Up Front

The turning of the calendar offers an opportunity to look ahead with optimism at the year to come. It also offers an opportunity to reflect on the work of last year. The Annual Review, which is a staple of the January issue, highlights the work made possible by your support. Whether you hunt, fish, manage land, or spend time enjoying nature’s beauty on an Ozark trail or through a set of binoculars, your engagement keeps conservation moving forward. 

This report highlights the extensive partnership with communities, landowners, and other conservation-minded organizations across the state. These include the more than half a million students reached through education programs, 17,000 landowner visits, habitat management on tens of thousands of acres of public lands, and major renovation work at the intensively managed wetlands and cold and warm water hatcheries. 

It also highlights some of the many challenges facing conservation, such as continued efforts to eliminate feral hogs, managing invasive plants in woodlands and grasslands across the state, restoring habitats that are necessary for success of many wildlife populations, and enhancing the public’s connection to nature. 

As we enter 2026, thank you for the continued commitment to the conservation of Missouri’s fish, forest, and wildlife resources. Together we can keep the long legacy of conservation in Missouri strong.

Jason Sumners, Director

JASON.SUMNERS@MDC.MO.GOV