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The Missouri/Mississippi River Confluence Conservation Opportunity Area (COA) Team is working together to increase on-the-ground conservation actions for bottomland habitats.
View the Missouri/Mississippi River Confluence Conservation Opportunity Area Profile.
Some examples of accomplishments made from January 2006-June 2007:
The existing conservation network (lands set aside for conservation) grew with 200 acres of conservation easements.
- The first CP23
“Enhancement” Wetland (approximately 200 acres) was enrolled by a
private landowner at Mallard Point (one of three properties protected by a Ducks Unlimited
conservation easement). In addition to utilizing the CP23
“E” practice the landowner
also took advantage of the CP9
(Shallow Water Areas for Wildlife) and the Fish and
Wildlife Service’s Partners for Fish and Wildlife. The project has drawn considerable
attention from local residents, and since its completion 11 additional CP23
“E” and one
additional Partner for Fish and Wildlife projects have been enrolled. Ducks Unlimited
holds 3 Conservation Easements in the Missouri Portion of the Confluence Focus Area
for a total of 1,266 acres.
Over $554,000 of grants and additional “new money” was invested in this COA.
- The Missouri Bird Conservation Initiative (MoBCI) granted $10,000.00 to the U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service Missouri Private Lands Office for Wet Prairie Restoration in
the Confluence Focus Area, Phase II, Lincoln County, Missouri (funds made possible through State Wildlife Grants). Through this grant
the FWS will continue to work with local landowners to enhance wetland diversity by
restoring prairie cord grass on private land located in the Confluence Focus Area.
Habitat work should benefit waterfowl, shorebirds, large wading birds and songbirds
during migration.
- The Missouri Bird Conservation Initiative (MoBCI) granted $20,000 to the Missouri
Department of Natural Resources for Revegetation of Wetland Natural Communities at
the Edward “Ted” and Pat Jones Confluence Point State Park (funds made possible through State Wildlife Grants). These funds will
restore native wetland communities including bottomland forest, shrub swamp, wet
prairie and marsh. Trees and prairie plugs will be planted by local school children as
part of the Division of State Park’s urban outreach program.
- The Doris Duke Charitable Foundation provided Ducks Unlimited (DU) with $1
million for land protection in the Confluence COA (and the Mingo COA). This grant
was made to conservation partners in Missouri to implement land protection for
priority areas identified in Missouri's Comprehensive Wildlife Strategy. At Confluence,
the Duke monies are being used to offset survey and legal costs of significant wetland
easement donations which DU will hold. In addition, the Duke funds are being used to
get a survey of Cora Island. DU plans to submit a NAWCA proposal for wetland
conservation in the Confluence area. (Click here for a copy of news release.)
- Brian Loges (Missouri Department of Conservation) was successfully granted $24,000
from the Wildlife Diversity Fund in FY08 (funds made possible through State Wildlife Grants). This grant will support restoration of 200
more acres of a 400 acre
wet mesic
grassland restoration on the B K Leach
Conservation Area. NRCS will reimburse the Department for much of the habitat
restoration, but this grant will purchase seed be to supplement plant diversity.
Increasing the plant diversity now will ultimately result in increased structural and
species diversity as the restoration matures.
Public involvement is increasing in the COA through the participation of additional
stakeholders.
- Conservation partners in the Confluence COA (Ducks Unlimited, Missouri Department
of Conservation, Great Rivers Habitat Alliance, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and recently
The Nature Conservancy) combined resources to hire a USFWS sponsored
Conservation Coordinator for the Confluence. Mr. Mark Howell was hired October
2005, with the primary role of coordinating the Confluence Conservation effort. Mark
has been busy attending meetings, developing programs and drafting the “Confluence
Conservation Action Plan that will provide documentation of the issues surrounding
the Confluence Focus Area and the area’s biological richness.
- The Missouri and Mississippi Rivers Confluence Partnership hosted the St. Louis Land
Conservation Forum in November 2006. The goals of the partnership are habitat
restoration and enhancement and “smart growth” in the floodplain.
- As
a result of a wetland workshop
cosponsored
by Confluence partners to include USFWS, MDC, NRCS and DU, three
additional easements in Lincoln County (Mayes 560 acres, Glarner 150 acres, Schulte
102 acres) in close proximity to the recently restored B.K. Leach Memorial
Conservation Area, have been approved and are in various stages of completion.
Places to visit in the Missouri/Mississippi Confluence COA:
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