News Release 232

OZARK COUNTY RECOGNIZED BY
DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES' DIRECTOR
FOR WORK IN SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION

Volume 36-232

Contact: Jessica Royston

(For immediate release)

573-751-1373

JEFFERSON CITY, MO, MAY 1, 2008 -- Erosion has been reduced and water quality improved in southern Missouri due to the efforts of Ozark County Soil and Water Conservation District.          

Missouri Department of Natural Resources Director Doyle Childers has recognized Ozark County Soil and Water Conservation District for its outstanding implementation of Best Management Practices on grasslands. Bill Wilson, deputy director for the Soil and Water Conservation Program, will present Ozark County Soil and Water Conservation District with the Director's Award for Outstanding Achievement in the Implementation of Best Management Practices on Grasslands at its annual meeting at 6 p.m., on May 1, at Vaught's Restaurant and Motel in Gainesville.

"Soil and water conservation districts have made great strides in controlling erosion and improving water quality in Missouri," said Childers. "We should all recognize them for their important contribution to the sustainability of our agricultural land." 

Best Management Practices, including intensive grazing systems, permanent vegetative cover establishments and permanent vegetative cover improvements, were implemented on 5,250 acres of grassland in Ozark County Soil and Water Conservation District in fiscal year 2007. These practices reduce erosion and improve water quality by increasing the amount of quality forage available on grasslands.

Other districts recognized for their outstanding work are Audrain County for treatment of gully erosion, Pettis County for treatment of sheet and rill erosion and Stoddard County for progress made toward implementing its Agricultural Nonpoint Source Special Area Land Treatment project. 

Missouri's 114 soil and water conservation districts work with agricultural landowners and the public to conserve the state's soil and water resources. The districts are funded by the one-tenth-of-one-percent parks, soils and water sales tax.

For more information, contact the Missouri Department of Natural Resources' Soil and Water Conservation Program at 573- 751-4932 or the department toll free at 800-361-4827.

For news releases on the Web, visit www.dnr.mo.gov/newsrel. For a complete listing of the department's upcoming meetings, hearings and events, visit the department's online calendar at www.dnr.mo.gov/calendar/search.do.

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