PRESERVING THE MISSISSIPPI: GROUPS SEEK INPUT FOR HABITAT RESTORATION PROJECT

Preserving natural habitats along the Mississippi River doesn't require scientific skills; it just takes the work of some good stewards who want to help protect resources and habitat along the river.

As floodplains are being developed and river navigation increases, habitat is being lost.

"It's a huge web that is interconnected," said Jenny Frazier, a fisheries biologist for the Mississippi. Frazier works with the state's Department of Conservation.

Everything from forests to birds and fish are affected by changes along the river.

Frazier is one of the many river biologists who wil attend an open house Monday from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Cape Girardeau Public Library, 711 Clark St, to discuss the river. A formal meeting is planned for 7 to 8:30 p.m.

Also attending will be representatives from the Army Corps of Engineers, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Upper Mississippi River Conservation Committee, National Audubon Society and Environmental Management Program.

The meetings, which begin Monday in Cape Girardeau, are designed to get ideas from the public about losses along the river or things they'd like to see improved.

"It's an opportunity for them to let us know about the problems or what they'd like to see in the resource," Frazier said.

Preserving a resource like the Mississippi River isn't simple. The Upper Mississippi River area includes an area from Minnesota to Cairo, Ill. Tributaries like the Minnesota, Illinois, St. Croix, Black and Kaskaskia rivers also are included.

The National Audubon Society and the Upper Mississippi River Conservation Committee have been working together to create an "Atlas of Habitat Restoration and Protection Opportunities for the Upper Mississippi River System." Monday's workshop is designed as a way for them to gather more information, not just scientific data.

"We want to know what the river users' priorities are," said Jon Duyvejonck, coordinator for the Upper Mississippi River Conservation Committee.

"Do they need more access or are they interested in waterfowl or what's being done to improve songbird habitats?"

Listing their priorities could help determine future restoration projects, Duyvejonck said.

"There are dual problems from the habitat standpoint," said Bill Eddleman, a biology professor at Southeast Missouri State University. "You have to keep the river navigable and maintain a certain depth of channel," but that often eliminates habitats.

Bottomland hardwood forests, sandbar habitats and some side channel fishes and habitats are being lost, he said.

To determine what needs preserving and what is in jeopardy, three questions will be posed during the meeting:

-- What do you think are significant natural resources in the study area?

-- What do you think are problems or opportunities for habitat restoration and protection in the area?

-- How would you describe "success" for the natural environment in your area?

Answers to these questions will be included in the report. The information will be compiled into a book to be published in December.

The meeting also will explain current river restoration efforts and show maps of the area.

The committee is part of a multistate group called the Mississippi River Parkway Commission, which works to protect the river's resources and boost tourism in the river region. The states involved are Arkansas, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Tennessee and Wisconsin, in addition to Ontario, Canada.

For more information, visit the Upper Mississippi River committee's Web site at umrcc@mississippi-river.com or call (309) 793-5800, ext. 522.

WORKSHOP

Monday, April 5

Cape Girardeau Public Library, 711 North Clark

Open house 5-7 p.m.; Meeting 7-8:30 p.m.

Sponsored by Upper Mississippi River Conservation Committee and National Audubon Society