September 10, 1935, about 75 citizens gathered in the ballroom of the Tiger Hotel in Columbia, Missouri. They formed the Restoration and Conservation Federation of Missouri that evening. Their first success was to draft a constitutional amendment, get it before voters via the initiative petition process, and promote its passage. It passed by a wide margin and the Missouri Conservation Commission was the result. A new state agency was born, responsible for Missouri's forests, fish and wildlife resources, and as protected from the influences of politics and favoritism as possible.

 

Over the years many challenges and successes have come our way.   Today the agency is known as the Missouri Department of Conservation, a widely acknowledged world leader in excellent stewardship. Today we are known as the Conservation Federation of Missouri, a private, not-for-profit organization unrelenting in our resolve to "discover, even to stimulate, to express and translate to action the public will in matters affecting conservation."

 

On September 10, 2012, the 77th anniversary of our formation, won't you come to Ragtag Cinema in Columbia for an evening of celebration? We will have a party. We will view two great, historic films digitized just in time for our event. Charles Schwartz's award winning 1952 "Bobwhite through the year" was his very first, feature length picture. We will follow that with Glenn Chambers' 1972 classic "Design for Conservation" a compelling message that has changed our world.

 

Doors open at 5 pm, films begin at 6 pm. We will have brief remarks from MDC Director Bob Ziehmer and DNR Director Sara Pauley describing the continuing value and importance of CFM today. Wine, beer and plenty of finger food will be available to all, courtesy of Uprise Bakery.

 

Only 120 tickets are available in the theatre. Each ticket costs only $35...price includes admission, food and drink. To buy your tickets, go to http://www.ratagfilm.com , press the "Buy Tickets" tab, select "Showtimes for Mon. Sept. 10, 2012", scroll to CFM 77th party, click on "5:00 pm" and select "# tickets"...and click continue to pay for your tickets. Simple, quick and VERY easy. See you at Ragtag!

'Bringing Nature Home' with Doug Tallamy at Lincoln University in Jefferson City  

Doug Tallamy, best known for his book 'Bringing Nature Home' will be at Lincoln University on Thursday, August 30, 2012. He will discuss the important ecological roles of the plants in our landscapes, emphasize the benefits of designing gardens with these roles in mind and how to sustain wildlife with native plants in your own backyard and look at the consequences of failing to do so.

Dr. Tallamy's presentation will begin at 9:30 a.m. on campus at Scruggs University Center, 819 Chestnut Drive. Parking will be at Dickinson Research Center, 1219 Chestnut and shuttles will run from 8:15 a.m. until 9:15 a.m. to bring participants to the event.

Immediately after the talk, a special Missouri Prairie Foundation/Grow Native transplanting ceremony will take place, followed by a book-signing.  During the signing, visitors will have the opportunity to taste appetizers prepared with native edible plants and take tours at the Native Plant Outdoor Laboratory on campus next to Allen and Foster Halls.  Shuttle rides will also be provided at the end of the event around 12:30 p.m.

Cost is $10.00 to the general public and $5.00 for adults 65 and older.  There is no charge for University students with a valid ID. 

Due to high demand additional seating has been added.  If you would like to attend, please email Shirly Downing at DowningS@lincolnU.edu .  You may pay the registration fee at the door.  Checks  can be made payable to 'Lincoln University'.

Students who wish to participate need to send name and contact information by email to reserve a seat.

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The Missouri Conservation Heritage Foundation is a nonprofit, charitable organization that helps meet financial needs placed on natural resource conservation and conservation-related outdoor recreation. Since being founded in 1997, MOCHF has allocated more than $9 million for conservation funding statewide.

Missouri Conservation Heritage Foundation is separate from the Missouri Department of Conservation but supports MDC's mission of protecting the state's fish, forestry and wildlife resources for all Missourians. By working with Missouri Department of Conservation staff members, who have already researched areas of greatest conservation priority, MCHF funds projects that address immediate conservation and outdoor-recreation needs. Conservation Department staff members also partner with conservation groups statewide, and these groups in turn invest funds of their own to projects that MCHF supports.

Please visit their website at www.mochf.org or click here to sign up for the quarterly MCHF eNewsletter.  If you have any questions please contact Donna Richards at 573-821-2455 or donna.richards@mdc.mo.gov .

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For more information go to http://www.conservationregistry.org/projects/100137?printable=true#fulldescr .

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This summer the Lower Grand River Conservation Opportunity Area Seminar was held July 12-13, 2012 in Chillicothe, Missouri. There were 57 individuals in attendance.   Considerable interest and attendee enthusiasm contributed to the success of the event.     

 

On July 20^th, NWF joined with National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition, American Farmland Trust, and Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership to host a congressional briefing to key hill staffers on the importance of reconnecting conservation compliance to crop insurance in the 2012 Farm Bill.  NWF's media team shot footage of the briefing and created 3 videos from each speaker at the briefing.  The videos are now available on You-tube.  These videos present a great opportunity to get the word out on this topic to a wider audience than those who attended the briefing.  Our three speakers - Jon Scholl of American Farmland Trust, Ray McCormick  of the Indiana Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts, and Varel Bailey, formerly President of the National Corn Growers Association  - all did a tremendous job presenting their unique perspectives and giving the basics facts explaining why we need to reconnect conservation compliance to crop insurance in the Farm Bill. All three videos are available on you-tube and you can link to them directly:

 

 

The Need for a Conservation Connection in the Farm Safety Net

 

Conservation at a Crossroad

 

Farm Bill:  Contract Between Food Producers and Consumers

 

 

Ray McCormick also recorded two videos on the need for conservation and on the importance of cover crops, which are also priority areas of work for NWF's agriculture Program. 

 

Farmer's Perspective: Importance of Conservation

 

Farmer's Perspective: Why I Use Cover Crops

 

 

Please take a look and feel free to share these videos with your networks.

 

 

For more informaiton click on NWF - Wildlife and the Farm Bill

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"Our contributions each year to National Hunting and Fishing Day represents our efforts to get members more involved in the outdoors," said Kurt Beckstrom of North American Fisherman. "Our members attend the various NHF Day events throughout the U.S. and tell us of how rewarding it is. NHF Day continues to grow and reach new outdoorsmen and outdoorswomen each year with the continued support of generous sponsors. Through licenses, permits and special taxes, hunters and anglers generate $100,000 every 30 minutes- totaling more than $1.75 billion per year-for fish, wildlife and habitat. No one contributes more for conservation.

 

NHF Day is set to take place Sept. 22, 2012.

 

The sponsorship by the North American Fishing Club supports the Wonders of Wildlife museum-the official home of National Hunting and Fishing Day. The Springfield, Mo., facility oversees educational initiatives to help the American public understand the indelible relationship between hunting, angling, healthy habitat, and wildlife and fisheries conservation.

 

 "We are excited to have North American Fishing Club on board as a sponsor this year," said Misty Mitchell, Director of Wonders of Wildlife. "With their help and our other sponsors, we're reaching out to America with a message that healthy fish, wildlife and habitat depend on funding and leadership from hunters and anglers."

 

Each year National Hunting and Fishing Day chooses an honorary chairperson, and this year NASCAR Sprint Cup driver/owner Tony Stewart is serving in that capacity and will deliver the message of NHF Day.  As the driver of the No. 14 Office Depot/Mobil 1 Chevrolet in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, Stewart has won 12 driving championships, including three Sprint Cup Series titles, in a career spanning more than three decades.

 

Stewart is a champion off the racetrack as much as he is on, and has been recognized for his  philanthropic efforts via his Tony Stewart Foundation, which raises funds for distribution to three specific groups - chronically ill children, drivers injured in motorsports activities, and organizations dedicated to the protection of various animal species.

 

In 1972, Congress formalized NHF Day to remind the public that conservation depends on funding and leadership from hunters and anglers. Every president from Richard Nixon through Barack Obama has issued official proclamations of support for the annual commemoration, now recognized as one of the most effective grassroots campaigns ever undertaken to promote traditional outdoor sports.

 

The growing list of sponsors for NHF Day 2012 includes Wonders of Wildlife, NSSF, Bass Pro Shops, Smith & Wesson, Sportsman Channel, Realtree, GunBroker.com, Yamaha, Pope and Young Club, Ducks Unlimited, North American Hunting and Fishing Club and the Izaak Walton League of America.  For more information about NHF Day, visit www.nhfday.org.

 

About North American Fishing Club

North American Fishing Club is the largest fishing organization of its kind, and through its official publication, North American Fisherman magazine and TV show, North American Fisherman, has been educating, encouraging and entertaining anglers since 1988. The NAFC's mission is to help fishermen of all types improve their fishing skills, catch more and bigger fish, and thus enjoy their sport more. The

Club also acts as a vehicle through which anglers from all points of the compass can communicate-sharing success stories, photos and videos through the magazine, website and the social network. For more information on the NAFC, visit: www.fishingclub.com , follow us on Twitter @nafishclub and on Facebook at http://facebook.com/fishingclub