The Missouri Department of Natural Resources and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, serving as the natural resource trustees, are seeking public input on a striketeam restoration partnership with Pheasants Forever Inc. and Quail Forever. The trustees invite the public to review and offer written comments on the proposed partnership until Jan. 31, 2025. The public can review the proposed project plan below.
Written comments may be submitted by mail to Missouri Department of Natural Resources, Environmental Remediation Program, ATTN: Elliot Hollingsworth, P.O. Box 176, Jefferson City, MO 65102-0176 or by email to elliot.hollingsworth@dnr.mo.gov or scott.hamilton@fws.gov.
Restoration and maintenance of natural environments requires considerable commitment and expense and is achieved more effectively and sustainably through partnerships. The trustees present such a collaboration, wherein the trustees propose projects to restore and maintain resources within and around the Springfield Plateau ecoregion, which has been impacted by historic mining activities. Projects to be completed throughout the year will be communicated to Pheasants Forever Inc. and Quail Forever and agreed upon in advance. Bipartisan Infrastructure funds and Natural Resource Damages, Assessment and Restoration settlement funds will support a Crew Leader and four full-time Habitat Specialists, hired by Pheasants Forever Inc. and Quail Forever. The crew's purpose is to restore areas on public, partner and private lands by using habitat Best Management Practices described in the Springfield Plateau Regional Restoration Plan, available below. The crew’s time will be focused on priority private lands with an emphasis on the Spring River watershed. Work on public lands and private lands will primarily occur in Jasper, Newton, Lawrence and Barry counties.