Projects

Several secretive marsh bird (SMB) species are both migrants and breeders in Missouri. The degree to which individual birds stay to nest in Missouri versus continuing north to breed is unknown and has resulted in uncertainty regarding the role of Missouri’s wetlands for this group of birds. One key uncertainty identified by many Department wetland managers is whether their management actions are emulating wetland processes that enable SMBs to fulfill their life history requirements while in Missouri. For managers to ensure successful outcomes for individuals that use Missouri either as a stopover location or a nesting destination, they must know not only the key wetland conditions required by the birds but also the timing of when these resources are needed. Our objective was to determine the effects of hydrologic management and habitat characteristics on SMB nest site selection and daily nest survival at two spatial scales: the individual wetland and the nest point (area within 50 m of nest).

Several secretive marsh bird (SMB) species are listed as “Critically Imperiled” in Missouri; however, little information exists on SMB distribution and habitat use within the state. As a result, wetland managers are uncertain as to how much SMBs use Missouri wetlands and the wetland processes they need to emulate in order to provide habitat for this guild of species. For this Science Note, we focus on the migratory SMBs.

With nearly every survey Resource Science Division conducts, administration, budgeters, and staff ask “Wouldn’t online surveys save MDC money?” and we respond, “It depends!” Online surveys have become attractive as a presumably economical way to measure constituents’ preferences, opinions, and attitudes. However, issues such as non-response bias, sample validity, and sampling error due to internet access differences in the population can have effects on representativeness, reliability, and accuracy. We examined response rates, responses, demographics, and potential sources of bias in the 2016 post-season firearms deer and deer hunter opinion surveys using 1) a mail-back paper survey and 2) an online survey sent to a sample of those with an email address in the point-of-sale (POS) system.

This is the first annual report developed by MDC and submitted to the USFWS to meet the annual reporting requirements. The report describes MDC’s Bat HCP planning and implementation activities conducted during the initial reporting timeframe (February 23 – June 30, 2023), compliance and effectiveness monitoring activities, and the results of the compliance and effectiveness monitoring during the initial reporting timeframe. The goals of the annual report are to demonstrate to the USFWS and the citizens of Missouri that the MDC Bat HCP is being implemented properly, and to demonstrate the effectiveness of the conservation plan

Many kinds of users compete for Missouri’s public trails and managers are challenged to balance human users’ needs with those of wildlife. To improve our knowledge of Missourian’s equestrians, their preferences, and habits, the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) conducted a scientific survey of over 5,000 randomly selected horse owners in Missouri between February and June, 2008. The response rate (after removing invalid addresses) was 48.1% (2,286/4,750).

Survey Results

• Missourians took a total of 181,500 riding trips on public land in 2007. These included over 68,000 trips at MDC areas (38% of the total).
• Sixty percent of equestrian trail users indicated they would be willing to help maintain trails.
• Five MDC areas were in the top 10 most heavily used riding areas in 2007, with the US Forest Service (USFS) managing the most used area.
• Total spending on trips is estimated at $27 million (with a total economic impact of $48 million).
• About 38% of riders rode on public lands in 2007.
• The average ride was about a half day.
• The availability of water for horses and parking were the most important factors when survey respondents were deciding where to ride.
• Respondents felt that ATVs (but not hikers) caused problems for horses.
• Respondents wanted more trails, better signage, and consistent policies and rules.

The Missouri Shortleaf Pine Utilization Assessment serves as a comprehensive and strategic resource for the Forest and Woodland Association of Missouri (FWAM), federal and state agencies, loggers, sawmills, and secondary wood product manufacturers by identifying key opportunities to expand markets for Missouri-grown shortleaf pine. This report provides data-driven insights to drive targeted growth in shortleaf pine manufacturing, empowering stakeholders to enhance economic viability, strengthen forest management, and improve industry competitiveness while supporting multi-tiered landscape restoration and ecological objectives.

Missouri Timber Price Trends (stumpage prices from 1994 to the present)

To promote the Missouri Department of Conservation’s (MDC) Community Forestry Program and help communities foresters need to help community decision-makers visualize forest resources as an infrastructure asset. The Community Forestry Program targets city and county governments, arborists, non-profit organizations, regional planning councils, the nursery industry, homeowners and other groups with an interest in managing community trees. Forestry Division annually spends ~ $440,000 in cost-share programs such as Tree Resource Improvements and Maintenance (TRIM). Understanding barriers to active management will allow MDC to target TRIM dollars to gain the greatest return.

In 2010 statewide measurement of community-owned street trees in Missouri collected physical tree attributes which can characterize their economic value. Community tree values are “public goods;” they do not come with a price tag attached but they benefit the entire community. Economists have many methods for estimating a dollar value of such public goods. The Forest Service has created software called “i-Tree,” a peer-reviewed package that provides urban and community forestry analysis and benefits assessment. i-Tree helps communities understand the environmental services trees provide. i-Tree has been used by communities, non-profit organizations and consultants to report on the urban forest at various scales from individual trees to entire states.