Newsletter of the Missouri Parks Association Post Office Box 30036, Columbia, MO 65205 Volume 32, No. 1 May 2014 Susan Flader, Editor Riverways and State Parks Tangled in 2014 Legislative Session The struggle over a new general cluding mo- management plan (GMP) for the torboat lim- Ozark National Scenic Riverways, its, horse which led some legislators from the trails, gravel Ozarks to advocate transfer of the bar access, Riverways to the state, became en- and wilder- tangled with funding prospects for ness—all of state parks in the 2014 session of which have the Missouri General Assembly that been sadly ended May 16, to the grave detri- misunder- ment of both. stood. A one-page list As reported in the Nov. 2013 of bullet Heritage, the draft GMP was re- points issued leased for public comment Novem- early in the ber 8. Overflow crowds attended process by each of four public meetings, and Voice of the Bluff along Sinking Creek at Camp Zoe in Current River State Park.. more than 4,000 people submitted Ozarks falsely portraying the GMP and beyond urged support of the written comments, not including as an effort to curtail use of and ac- substantial NPS effort to produce a names on petitions and form letters. cess to the Riverways provided the balanced range of alternatives that National Park Service staff are still talking points for some local politi- address very real management is- digesting the comments and proba- cal leaders, who rallied supporters. sues, and most supported the NPS bly won't issue a summary until Much local media also gave promi- preferred alternative. We know that later this year, but Superintendant nent play to various distortions. there are many people in the Ozarks Bill Black has been writing articles who also support the plan but chose in local Ozark newspapers address- MPA leaders worked with others to remain silent in the face of the ing various contentious issues, in- in Friends of Ozark Riverways to unrelenting onslaught of negativity. prepare a citi- zens guide to When the legislative session be- MPA Annual Gathering: Nov 7-9 the GMP, gan in January the final stages of available on the GMP comment process were MPA's annual gathering of members and friends will head- the MPA web- still playing out. The Riverways is- quarter at Montauk State Park November 7-9, with a field trip site: http:// sue became the subject of three on Saturday to Current River State Park and the newly ac- quired acreage at Camp Zoe, on which development of sig- parks. mis- resolutions introduced by legislators nificant visitor facilities will likely be in progress. souri.org/ from the region, one in the Senate IssuesAction/ introduced by Sen. Cunningham Save the dates and book your cabin or motel room now by CurrentRiver. and two in the House by Reps. calling the Montauk concessionaire at 573-548-2434 and tell- aspx. In gen- Richardson and Cookson, each ask- ing them you are with the MPA group. Watch for further de- eral, the entire ing the National Park Service to tails about registration and logistics in the August issue of spectrum of take "no action" on the GMP and, Heritage. We hope to be able to celebrate the publication of conservation either explicitly or in discussion the new state park book and have copies available for sale organizations during hearings, asking the Interior and for signing. in Missouri (See "Riverways" on Page 5) Page 2 The Missouri Parks Association President’s Message by Steve Nagle: The Kids of Summer “Summer time and the living is easy, fish are program has gained momentum every summer, but it jumpin,’” and a state park is nigh. In the last issue of depends on special gifts from MPA members like you. Heritage I wrote about “A Park for All Seasons”— This summer more than seven hundred inner city kids Lake of the Ozarks State Park, but you know with the in St. Louis, kansas City, Columbia and Joplin will get coming of the summer breezes it is hard to beat any of their first opportunity to escape city streets and experi- Missouri’s state parks and historic sites. Let’s take a ence first hand our wondrous state parks and historic look at the variety of summer activities and natural sites. The program focuses on elementary and middle wonders waiting for us. school kids, providing them transportation and learning experiences at parks such as Babler, Castlewood, Rock Missouri’s state parks bring out the kid in all of us. Bridge, Roaring River, Prairie and katy Trail and at Many of us have our favorite activities and we know cultural sites like Watkins Mill, First Missouri State where to go, whether it is hiking, fishing, boating, Capitol, Scott Joplin Home and the Thomas Hart Ben- camping, or natural history and cultural interests. This ton Home and Studio. A cadre of dedicated coordina- summer parks are offering several new aquatic trails at tors implement the program each summer from the Table Rock, Stockton, and Finger Lakes, and seventeen Wildcat Glades Conservation & parks have kayaks or canoes Audubon Center in Joplin, the available for rent. Missouri Anita Gorman Discovery Center State Parks has declared 2014 in kansas City, Friends of Rock the Year of the Trail, and the Bridge State Park in Columbia, governor encourages all of us and The Green Center in St. to register and complete his Louis. 100 Missouri Miles Chal- lenge. Opportunities abound this sum- mer for all of us kids! Space Adding to this list are out- does not allow me to brag about standing educational opportu- all things happening in our Mis- nities for youth and adults souri state parks and historic such as the Explorer Pro- sites, but rest assured summer- gram. During these summer time is made for months park visitors can gain enjoying our parks. a new appreciation for natural More than Let's all heed the and historic settings by par- 700 UPOP kids receive call. ticipating in this program their first where they earn explorers introduc- Did I mention sail- patches and stars as visible tion to state ing lessons at Stock- symbols of their commitment parks each ton Lake State Park? to the living environment. year. To learn more about this ex- citing educational challenge just visit mostateparks.com or call 800-334-6946. Another popular program receiving statewide acclaim is the State Parks Youth Corps. Be sure to let your special youths know about this. The program runs from May 1 – December 31 with a 300-hour term of employment at $7.50 an hour. Young Missourians ages 17-23 may gain valuable work experience and at the same time enjoy an unforgettable life experience work- ing in the outdoors. Google Missouri State Park Youth Corps for more details on the application process. The Missouri Parks Association recently sent out our annual appeal asking for support for our Urban Popu- lations Outreach Program (UPOP). This exceptional Page 3 The Missouri Parks Association Q&A with Bruce Schuette, Cuivre River State Park with Mary Barile Editor's note: Bruce Schuette is rare Cerulean Warbler, which is of into the natural resources of the park retiring June 30 after more than great conservation concern in the we wouldn’t even know about many thirty-six years as the naturalist at whole eastern U.S. and nests in the of these treasures. Cuivre River in Lincoln County park. Cuivre has the largest natural northwest of St. Louis, a virtually area in northern Missouri (Lincoln Tell us about your work on the unparalleled tenure at a single park. Hills, 1,872 acres) and two wild ar- trails there. How do you decide eas. what to interpret along a trail? You have been at Cuivre River What's your favorite? State Park for a while. What brought you there For most groups you want a and why did you stay? trail that isn’t too long, about a mile is often ideal. A wooded I started with state parks trail may have a good wild- in the summer of 1976 as flower display in the spring, a seasonal naturalist as- while a trail in the prairie will signed to Montauk. I de- have better wildflowers in the cided to do it again the summer or impressively tall next summer, and they grasses in the fall. As with all moved me to Cuivre programs, you want to have a River. I had just graduated theme for a hike with stops tp from MU with a degree in illustrate it, but people are Wildlife and Fisheries. I likely to see and ask about really liked the park, so other things, so the more famil- when they created a full- iar you are with those possibili- time naturalist position at ties the better you can work Cuivre I applied, got the those ‘teachable moments’ into job, and started in January the theme. 1978. I met my wife Ann on a hike in the park, and It’s difficult to pick out a fa- once we got settled in with Cuivre River State Park Naturalist Bruce Schuette. vorite trail. When I started in the park there were few trails, a family, and with all the interesting In glaciated northern Missouri things we were finding in the park, no trail signage or maps and no real many natural communities are very trail system. Over the years I’ve laid all the ecological management we rare because of the geologic history were doing and the results we were out most of our eleven trails and of the region or because of habitat done signage, maintenance and seeing, I never really had any desire destruction and alteration.