Community Conservation

Taking Action: Conservationist of the Year Award

Groups Featured: Conservation Federation of Missouri

Group Mission: To educate, inspire and empower individuals and organizations to take action to conserve and to support the sustainable harvest and wise use of fish, wildlife, forest and other natural resources, to help protect our planet’s environment, and to nourish an ethic of stewardship and enjoyment of our natural world.

Award sponsored: Conservationist of the Year—For the most outstanding overall conservation effort and achievement, most significant contribution to the cause of conservation or toward solution of a major conservation problem in the state during the year. This effort can be in any area of natural resource conservation.

Dr. Vince Travnichek was recently presented with the Conservation Federation’s highest honor, the Conservationist of the Year award for 2007. Travnichek is a resource science field station supervisor for the Conservation Department, and he oversees activities related to monitoring fish populations on the Missouri River. His work has been widely published in professional journals and reports, and he regularly serves on committees related to river resources, paddlefish, sturgeon, catfish, angler records and more. Travnichek exemplifies what it means to be a fisheries professional.

Conserving our air, water, soil and wildlife resources is an ongoing challenge that requires a continuing commitment by all citizens, and the Federation seeks to give individuals the recognition they deserve. Any resident of Missouri is eligible to be nominated for a conservation award. For more information on award categories, or to print nomination forms, visit the Federation’s Web site or call them at (573) 634-2322 or (800) 575-2322.

Bald Eagle License Plate

Donations benefit wildlife habitat and nature programs.

Missourians can now display their support for conservation with a new bald eagle conservation license plate from the Missouri Conservation Heritage Foundation.

Missouri wildlife artist Al Agnew donated the eagle artwork from his painting Spirit of Freedom. The dramatic image helps demonstrate Missouri’s role in national conservation efforts. “Bringing our national symbol back as a year-round resident to states where it had disappeared is something Americans can celebrate,” said Foundation Executive Director Rick Thom, “And bald eagle conservation efforts in Missouri are a significant part of this success story.” In 2007, bald eagles were removed from the federal endangered species list, with more than 10,000 pairs of the birds nesting in the U.S., and about 150 nests in Missouri.

The Missouri Conservation Heritage Foundation directs license plate revenue to conservation efforts statewide. Visit online or call (800) 227-1488 to order your own eagle, bluebird or deer license plate. —by Carol Davit