MDC private land conservationist has experience in new job

LAMAR, Mo. – Meagan Duffee-Yates has a new assignment, but she knows her duties well.

Duffee-Yates is the Missouri Department of Conservation’s (MDC) new private land conservationist for Jasper and Barton Counties. In addition to making one-on-one contacts with landowners in her counties who are seeking conservation advice, Duffee-Yates will work with other MDC staff, University of Missouri Extension, Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and other natural resource agencies to deliver resource management information to landowners through workshops, training programs and special events. She replaces Dave Darrow, who was promoted to MDC Private Land Services Southwest Regional Supervisor earlier this year.

Though Duffee-Yates’ title is new to her, she is familiar with habitat work, her assigned area of the state, and MDC. Prior to her current assignment, Duffee-Yates worked in MDC’s Wildlife Division, first in the southeast part of the state and then in MDC’s Prairie District in southwest Missouri – an area that includes her current counties of Barton and Jasper. Her Wildlife Division duties included habitat management on public land and work with private landowners.

“I am excited to be serving as the new private land conservationist for Barton and Jasper counties because I have a strong passion for assisting the public in providing great wildlife habitat on their property,” she said. “I love the interaction that I get with the public and I love teaching them new ideas and seeing those ideas blossom to life.” Duffee Yates is a native of Dallas, TX and a graduate of Pittsburg State University.

She will work out of the USDA/NRCS Office in Lamar. She can be reached at 417-682-3571 or Meagan.Duffee-Yates@mdc.mo.gov. More conservation information for landowners can be found at http://mdc.mo.gov/your-property.