City, conservation department making Cape Woods more accessible

Sycamores, cottonwoods, box elder and silver maple trees block out all but a few scattered rays of sunlight. Over a small bank, a crooked, murky creek leisurely follows the path of least resistance. Three-inch, curly vertical vines stripe the scenery.

Locusts and birds provide wilderness music. Mosquito bites and the occasional snake provide the wilderness nuisance.

There are not many signs of human presence in the heart of Cape Woods, a 37-acre conservation area. A dirt path, used mostly by bicycle-peddling, bump-seeking youths. Two makeshift rope swings at the edge of the creek. And a considerable amount of trash that collected as a result of flooding this spring.

This place -- located off the main asphalt path of Cape LaCroix Recreation Trail -- could be considered a strange scene, considering it is inside the city limits of Cape Girardeau, surrounded by upwards of 80,000 people who live, work or shop here.

"It's the largest natural vegetation along the trail," said Janeen Laatsch, a natural history regional biologist. "You can go through the woods and see some wildlife, maybe some great-horned owls, some native bamboo or cane. It's probably best for bird watching in the spring."

The area, purchased by the Missouri Department of Conservation in 1994 as part of the Urban Wild Acres Program, has been made more accessible over the last several years through a cooperative effort of the city and the conservation department.

Access to the bottom-land forest was first made possible when the city, with the cooperation of the conservation department, built the 4.42-mile asphalt-paved Cape LaCroix Recreation Trail, part of which runs through the conservation area.

'Perfect for walking'

Amy Grammer, a Cape Girardeau resident, says she loves the walking in the area.

"It's not on the street, there's no cars, it's quiet," she said, as she paused her walk with her infant sons John and Lucas, who were being pushed in a stroller. "It's perfect for walking."

In 1996, the conservation department signed an agreement with the city that the city would manage the upkeep of the area along the trail and build parking lots and access roads, disabled pedestrian bridges and restrooms. In exchange, the department granted the city $120,000. Construction costs totaled $116,491, while the project costs totaled $140,023.

At last Monday night's city council meeting, the council approved the acceptance of the improvements and authorization of final payments in the Cape Woods Conservation Area, which includes a 10-car parking lot and restrooms on Mount Auburn Road.

Jerry Collins, who meets three other friends on the trail almost daily, used the new parking lot Friday.

"Right around here is a long shady part, that's what I like," he said. "A lot of us didn't think much of the trail when they put it in, but now we do since we've retired."

There is one other conservation area in the city -- the Juden Creek Conservation area, on the outskirts of the city along Highway 177, not far from the Cape Girardeau Country Club.

There are more than 200 acres in that area and officials from the conservation department are working with the city and Southeast Missouri State University -- the other land owners -- in developing some trails but they're not done yet, said Laatsch, the biologist.

bmiller@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 127