Up Front

John Muir — naturalist, writer, and advocate for conservation — once wrote, “Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where nature may heal and give strength to body and soul.” We often refer to these places as the farm, the cabin, the creek, or the lake. These are the special places we visit to recharge and connect with nature and the special people in our lives. Often, we want to share these special places with others. 

This fall, long-time friends invited me to visit “the cabin,” which is in the Big Buffalo Creek Priority Geography. Over the last few years, they have been working closely with Benton County Private Lands Conservationist Dave Niebruegge to implement several habitat management actions focused on restoring the glades and woodlands characteristic of this area. As we toured the property, the sense of pride they have for taking care of nature and the resulting benefits to the fish and wildlife present on the property and nearby creek was inspiring. This is just one example of the thousands of landowners across Missouri caring for their special places to benefit the wildlife that depend on them.   

This issue is dedicated to reflecting on the conservation work and collective accomplishments with numerous private landowners, partner organizations, and communities. These accomplishments work to conserve the landscapes in which our special places occur and the diversity of fish, forests, and wildlife that inhabit these places.

Jason Sumners, Director

JASON.SUMNERS@MDC.MO.GOV