Holiday Greetings from the Missouri Department of Conservation

Here is a short video as a holiday greeting card from the Missouri Department of Conservation:




Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas!

Thinking Halloween? Look at Critter Rock "Hairy, Not Scary" Music Video About Bats from the Missouri Department of Conservation

Thinking about the halloween spirit? Or just the great fall weather in Missouri, with crisp cool temperatures, a remarkably clear sky with stars, and a few amazing flying mammals, like bats? Here is a cool music video that's "hairy, not scary" about bats from the Missouri Department of Conservation.



You can buy a CD of the music from the Missouri Department of Conservation Nature Shop, your own copy of the video on a DVD, or more music from Wild Heart, which is songwriter Jan Syrigos and her husband George Syrigos.

Bats are definitely hairy, not scary! You can learn more about bats from the Missouri Department of Conservation Web pages.

Conservation Agent Training Class for the Missouri Department of Conservation

The Missouri Department of Conservation is accepting applications to fill up to a 20 member class for Conservation Agent trainees. The class is scheduled to begin March 1, 2009.

The online announcement is available on the Department of Conservation Web site.

I've had the opportunity to speak to the last two training classes of Conservation Agents and they have asked some thought-provoking questions. It's also the only group I speak to, outside of college classes, that are verbally tested over the information immediately after it is presented.

I've always thought the job description is much like that of a super hero. The job announcement lists education and physical fitness requirements, then, a long list of competencies and abilities.

Some of the abilities include:

"keep focused on understanding, anticipating and responding to the needs of customers;"

"take a long-term view of the Department’s or Unit’s direction and articulate a vision which integrates key program goals, priorities, values and other factors;"

"analyze data and apply relevant wildlife, fisheries and forest management principles to the solution of problems;"

"express oneself clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing;"

"establish and maintain an effective working relationship with elected officials, members of the press, educators, community leaders, courts, representatives from related agencies and the general public;"

"make independent decisions and act quickly and decisively on the determined course of action;"

and "create public awareness of and involvement in fish, forest and wildlife programs and to provide leadership to the public in this activity."

There are more items in the list. Conservation Agents are important members of the conservation "team" in Missouri.

A short video is on YouTube about the job of a Conservation Agent:

Census of Agriculture Still Accepting Responses

The Census of Agriculture is conducted every five years and "is the only source of consistent and comprehensive agricultural data for every state and county in the nation."

A news release from the United States Department of Agriculture indicates that over two million forms have already been received and they are still accepting responses.

This current effort is the first Census of Agriculture where producers and farmers could respond using an online form.

Data collection for the current effort, the 2007 Census, began December 28th, 2007. Results are expected to be available beginning in February 2009.

I use this information frequently, to understand the economic impacts of both farm production and conservation activities in Missouri.

Previous information from the 2002 Census of Agriculture is available in a wide variety of reports and formats.

Chuck Will's Widow Calling in the Evening

I heard two chuck-will's-widow birds singing in the evening yesterday. It's the first time I 've heard them this year. I don't recall ever hearing them when I was very young in north Missouri. They probably were not that far north.

I particularly like the sound of the chuck-will's-widow and the whip-poor-will. We can hear both birds in the evening where I live in central Missouri. The chuck-will's-widow has a song much like the name, with a quieter "chuck" and then most emphasis on the "will's-widow."

I've heard the whip-poor-will and another bird, the nighthawk, for several weeks. The nighthawk is a similar bird and generally heard in town, making a short nasal call as it circles over parking lots and buildings, catching insects.

The recently released report for Missouri from the National Survey of Fishing, Hunting, and Wildlife-Associated Recreation indicates that about 2.2 million folks watch or observe wildlife in Missouri. Perhaps several of those folks also like to listen to the chuck will's widow.

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!

Administrative Professionals Help Achieve Conservation Success in Missouri

Wednesday, April 23, is Administrative Professionals Day. The administrative professionals in my workplace are an important part of our conservation success. They are part of our team and are absolutely required to accomplish fish, forest, and wildlife tasks. They handle a wide variety of assignments, including meeting, greeting, and helping the folks who call or visit our office. Their customer focus is unmatched by anyone. I can't succeed in my own work without their help.

Yet there are few times when their name will be on a publication or they'll receive much reference to their work. They are "behind the scenes" or in the background. They work to help others look great. They demonstrate servant leadership every day.

I put flowers and a card on the desk of the professionals that directly help me so that they'll see them when they arrive on Wednesday. And our Policy Coordination folks will gather in the afternoon to thank our administrative staff.

Of course, they are only two of the many administrative professionals that work for the Missouri Department of Conservation. From the front desk in Jefferson City to the offices located throughout the state, there are many more administrative professionals in a variety of roles.

I certainly appreciate their efforts and all they do for the Department's mission of excellent fish, forest, and wildlife public service!

Individuals Make A Difference for Conservation and Nature in Missouri

One of the value statements of the Missouri Department of Conservation is "Employees are the Department’s most important resource." I see people demonstrate this every day. It's inspiring.

On Friday evening, I helped a co-worker edit a letter and the text of their resume as they apply for a different job that is open in the Department. As I looked over their experience and skills, and read about how much they had accomplished for a variety of conservation tasks, I was reminded about how important their contributions have been to the success of conservation. As an individual, they've made a difference. But few folks will ever read that resume and most will never know how many lives they have touched with their efforts.

Also on Friday, I listened in a public meeting where Dennis Steward, the Department's Protection Division Chief, complimented one of the Department's scientists who was presenting information at the meeting. Most fish, forest, and wildlife decisions must be made using a wide variety of biological research and knowledge of public opinions. The information presented was clear, to the point, and comprehensive, exactly what should be expected of a conservation professional.

The compliment from Dennis was noteworthy, because Dennis is within weeks of his own retirement, and rather than make a comment about his own experiences, he chose to compliment someone who has made a difference in Department programs and management efforts over many years. For me, this demonstrates the depth of leadership ability and integrity of Dennis. Dennis has made a difference for nature and conservation in Missouri over his career. He continued his success on Friday, by encouraging and inspiring employees.

In the past, I've watched in the public meetings of the Missouri Conservation Commission where Department employees have received service awards for 20, 25, 30, or more years of service, sometimes in jobs as focused as moving fish from a hatchery to a stream. These people quietly provided outstanding public service. They made a difference for nature, for conservation, and the future of Missouri. Most Missourians will never know about their individual efforts.

Individuals do make a difference. My co-workers make a difference every day. It might sound corny or melodramatic, but there are some days I nearly weep as I leave my office when I have witnessed something as simple and powerful as a compliment that is truly deserving, like the compliment of Dennis for another conservation professional. Or when I've seen the success of others in their own conservation tasks. The work of others often deserves complimenting. And the compliment itself makes a difference.

Employees are the Department's most important resource to make a difference for conservation and nature in Missouri.

Awareness of Nature is a Key to a Larger World of Conservation in Missouri

Driving into Jefferson City last week, I noticed the tremendous number of purple flowers along the roadside. There were so many flowers that hundreds of feet of the roadside appeared purple. I wondered about how many people saw the same color and had no idea what caused it.

The flowers are most likely a low-growing plant called henbit. Up close, it's an elegant flower. When I was learning about plants as an undergraduate, I had to make a collection of dried and pressed plants. Two of the plants had to be in the same scientific grouping called a genus.

I selected henbit and deadnettle, in the genus Lamium, the mint family of plants. I had never known what those plants were until I studied them. In the picture here, henbit is on the right and deadnettle is on the left.

Learning about plants, animals, and where they live in Missouri gives me knowledge of what is outside. Then, even with a little knowledge, I can begin to think about how fish, forests, and wildlife improve our quality of life in Missouri and how conservation tasks help each Missourian. You simply have to look and ask questions. What is that plant? What makes that color? There are easy sources on the Internet to find information, including the Department of Conservation Web pages on plants.

Learning more about plants helps us understand conservation much like in the Star Wars movie where Luke Skywalker is told by Obi-Wan that he has "taken a first step into a larger world."

Clarity for the Best Long-Term Results for Fish, Forests, Wildlife, and Conservation in Missouri

I spoke last week at the public meeting of the Missouri Conservation Commission about how the human dimensions of conservation, that is social, economic, and opinion information, has been used to shape the decision-making and outcomes of fish, forest, and wildlife management in Missouri. By human dimensions, I mean a wide variety of demographic, opinion, survey, participation, focus group, public meeting, and public comment information. It's what a business would call market information; information that can be used to make decisions based on facts.

This week I was reading again parts of the monograph by Jim Collins, Good to Great and the Social Sectors, and I believe many of the ideas in the book show clearly why human dimensions information is so valuable to improve conservation decision-making.

For example, Collins writes that great companies have a "deep understanding of three intersecting circles: 1) what you are deeply passionate about, 2) what you can be the best in the world at, and 3) what best drives your economic engine."

Now consider the human dimensions information that many Missourians participate in nature-related recreation. Many more are interested in Missouri's fish, forests, and wildlife. Add to those thoughts the highly talented Department of Conservation employees who are both deeply passionate about the resources they manage for Missourians and knowledgeable about fish, forests, and wildlife. They can be the best in the world at managing nature in Missouri. Now, as the third ingredient, add the economic engine of volunteers, partnerships, and the sustained funding of the Conservation Sales Tax that Missourians voted to establish in 1976 and I believe we have a recipe to achieve, as Collins writes, "pockets of greatness," for conservation in Missouri.

Human dimensions information also helps Department staff to, in the words of Collins, "attain piercing clarity about how to produce the best long-term results," for nature in Missouri. And this is very important, since the budget of the Department is limited and small, at less than one percent of the total State of Missouri annual budget. I believe that human dimensions information helps the Department to be accountable, to improve its performance, and will continue to be useful in the future.

More information about the success of the Missouri Department of Conservation is available in the 2006-2007 Annual Report.

Conservation Biology Certificate Program at the University of Missouri

I spoke on Thursday at the Conservation Biology Seminar at the University of Missouri. My topic was about the human dimensions of fish, forest, and wildlife conservation.

The seminar is a part of the conservation biology graduate program. Graduate students in a variety of fields can earn a certificate through the program. During the day, I met with many graduate students that are in the School of Natural Resources and the Biology programs. I was challenged by many of their questions about fish, forest, wildlife, and resource management. I was also pleased to see their passion about the outdoors and the wide range of topics that they are studying.

I'd be pleased to have any of the students I visited with on a conservation team.

The seminar is coordinated and implemented by the graduate students. I believe that's a wonderful way for them to interact with individuals already working in various fields, to interact and build working relationships with each other as professionals, and to practice conservation leadership.

I applaud their efforts and success.

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.

Author Richard Louv at Missouri Natural Resources Conference Speaks About Getting Children and Adults Outdoors

Author Richard Louv spoke today at the Missouri Natural Resources Conference. He talked about the importance of getting children, and adults, outdoors. Louv has more information about his books and efforts on his Web pages. He included as he talked a message of the positive benefits that will result in the future as more people experience and rediscover nature and the outdoors.

Lorna Domke writes about Louv in her blog, Fresh Afield and notes how the Missouri Department of Conservation has programs to help children and families experience nature.

I also thought about the hunter education classes, taught by volunteer instructors in Missouri, that provide hunters of all ages the basic skills needed to go outside and hunt safely.

In addition, I listened to a talk in the afternoon about the Go Fish program of the Missouri Department of Conservation, presented by Denise Otto.

All of these efforts help to accomplish three things that Louv said are important:

1. Get information about nature, the outdoors, and outdoor activities to parents.
2. Encourage and help parents to go outside into nature with their children (this also helps the health of parents).
3. Institutions and organizations must help parents with support and information so they can take their children outside into nature.

Louv reminded the audience that many of them probably remember outdoor experiences as a child. I remember going outside as a child. I still go outside for a wide variety of outdoor activities. Those are great memories and experiences that have provided me with lifelong skills and interests. Surely spending all that time outdoors helped my health as well.

There are many ways to experience nature. You can find more information about where to go in Missouri on the Web pages of the Missouri Department of Conservation and the Department of Natural Resources.

Go outside!

Using Blogs and Social Media to Communicate Conservation Information in Missouri

The Missouri Natural Resources Conference is an annual conference in Missouri that is sponsored by four professional resource management societies.

On Thursday, January 31, 2008, I'll make a presentation at the conference about using blogs and social media to communicate conservation information.

You can view the program and more information on the conference Web page.

In the presentation, I'll show examples of blogs being used in business, government, and conservation. I'll highlight some of the online videos on Youtube from the Missouri Department of Conservation. I'll define a few terms about social media, like what a blog is, and some of the social media services like Twitter, YouTube, Flickr, Wikipedia, del.icio.us, Facebook, and MySpace.

Although I'll only mention the growing level of Internet use from recent surveys, this presentation at the Pew Internet and American Life Project has useful and insightful statistics about adult and youth Internet use.

I'm looking forward to the response and questions I might receive after the presentation at the conference.

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.

The Vision for Conservation in Missouri

Recently, a University of Missouri class asked some questions about the vision statement of the Missouri Department of Conservation.

In answering their questions, I was reminded of two statements from John F. Kennedy. Kennedy spoke at Rice University in Texas on September 12, 1962 about landing a man on the moon. In the speech, Kennedy stated, referring to his vision of landing a man on the moon:

"...because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills, because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone, and one which we intend to win..."

and later in the speech,

"But if I were to say, my fellow citizens, that we shall send to the moon, 240,000 miles away from the control station in Houston, a giant rocket more than 300 feet tall, the length of this football field, made of new metal alloys, some of which have not yet been invented, capable of standing heat and stresses several times more than have ever been experienced, fitted together with a precision better than the finest watch, carrying all the equipment needed for propulsion, guidance, control, communications, food and survival, on an untried mission, to an unknown celestial body, and then return it safely to earth, re-entering the atmosphere at speeds of over 25,000 miles per hour, causing heat about half that of the temperature of the sun--almost as hot as it is here today--and do all this, and do it right, and do it first before this decade is out--then we must be bold."

The words of Kennedy help define for me how a vision statement can be useful. I particularly like the phrase "that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills..." because I believe that was the intent of the Missouri citizens in 1936 when they crafted the language in the Missouri Constitution that is the basis for the Missouri Department of Conservation vision statement. The Department of Conservation vision provides a picture of the desired outcome and the ideal to be used to measure accomplishments.

In addition, Kennedy reinforced the role of a vision to focus and align efforts when he said "made of new metal alloys, some of which have not yet been invented..." Although the Department's vision statement is a picture of future success, it takes work, and thought, and innovation to achieve that success. Particularly innovation, since the challenges of both the current and future landscape in Missouri are not entirely known. Expertise and knowledge help to reduce uncertainty in the work to achieve a vision, but there are still unknown and unexpected events.

The vision statement of the Missouri Department of Conservation is:

"To have healthy, sustainable plant and animal communities throughout the state of Missouri for future generations to use and enjoy, and to have fish, forest and wildlife resources in appreciably better condition tomorrow than they are today.

To have all Missourians understand the relationship and value of plant and animal communities to our social and economic well-being.

To have citizens and government agencies work together to protect, sustain, enhance, restore or create sustainable plant and animal communities of local, state and national significance."

You can find more information on the Department of Conservation Web pages about the vision and mission statements of the Department of Conservation, the strategic plan The Next Generation of Conservation, and the Department's value statements "What We Believe."

Ask a Department of Conservation Expert for the Answer to a Conservation Question

This past week I found a small bird nest along my driveway. It was very small, about 1.5 inches in diameter, and my wife and I first thought it might be a hummingbird nest. It had soft plant material inside and lichens all around the outside.

I asked staff in the Wildlife Division in the Department of Conservation about the nest. They guided me to look up the blue-gray gnatcatcher. That's it! The Department also has an information page about the blue-gray gnatcatcher.

The Department of Conservation has experts that can help answer a wide variety of fish, forest, and wildlife questions. You can ask a question online, or contact your local office. There are eight Department regional offices in Missouri. You can also look up specific staff and subject areas on the Department's media contacts roster.

A wide variety of information that can help answer questions is available on the Department's Web pages and in the online articles from the Missouri Conservationist magazine.

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.