Conservation Federation of Missouri's 87th Annual Convention

The Conservation Federation of Missouri (CFM) would like to thank everyone who made this year’s convention a huge success.

For the first three days of the Annual Convention, the Natural Resource Breakouts were held virtually from February 21st through February 23rd. On Friday, February 24th, and Saturday, February 25th, attendees met in-person at Margaritaville Resort at Lake of the Ozarks. On Friday, we celebrated our Conservation Achievement Awards. It was a beautiful evening filled with amazing people and emceed by Trevor Morgan and Nathan “Shags” McLeod from 96.7 KCMQ’s The Morning Shag. Our educational seminars held on Saturday ranged in topics from nature and macro photography, National Archery in the Schools Program, to birds from the Dickerson Zoo. The Annual Banquet was held Saturday evening with speakers Governor Jay Nixon and Miss Missouri along with an astonishing number of silent and live auction items. Attendees enjoyed the many opportunities to network and visit with conservation friends through-out the weekend. The Conservation Leadership Corps students gathered and continued their education of conservation in many various aspects for becoming the next generation of leaders through training and networking.

There were 10 Resolutions passed from the hard work of the Resource Advisory Committees, Resolutions Committee and the General Assembly. Everyone’s input is greatly appreciated during this very important process.

We would like to extend our sincere appreciation to all of our sponsors for their financial support. Those included: Bass Pro Shops, Conservation Foundation of Missouri Charitable Trust, Roeslein Alternative Energy, Ozark Bait and Tackle, National Wildlife Federation and Missouri Electric Cooperatives.

A special thank you goes out to all the volunteers for all of their hard work behind the scenes and to all those that brought auction items. We really couldn’t pull off such an amazing weekend without everyone’s help.

Thanks to those who traveled to share in the fun, fellowship and business of CFM again this year. We really appreciate your continued support of our organization.

2023 Resolutions

A critical activity performed by CFM is the monitoring of conservation and natural resource issues and the formulation of an organizational stance or position based on the best available information and/or science. Members and board supported resolutions are frequently developed as a means of expressing CFM support, opposition, recognition, or advice on a particular topic. CFM resolutions are one of the most powerful expressions of our opinion as a conservation organization. Resolutions were voted upon and approved at CFM's 87th Annual Convention on February 25th, 2023. These can be viewed online at https://confedmo.org/ listed-resolutions-through-the-years/

Resolutions

2023 - 1: Rescind Certain Regulations Governing the Hunting and Trapping of Furbearers (Big Game, Turkey and Furbearers)

2023 - 2: Conservation Federation of Missouri’s Position on CO2 Emissions (Environment and Ecology)

2023 - 3: Urge the Implementation of Bird-Safe Windows on Missouri College Campuses (Environment and Ecology)

2023 - 4: Encourage Ozark Chinquapin Restoration (Forest Resources and Management)

2023 -5: Adoption of the Community Health Index and Implementation of Corrective Action Plans for Remnant Prairie Management Entities (Grasslands and Prairies)

2023 - 6: Support for the Passage of the North American Grasslands Conservation Act (Grasslands and Prairies)

2023 - 7: Awareness for the Missouri Outdoor Recreational Access Program (Public/Private Lands)

2023 - 8: Oppose the Proposed Nexgen Silica Sand Mine in Ste. Genevieve County (Public/Private Lands)

2023 - 9: Support the America the Beautiful Initiative (Public/Private Lands)

2023 – 10: Support for Creation of a Missouri Small Game Hunting Challenge (Upland Wildlife)

Conservation Achievement Awards

The Conservation Federation of Missouri is pleased to announce the recipients of our Conservation Achievement Awards for 2022. These winners are Missourians who exemplify all that CFM stands for and have bettered Missouri's outdoors through personal efforts throughout 2022 and their lives. Congratulations to our award winners who were recognized at the CFM Annual Convention Awards Ceremony on Friday, February 24th at Margaritaville Resort at Lake of the Ozarks.

Outstanding Lifetime Achievement – Bill White

Bill White’s 34 years of leadership at MDC can be highlighted by his visionary and out-of-the-box approach which has had a significant impact on private lands across the state of Missouri. White’s tendency for imaginative thinking resulted in Missouri developing one of the nation's first National Bobwhite Conservation Initiative Focus Areas. Working with NRCS and Quail Forever, he was instrumental in designing a successful Farm Bill Wildlife Biologist program for the state in 2012. This Missouri Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever team has grown from an original set of three to now having over 30 positions and growing, further impacting not only private but public land as well. Bill was integral in forming Missourians for Monarchs, the Missouri Bumble Bee Atlas with the Xerces Society, Deep Roots KC, the Missouri Prairie Foundation, and countless others. Bill not only supported these partnerships and their efforts but made sure each of these organizations had a seat at the conservation table, further including them when state management decisions were being made. Bill’s lifetime of support for private lands conservation and passion for restoring bobwhite habitat are worthy of recognition. Very rarely have conversations about partnerships and bobwhite quail conservation been had without the mention of Bill’s name.