If you have ever heard me speak publicly, chances are pretty good that I have made reference to how fortunate we are to have the Missouri Department of Conservation. During my senior year at NC State, my major professor asked me if I had sent off a resume to MDC yet. I answered, No, why should I?

It is widely known that MDC is one of the finest conservation organizations in the nation. Why? Because the people of this state had the foresight to vote in a funding source that couldn’t be touched or controlled by the state legislature. Especially having lived and worked in two other states that “barely” fund their state wildlife agencies, I can honestly say that we, our children and our grandchildren are fortunate.

I don’t know if you read the recent article in the Kansas City Star about MDC or not, but I can assure you that most attacks on this organizations are based solely on politics. Like most biased articles, it gave many “half quotes” and almost no commentary from supporters. Instead it quoted many employees from other poorly funded states who probably said “ I wish we had the funding source to provide our magazine free to our residents”. Rather than “We have to charge for our magazine.”

While our lives are “unknowingly” affected by MDC’s good work almost daily, far too few people do not take “direct” advantage of their many services. Definitely take pride in the fact that we have a much better chance of seeing a Bald Eagle, River Otter or Peregrine Falcon in our state on any given day because of their efforts. But don’t stop there, take a hike at Maple Woods Conservation Area in Gladstone, enroll your children in a nature program at Burr Oak Woods in Blue Springs, stop by their Liberty office and pick up a free brochure on building a butterfly garden. Folks, the services this group provides to you, me and the natural resources of this state are the envy of much of the country.