.

You can view the choices and information on how to obtain the license plate on the Web pages of the Missouri Conservation Heritage Foundation.

Or, you can see how your own choice of letters will look on the license plate of your choice on the Department of Revenue's Web pages. On the Department of Revenue page, near the bottom of the page, you'll want to select "Organizational" in the first drop-down box, then Conservation deer, bluebird, or mushroom, and then put in your own personalized letters. Clicking "Submit" will show you how your plate might look.

The basic process to purchase a conservation license plate is to go to any vendor that sells hunting and fishing permits and pay at least the minimum donation to the Missouri Conservation Heritage Foundation for one- or two-years (depending if you want a one- or two-year license). Then take the authorization permit to the license bureau and tell them what you want, for example, you might ask for a two-year license, on a conservation plate, with the deer. There is also a mailing address.

I took the permit authorization into the license bureau at the same time I renewed my vehicle license this year.

Gnomon is an indicator. If you are interested, the "gnomon" is the part of a sundial that casts the shadow so you can determine the time of day. I liked the many meanings of the word "gnomon," in that the health of fish, forests, and wildlife is like an indicator, and the human dimensions information I work with is an indicator of the expectations and satisfaction of Missourians for the Department of Conservation.

Walk or Run to Support Conservation in Missouri

I like to walk. And apparently, many other Missourians like to walk also. In a 2003 survey conducted for the Department by the University of Missouri, 76 percent of Missourians said they had walked in their neighborhood in the last 12 months. Fifty percent said they had hiked in the outdoors. And 27 percent said they had run or jogged.

I support conservation efforts for animals and plants in Missouri. And most Missourians feel the same way. More than three-quarters of Missourians agree that “the Missouri Department of Conservation should make an effort to restore animals that once lived here or are currently very rare in Missouri” (79 percent) and that the Department “should conserve and restore rare and endangered plants” (79 percent).

We can walk, or run, and show support for conservation at the same time. The 2007 Endangered Species Walk/Run, co-hosted by the Department of Conservation, the Department of Natural Resources, the Department of Health and Senior Services, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Jefferson City Parks, Recreation, and Forestry Department, will raise money to help restore habitat, conduct research, and support education projects for endangered animals and plants in Missouri. It will be held October 13, 2007 at the North Jefferson City Pavilion, in Jefferson City, Missouri. The pavilion is near the Katy Trail at the intersection of Highways 63 and 54.

If you can't make it to the event, you can still learn more about the endangered animals and plants in Missouri on the Web pages of the Missouri Department of Conservation.

The event is also one of the many ways that the Department of Conservation is accomplishing its goal to encourage and support partnerships between communities, local governments and developers to reduce the impact of Missouri’s growth upon our fish, forest and wildlife resources.

I can't attend this year to walk, but the shirt looks cool, and the registration information indicates that I can make a $25.00 donation and receive a shirt to show my support for conservation in Missouri.

Surveys are Useful for Fish, Forest, and Wildlife Management in Missouri

All surveys have error and some surveys are useful. A statistician I know that works for the Missouri Department of Conservation frequently reminds me that all surveys have error. And he says in the same sentence, that some surveys are useful. The key for usefulness is proper design, careful attention to details, and appropriate analysis and reporting. Proper design and implementation of a survey reduce the level of error so the survey information is useful.

Managing by facts. The reason surveys need to be useful, and we want to eliminate error, is to have information to guide conservation decisions. The words "using the best scientific information" are used in several of the "Results we want to achieve" statements of the Department of Conservation's strategic plan, in addition to "increased availability and use of conservation-related information."

Over seven decades of best-in-class work. The staff in the Missouri of Department of Conservation started on a journey of best-in-class research and science soon after the Department was established in 1936. That research and information gathering continues today to produce accountable information that can be used for conservation decisions.

The human dimensions of conservation. In the 1970s, Department of Conservation staff began to use surveys and other public input methods very frequently to learn about the expectations, participation levels, and satisfaction of Missourians for fish, forest, and wildlife activities. These "human dimensions" of management are now included in almost every aspect of conservation work.

You can read more about how the human dimensions of conservation has been used in decisions about fish, forests, and wildlife, in the Missouri Conservationist magazine. A recent article, "Your Opinion Counts" was in the January, 2007 issue and another article, "When Missourians Speak" was in the February, 2000 issue.

Impress Your Family and Friends by Identifying Birds, Wildlife, and Plants in Missouri

There goes an "lbb," what?. When I enrolled in a class on ornithology (the study of birds) as an undergraduate, I had three obstacles to overcome. First, my brain was not quite functional at 5:30 a.m. when the lab began. Second, at that time, binoculars that would work well with my glasses were fairly expensive and I could not afford them (the ones with fold-down eye cups to get the binocular closer to my glasses). Third, somehow I seemed to always be in the middle of the group, or towards the back, and the comments and the birds were gone by the time I heard them or got close enough to see. I was left with "there went a little brown bird" or "lbb" identification which was not useful on the tests.

An encouraging example. The teaching assistant was Dave Murphy, now Executive Director of the Conservation Federation of Missouri. Dave was full of energy and his enthusiasm helped me to stay interested and I actually did learn to identify many more birds than I thought possible.

It's easy to learn about birds and other wildlife in Missouri. It actually is really easy to identify birds, the different kinds of wildlife, and the plants of Missouri. You simply learn about one at a time.

Impress your family and friends. You may find that learning more about the natural world has a social benefit in that you can impress your family and friends with your knowledge of cool birds, animals, and plants. Besides that, it's fun. Learning about natural resources helps us understand how the natural world is the foundation of our economy and how we fit into the world.

Learn more. You can learn more about the birds, all wildlife that lives in Missouri, and the many kinds of native plants in the state on the Web pages of the Missouri Department of Conservation or read the many articles in the Department's monthly magazine, the Missouri Conservationist, also available online.

Find an encouraging person to help. Dave Murphy still encourages me through his efforts to support conservation in Missouri. You can learn more about the efforts of Dave and the Conservation Federation of Missouri on their Web pages. If you need someone to help identify birds, wildlife, or plants, then look up some of the programs on outdoor skills at the Conservation Nature Centers located throughout the state or check out the many educational opportunities for Missourians of all ages.

You can join one of the over 3,400 Stream Teams that have knowledgeable individuals. Or you could join one of the many fishing, hunting, or conservation groups in the state. Look at this list on the Federation pages or look for a group in the online conservation directory of the National Wildlife Federation.

You can also contact your local office of the Missouri Department of Conservation or use the online comment form to ask a question of the Department's Ombudsman.

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.

New Commissioners Appointed for Missouri Conservation Commission

Governor Matt Blunt recently appointed two new Commissioners to the Missouri Conservation Commission.

Ms. Becky Plattner, of Grand Pass, was announced as a Commissioner on August 7 and on July 18, Mr. Don Johnson, of Festus, was announced as a Commissioner.

More information about the Conservation Commission is available on the Missouri Department of Conservation Web pages.

A particularly insightful commentary on the importance of the citizen-led, citizen-driven efforts for conservation in Missouri is available in the Vantage Point article by the Director of the Missouri Department of Conservation in the June, 2005 issue of the Missouri Conservationist magazine.

The magazine is available free to adult Missourians that request it and information about how to subscribe is available online.

Human Dimensions is Servant Leadership in Action for Conservation in Missouri

Human dimensions information for conservation is servant leadership in action. I have to recall the past to show how I believe human dimensions information for conservation is a servant leadership in action.

A decade of teaching and learning leadership skills. In 1996, I was asked to participate on the adult staff of a leadership training course for young men. While at that course, although I certainly enjoyed the experience, I would not have predicted that I would continue volunteering my vacation time for similar leadership training courses for every year since that time. This summer I will be part of the adult staff for my 10th course in Missouri. I'll also be involved in my sixth course at the national level, working with youth for an advanced experience at the Philmont Training Center in New Mexico.

Servant leadership is a concept about helping others. The training syllabus that we use has changed since 1996. In the 90s, it focused more on the rote skills of leadership, including communication, planning, conflict resolution, using resources effectively, and other skills. Today, using some of the best parts of current leadership theory and theories that have stood the test of time, the course is slightly different, with a focus more on broader concepts in addition to skills. One concept is that of servant leadership. Being a servant leader involves many things, and Larry Spears writes that the concept is "one that seeks to involve others in decision making, one strongly based in ethical and caring behavior, and one that is attempting to enhance the personal growth of people while improving the caring and quality of our many institutions." At its simplest, servant leadership is about a focus on the needs of others.

The training syllabus describes the concept as: "The concept of servant leadership encourages leaders to serve others while staying focused on achieving results in line with the organization's values and integrity. Servant leadership emphasizes collaboration, trust, empathy, and the ethical use of power."

This idea of including others in decision making, using an approach that is both ethical and respectful of others point-of-view, is what using human dimensions and public involvement in conservation decision-making is all about.

Human dimensions information is used to help others. Human dimensions helps resource mangers make informed decisions about fish, forest, and wildlife conservation. In Missouri, human dimensions efforts are some of the ways citizen opinions are included in conservation decisions. Human dimensions information helps managers and decision-makers provide conservation programs and services that meet the needs and expectations of Missourians. That is why I believe that human dimensions is servant leadership in action.

"What We Believe" statements of the Missouri Department of Conservation guide actions. Using human dimensions information helps me and the staff of the Missouri Department of Conservation demonstrate our "What We Believe" statements. The second statement is "All citizens are important; we value their trust and their point of view" and the third is "Missourians are our partners to achieve conservation success." The last statement includes: "Our decisions and behavior will be based on fairness, objectivity and the best scientific information."

Excellent public service is what we will provide. I believe that using human dimensions information for conservation decision-making helps achieve the first "What We Believe" statement "Excellent public service is what we will provide." These words in the "What We Believe" statements are very similar to the words I use each summer when teaching about the concept of servant leadership. Using human dimensions information and public involvement to meet the needs and expectations of Missourians for fish, forest, and wildlife in Missouri looks exactly like servant leadership to me.

Human Dimensions Information for Fish, Forest, and Wildlife Conservation in Missouri

Human dimensions information is used everyday for conservation decisions. As I drove home Friday evening, thinking about the events of the week, I thought about how several of the tasks I participated in during the week demonstrate how human dimensions information and the distribution of that information are a part of the decisions that are made everyday about conservation.

1. Thirty years of human dimensions work. I was interviewed by Cindi Jacobson about the Missouri Department of Conservation's approach to use human dimensions information in fish, forest, and wildlife management efforts. Ms Jacobson is an Alaska Department of Fish and Game employee who is conducting Ph.D. research through the Human Dimensions Research Unit at Cornell University. She was in Missouri interviewing individuals at the Department of Conservation. She is also interviewing individuals in Arkansas, Maine, and New Mexico. I provided comments to her about the Department's nearly 30 years of human dimensions research and public involvement efforts. The Department of Conservation employed its first full-time social researcher in 1978.

2. Public involvement is used to find solutions and provide guidance. I reviewed materials to help in a citizen forum next week to collect solutions about a forest management issue. The Department of Conservation frequently uses public meetings, forums, and focus groups to enable citizens to provide direction for conservation issues. Examples of comments from several public forums conducted by the Department are available online.

3. Using technology to increase efficiency and reduce process time and costs. I participated in a meeting with Department staff to improve our use of SharePoint, a software collaboration tool, to make a wide variety of information easier to find, access, and use, including human dimensions and policy information.

4. Managing electronic files and information. I was interviewed by an outside consultant for a statewide effort to examine the needs of Missouri government agencies for managing and retrieving electronic files and documents. Managing the increasing number of electronic files is an important issue. From my perspective, improving the ability to find and access human dimensions reports, files, and data is very important both for my work and to increase the use of human dimensions information by Department staff, other agencies, and Missourians. Improving access to human dimensions information will make it easier for that information to be used to guide and provide accountability for conservation decisions.

5. Staying in touch with conservation opinions, satisfaction, and participation. I edited questions for a statewide survey about conservation opinions, participation, and satisfaction. This particular survey of Missourians was first conducted by the Department of Conservation in 1994 and has been repeated at regular intervals. It is an important effort to understand how Missourians feel about conservation issues.

Human dimensions information improves accountability. One of the nine goal categories of the Missouri Department of Conservation's strategic plan, The Next Generation of Conservation, is "Accounting for Department Operations." The goal statement is: "The Conservation Department will operate effectively with accountability for public funds and respect for Missouri citizens." Human dimensions information helps me and other Department staff make informed decisions. Although information can certainly increase our understanding of the complexity of issues and increase our awareness of the far-reaching consequences of decisions, sometimes information can make decisions more difficult or uncertain rather than easier. Even if a decision is difficult or the outcome uncertain, however, using information almost always makes a decision more accountable.

The desired results of the goal Accounting for Department Operations include:

Missouri citizens providing frequent input into Conservation Department decisions and programs.

Conservation efforts led by a highly trained, diverse, technologically skilled and professional staff.

Fair and ethical business methods that enable Missourians to see how public funds are spent on conservation priorities.

I think that all five of the examples I thought about from the past week help achieve these desired results.

The entire document of The Next Generation of Conservation is available online. Individual sections are also on the Department of Conservation's Web pages. A special issue of the Missouri Conservationist magazine, in September 2006, included information and other articles related to The Next Generation of Conservation.

The most recent annual reports from the Department of Conservation are also available online and a two-page summary of the 2006 annual report is in the January issue of the Missouri Conservationist magazine.

Missourians Who Worry "A Fair Amount" and "A Great Deal" About Selected Conservation Issues

When asked about a variety of conservation issues, the pollution of drinking water had the highest level of personal worry by Missourians when the responses of "a fair amount" and "a great deal" are added together.

This "top two" approach provides an indication of the more strongly held opinions of Missourians about the selected conservation issues in this question.

Almost 80 percent or more of Missourians worry about drinking water pollution, pollution of rivers, streams, and lakes, and air pollution. A clear majority of Missourians worry about the loss of natural habitat for wildlife and not enough regulation for housing, business, or shopping developments. About one-half of Missourians worry about urban sprawl and a significant number of Missourians worry about channelized or altered streams.

The strongest held opinions, those that worry "a great deal," increase as the overall level of worry increases (the green shaded areas on the right in the chart) for the conservation issues in the list. For each issue, the number of Missourians that worry "a fair amount" (the areas shaded yellow on the left) is about the same.

In this chart, the overall ranking stays the same compared to the rankings obtained if only the levels of "a great deal" are compared in a chart or if the levels of all Missourians who had any inclination to worry about the issues are compared. Although I would be comfortable reporting any of the three ranking charts, the "top two" approach in the chart here provides a very clear perspective about what a majority of Missourians feel about the selected conservation issues.

Even a quick inspection of the chart indicates that the top four issues have the highest levels of worry by Missourians, including the issues of drinking water pollution, pollution of rivers, streams, and lakes, air pollution, and the loss of natural habitat for wildlife.

These results for how Missourians personally worry about conservation issues are from a conservation opinion survey conducted for the Missouri Department of Conservation by the University of Missouri in 2003. The survey was conducted by mail and a statistically valid random sample of Missouri adults from every Zip Code in Missouri were asked to provide their opinions. A total of 6,352 Missourians provided completed survey forms.

The Levels of Worry by Missourians for Selected Conservation Issues

Yesterday I provided a link to a report from the Brookings Institute about changes in population and where people live in Missouri and showed a chart using results from a conservation opinion survey about how Missourians worry about several conservation issues. In the chart, I included an overall total for the responses of "only a little," "a fair amount," and "a great deal."

It is often useful in survey analysis to compare the different responses to a question and look beyond the overall totals.

In the chart here, I have broken out the responses for each issue. Note in the chart that as the overall total level of worry for a specific issue increases, the number of Missourians who worried "only a little" decreases (the red shaded areas on the left) and the number that worry "a fair amount" stays about the same (the yellow shaded areas in the middle). It is the number of Missourians who worry "a great deal" that steadily increases as the overall level of worry increases (the green shaded areas on the right).

This suggests increasing awareness and concern for the conservation issues that have the highest levels of worry. Something about the issue itself has a stronger emotional meaning or seems more important. It could be that the issues that have the highest level of worry seem closer, or more personally "real" to Missourians.

Tomorrow, I'll look at just the top two responses for each conservation issue in the question. I want to see how the issues compare using the strongest levels of concern, including the responses of "a fair amount" and "a great deal," to see if this "top two" approach provides a different perspective about the level of importance of these issues to Missourians.

Missourians Personally Worry About Conservation Issues

When asked about a variety of conservation issues, the pollution of drinking water had the highest level of personal worry by Missourians.

Almost all Missourians worry about drinking water pollution, pollution of rivers, streams, and lakes, air pollution, and the loss of natural habitat for wildlife. A clear majority of Missourians also worry about not enough regulation for housing, business, or shopping developments, urban sprawl, and channelized or altered streams.

Many of these kinds of conservation issues were also discussed in a report published by the Brookings Institute in December, 2002 entitled Growth in the Heartland: Challenges and Opportunities for Missouri. The executive summary of that report is available here.

The Brookings Institute report describes Missouri as:

"Situated in the heartland, Missouri reflects the full range of American reality. The state is highly urban yet deeply rural. It contains two bustling metropolises, numerous fast growing suburbs, and dozens of typically American small towns. Elsewhere lie tranquil swaths of open country where farmers still rise before dawn and the view consists mainly of rich cropland, trees, and sky. Missouri sums up the best of the nation, in short."

The Brookings Report executive summary closes with:

"In the end: Citizens and localities have choices about how their communities grow, and can meaningfully shape their communities' futures for the better. Hopefully Growth in the Heartland will help Missourians make the best possible choices to ensure their state grows in a fiscally responsible and high-quality manner for generations to come."

For me, the most important message from the Brookings report is that Missourians are moving away from the truly urban and truly rural areas. The resulting increase of suburban areas will continue to have impacts on a variety of conservation issues. It is obvious that many Missourians personally worry about those conservation issues.

The results of how Missourians personally worry about conservation issues are from a conservation opinion survey conducted for the Missouri Department of Conservation by the University of Missouri in 2003. The survey was conducted by mail and a statistically valid random sample of Missouri adults from every Zip Code in Missouri were asked to provide their opinions. A total of 6,352 Missourians provided completed survey forms. The results reported here include the responses of "a little," "a fair amount," and "a great deal."

New Portal for Human Dimensions in Natural Resources and Conservation

A portal. When I was much younger I don't recall if portal was in our vocabulary.

Even now, the word portal to me suggests a way to enter something new or far away. An entryway to something different.

I'm hoping that the new portal for human dimensions information in natural resources and conservation is exactly that--an entry to something different.

The HD.gov portal will become available about the middle of June.

From the HD.gov Web page, the effort is described:

This resource will serve as a credible online information resource as well as a portal with featured service‐links to guide users to existing online information relevant to their specific information needs (e.g., online tools, publications, methods, calendar of events). This work will add value to existing agency sites by highlighting the widely applicable aspects of their content, while retaining links to their agency‐specific information.

Human Dimensions leaders from several federal natural resource management agencies are launching the effort, as an interagency human dimensions Web resource.

You can tour the prototype pages and check out the pages when released later in June at: http://www.hd.gov/

Using Surveys for Public Involvement in Conservation

Frederick Mosteller, who applied statistics to help everyday people understand many subjects, said "It is easy to lie with statistics, but it is easier to lie without them."

Statistics from surveys are often used to provide accountability for conservation decisions related to fish, forest, and wildlife management. Opinions, interests, participation in activities, and satisfaction with performance are some of the human dimensions of conservation efforts. These human dimensions help the staff of the Missouri Department of Conservation make informed and accountable decisions.

Surveys provide a cost-effective way to learn about the conservation opinions of Missourians by asking a relatively small number of individuals to provide their opinions. For most questions, valid results can be obtained by asking about 800-1000 individuals to offer their opinions from the entire 5.8 million individuals that live in Missouri. When conducted correctly, a survey can provide results that are representative of the entire population. If we are willing to accept a slight decrease in the ability to separate overall responses for individual questions, a valid survey in Missouri could be conducted with 300-400 individuals.

Think of looking at the shoes that people wear. If you look at enough people, in enough places, you'll soon see most of the kinds of shoes that people wear, without having to look at everyone, in every place. Using the information you observe, you can soon predict the kinds of shoes people are wearing in other places.

An introduction to using surveys to collect public opinions is available at: http://www.whatisasurvey.info/

An article in the Missouri Conservationist that describes how surveys are used for conservation and fish, forest, and wildlife management is available at: http://www.mdc.mo.gov/conmag/2007/01/20.htm and a previous article is available at: http://www.mdc.mo.gov/conmag/2000/02/40.htm

Frederick Mosteller, who died in 2006, has biographical information at the American Statistical Association, available at: http://www.amstat.org/about/statisticians/index.cfm?fuseaction=biosinfo&BioID=10

If you want to become a statistician and pursue a career using statistics, an excellent source of information about what a statistician does and how to become one is available at: http://www.amstat.org/careers/index.cfm?fuseaction=main