Be Careful with Fireworks to Prevent Wildfires

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo - The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) reminds people to be extremely careful with fireworks during this time of very dry conditions and lack of rain. MDC also urges campers and others in the outdoors to follow the precautions below to protect lives, property and Missouri's precious forests, fish and wildlife.

Fireworks
Do not light fireworks in any areas where the sparks could ignite dry grass, leaves or other potential fire fuel. Always have an approved fire extinguisher and/or an available water supply to douse sparks or flames. Also wet the area around where fireworks are being discharged. Check with local ordinances and authorities for bans on fireworks and open burning.
 
Outdoor Burning 
Dry fuel combined with high temperatures, low humidity and wind make fire nearly impossible to control. Check with local fire departments regarding burn bans that may be in place. A person who starts a fire for any reason is responsible for any damage it may cause. For more information on using prescribed fire as a land-management tool, visit mdc.mo.gov and search "Prescribed Fire."
 
Driving Off Road 

-Think twice before driving into and across a grassy field.
-Never park over tall, dry grass or piles of leaves that can touch the underside of a vehicle.
-When driving vehicles off road, regularly inspect the undercarriage to ensure that fuel and brake lines are intact and no oil leaks are apparent.
-Always carry an approved fire extinguisher on vehicles that are used off road.
-Check for the presence of spark arresters on ATV exhausts.
 
Making a Campfire
-Clear a generous zone around fire rings. When humidity is low and wind is high, debris can become tinder for a stray spark or ember.
-Store unused firewood a good distance from the fire.
-Never use gasoline, kerosene or other flammable liquid to start a fire.
-Keep campfires small and controllable.
-Keep fire-extinguishing materials, such as a rake, shovel and bucket of water, close by.
 
Never Leave a Campfire Unattended!
Extinguish campfires each night and before leaving camp (even if it's just for a few moments). 
 
Smokers: Practice Extra Caution
Extinguish cigarettes completely and safely and dispose of butts responsibly by burning them in a controlled campfire or packing them out. 
 
Don't Delay Call for Help!
Call 911 at the first sign of a fire getting out of control.

Report Forest Arson
Many wildfires are set by vandals. Help stop arson by calling 800-392-1111. Callers will remain anonymous and rewards are possible.

For more information contact:

Joe Jerek
News Services Coordinator
Missouri Department of Conservation

573-751-4115

Goose Banding Round-Up

By Debra Lee. TWW Coordinator

Conservation Federation of Missouri

The wonderful encounter gave me a new perspective into fieldwork and reseach conducted while tracking migratory birds.  Some may consider geese to be friends and others think they are a nuisance.  Any way you look at it, the banding program is a national and global effort that will provide a plethora of information on flight patterns, nesting and molting as well as many other environmental cause & effect trends in the future.

 While the herding/banding process taught me how to corral geese, pick them up and check their gender, the most interesting part is the program behind the banding process.  BirdLife International is a global coalition of more than 100 country partner organizations. The Important Bird Areas Program was initiated by BirdLife International in Europe in the 1980's. Since then, over 8,000 sites in 178 countries have been identified as Important Bird Areas, with many national and regional IBA inventories published in 19 languages. Hundreds of these sites and millions of acres have received better protection as a result of the IBA Program. 

 MDC Wildlife Diversity Program Supports Missouri Land Conservation Partners

 Jamison Island
Comment period ends June 30th! 

 
By Susan Flader, President, Missouri Parks Association

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Farm Bill Passes

in the Senate 64-35

On June 21st, the Senate passed its version of the Farm Bill (Agriculture Reform, Food, and Jobs Act of 2012) in a 64-35 vote.  The bill includes a number of provisions impacting conservation, many of which were added during the amendment process: 

•  A Sodsaver provision that reduces subsidies on newly broken lands without a cropping history
•   Conservation compliance reconnected to crop insurance premium subsidies to ensure that taxpayer dollars do not aid in the conversion of wetlands or the farming of highly erodible lands without a conservation plan
•  Changes to the Community Wood Energy Program to allow locally owned and operated energy cooperatives to create small scale, sustainable wood energy facilities 
• Changes to the crop insurance program to require USDA to use organic market prices for establishing indemnity rates for insured organic commodities

 Additionally, amendments that threatened to roll back years of conservation gains were defeated and NOT included in the final version of the Agriculture Reform, Food, and Jobs Act:

• Elimination of the Forest Legacy Program that leverages private and state efforts to protect environmentally important workings forests
•  Elimination of the Conservation Reserve Program and Conservation Stewardship Program, two popular and successful programs that help farmers and landowners protect natural resources and maintain long-term productivity of the land.
• Elimination of the agricultural management assistance, risk management education, and organic certification cost share assistance programs that provide valuable support to small producers and help in transitioning from conventional to organic production

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Land Water Conservation Fund Update 

Negotiations over the final transportation reauthorization bill came to an end late Wednesday night (June 27th, 2102), and in the final hours of high-level negotiations, some provisions were dropped including the LWCF funding proposed by the Senate.  Because of overwhelming support in the Senate and broad bipartisan support in the House, the LWCF provision remained under discussion long after most other issues were put to bed, and in fact was one of the last remaining issues.  This is a credit to all the work you have done.  Unfortunately, forceful resistance from a few key House members prevented an agreement on the LWCF provision and therefore it was dropped from the final transportation conference report.

The hard work each of you has done, and the incredible momentum that you have built collectively throughout the country has made LWCF a top priority for more Senate and House members than ever before.  In this particular instance, the many moving parts of a complex and politically charged piece of legislation like the transportation bill created a dynamic that was very challenging for inclusion of LWCF. This is only one day, however, and one opportunity that fell just short of the finish line.  There will be another day and another opportunity, because our champions on both sides of the aisle and in both Houses of Congress are not giving up.  Now, more than ever, our broad base of support for dedicated funding of LWCF is clear, we are committed, and we will not stop looking for a solution.

For more information, please contact:

Lindsey Levick

lindsey_levick@tws.org

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