OUTDOOR CORNER: MISSOURI COUNTS ON ITS VALUABLE TREES

Let's see. . . A waltz, a mule, a president, oh yeah, an arch. That's Missouri, the state somewhere off the east coast of Kansas.

Our fellow countrymen labor under a heavy burden of deep ignorance concerning our state. But the Show Me State has many other great features and one of these are its forests. These forests provide environmental, economic and social benefits.

Forests slow erosion, keeping our famous streams clear. These trees filter the air, soften weather extremes and add beauty to urban areas. Much of our state's recreation and tourist income is located in forested regions. Missouri's forests are home to a diverse resource -- plants, animals and other life forms.

Trees are a renewable resource. The labor to harvest and process trees into wood products provides paychecks to 33,000 souls (along with beans and biscuits for their families) and chips in about $3 billion annually to the state's economy.

So, since school is back in session, how about a few social studies questions? For instance, how many acres are in Missouri? Correct, 44 million (give or take).

How many acres in trees? Right again, 14 million (Give or take. U.S. Foresters aren't too bright. Close is pretty good.)

But who owns this 31 percent of Missouri forested acres? If you guessed the government, think again. Combined, the federal, state and local governments own 15 percent of this land. So, who owns the other 85 percent? Thankfully, in this land, private citizens have the right and privilege to own and manage land.

This forest land is owned by your neighbor, an urban dweller, a farm family or a business person. Forest landowners are as diverse a group as the state's citizens, and unless you happen to own an active volcanic island in the Pacific rim, no more land is being made. We need to take care of what we've got. Since its inception, the Missouri Department of Conservation has aimed at assisting the private landowner. The vast majority of Missouri landowners aim to do right. They have a pride that only comes as a result of private ownership.

To aid private landowners, the Missouri Forest Stewardship Program was launched. It is a multi-resource appraisal for owners who are interested in long term conservation of their forest resources. Its companion program is the stewardship incentive program. This program provides cost-share help to help implement prescribed management work.

As noted, stewardship is a multi-resource directed effort. The first step is to get a stewardship plan. Department foresters and biologists meet with the landowner to determine their interests and objectives. The plan content rests with the landowner to determine what is best and how to reach it.

Management activities include tree planting, harvesting, non-commercial thinning, fencing livestock out of forests, agri-forestry, soil and water protection, wetland and riparian protection and fish and wildlife habitat improvements.

Missouri's forests are an important part of our past. They play a vital role in our present. Stewardship is one way to help Missouri provide forest for the future.

Joe Garvey is a district forester for the Missouri Department of Conservation.