Sleep Under the Stars in Independence, Missouri

My wife made a quilt for us that has stars on every piece of fabric. We can "sleep under the stars" every night.

When I was growing up, "sleeping under the stars" meant camping out without a tent. I've heard new terms for this, like "meadow crashing" which means putting a sleeping bag or pad out in the grass of a field or meadow to "sleep under the stars."

The Bass Pro Store in Independence, Missouri, is inviting families to come camp out at the store on May 24, 2008. From the events page on their Web pages, they write:

"Have you ever wanted to sleep out under the stars? Bass Pro has the solution for you. On Saturday, May 24th, we will hold the first annual FAMILY NIGHT UNDER THE STARS. Register early as space is limited! Contact Amy at 816-795-4317 or by email at aracock@basspro.com to save your space. We will have activities range from outdoor survival skills, storytelling and what campout wouldn't be complete with out smores. So join as for the first annual FAMILY NIGHT UNDER THE STARS."

The announcement is on the list of events for the Independence, Missouri Bass Pro Store.

Also, an article on family camping was in the 1999 Missouri Conservationist magazine, or take along some of these books about camping and the outdoors that are mentioned in another article.

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.