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Missouri Conservation Projects

	FISH FIND NEW HOMES IN MISSOURI Wildlife Forever's most ambitious conservation project in 15 years promises extraordinary benefits for wildlife and the people who live in and around the Missouri River. Through a unique partnership among local, state and federal agencies and private organizations, 865 acres have been added to the Jones-Confluence Point State Park in St. Charles County, located at the confluence of the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers. The $1 million project is designed to preserve and develop the wetland ecosystem for waterfowl, other migratory birds, fish and wildlife. The park is scheduled to open to the public in 2004, and trails and interpretive signs will be provided.
	CREATING HABITAT FOR FISH AND WILDLIFE A comprehensive conservation project enhanced 1,257 acres of habitat at the Perry Conservation Area east of Kansas City, thanks to support from Wildlife Forever. A series of low-profile retention dikes were built to hold floodwaters in place along the Blackwater River, creating six wetland pools, for a total of 737 acres of wetlands. The project also reforested 120 acres of bottomland and improved 400 acres of existing forest by plantings of mast-producing tree species. A variety of fish and wildlife species will benefit from the project, including trout, pike, and sturgeon, as well as bald eagles, Canada geese, and songbirds.
	RESTORING MISSOURI'S LARGEST WET PRAIRIE Your support was a part of a $5,900 Wildlife Forever grant to restore Missouri’s largest cordgrass wet prairie in the Squaw Creek National Wildlife Refuge. Floodwaters killed much of the cordgrass and destroyed valuable wildlife habitat. The wet prairie supports the last viable population of the state endangered Massasagua rattlesnakes and is heavily used by deer, pheasants and a wide variety of raptors. Partnering with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, controlled burns were used to eliminate unwanted stands of canarygrass. A year later, the area was seeded with cordgrass. The Squaw Creek National Wildlife Refuge provides numerous outdoor recreational opportunities including hunting, fishing and wildlife viewing. The Refuge is located in northwestern Missouri within the historic Missouri River floodplain near Mound City.
	2,100 MORE ACRES OF WETLANDS Ducks and geese in the Missouri have 2,100 more acres of wetlands thanks in part to your support. The Nodaway River Valley is located in an intensely farmed region and most of the historic wetlands have been drained. To restore the wetlands, 12 new pools were constructed. Native vegetation was also planted that included 91 acres of wet prairie, 142 acres of shrub, 1,867 acres of emergent marsh and 80 acres of open water. The Nodaway Valley conservation Area is managed for multiple uses including public hunting. The four public blinds and the easily wade-able pools are a real draw for hunters. Birders love the area because the diversity of habitat draw a large number of species. The next time you are looking for prime waterfowl hunting, head up to northwestern Missouri and take advantage of your donations at work.