10 minute read
Ozark Land Trust: Preserving Land for Future Generations
Forever may be a long time, but if you listen to Lois Wyman, that’s the idea. “Dad always wanted the land protected from development and division,” says Wyman, a member of the family trust that owns the 2,0000-acre Boettcher Family Farm in the Gasconade River watershed.
And so, consistent with her father’s wishes, Wyman and her fellow family members chose to permanently protect most of the farm through a permanent conservation easement, held by Ozark Land Trust (OLT) (www. ozarklandtrust.org).
Under such an easement, the landowner retains ownership of the property and can continue to utilize it as their home, place of recreation or working lands such as ranches and farms. OLT takes on the legal and permanent obligation of stewardship to protect the land’s conservation values and to ensure that it’s not broken up for development or used for purposes contrary to the terms of the easement.
In the case of Boettcher Family Farm, the easement not only serves as a vehicle to protect open space but allows activity consistent with that goal. The family regularly visits and has gatherings on the property, while portions of the farm are utilized by the neighboring dairy farmer and deer and turkey hunting.
The long Boettcher family ownership adds to the strong sentiment to keep the land, once a cattle farm, from being broken up or developed. “My grandfather Herman Boettcher bought the first acreage in the early 1900s, less than 200 acres,” says Wyman. “He continued to add (land) in his lifetime, but my father acquired the larger parts in the ‘30s and ‘40s.”
(Left) Prairie Blazing Star add color to the restored prairie at Kress Farm Garden Preserve. (Photo: Van Barnes)
(Right) Native hydrangea adorn Kress Falls visible from a spur off the yellow trail at Kress Farm Garden Preserve. (Photo: Van Barnes)
The property is exceptionally diverse, with forests, nine Most important, however, is that the protection decision ponds and a cave and makes for different experiences comes from the landowner. One of the most powerful depending on the time of year. “The many trails we have aspects of what we do is its voluntary nature. No one let us enjoy hills, streams, even (two) cemeteries,” says tells our landowners what they should or shouldn’t do. Wyman. “The time of year often makes a difference – the We serve as an experienced partner in helping them walk dogwoods in bloom, the warm season grasses and flower through the conservation options that best suit their fields, the intermittent waterfalls, the fall leaves in the values, needs and resources. valley of maples, and the ponds with ice in winter.” preserve land for future generations in their own sector, offering education, outreach and collaboration the lands that OLT protects. The remainder are protected with a conservation easement, like the one on the Boettcher farm. Sometimes, a landowner’s decision can take years of And it’s all protected forever, due to the unique discussion and trust building. OLT’s River Stewardship attributes that a land trust and conservation easement Manager Abigail Lambert, for instance, has focused on offer. Huzzah Creek, a tributary of the greater Upper Meramec River watershed. A desire to help protect this essential Since 1984, OLT has worked with landowners, resulting Missouri resource -- which offers some of the most in the permanent protection of over 30,000 acres across beautiful floating in the Ozarks, but also serves as a more than 100 properties. OLT has evolved into a cradle for some of Missouri’s robust cattle operations. professional nonprofit from its purely This has led to a successful volunteer roots, led by a board of partnership between landowners directors from across the Ozark region. “Land trusts are such a and conservation groups through A land trust is a specialized kind of nonprofit that protects land and other great way for landowners to preserve land for the creation, funding and delivery conservation practices that satisfy both natural resource protection and resources and ensures that their basic future generations in landowner needs. nature remains intact. Some focus more on natural lands, like prairies, their own families, and “As a lay leader for OLT, I so watersheds and forests, others on for the greater good of appreciate how we build relationships cultural and historic resources, and others on working lands such as farms keeping open space and partnerships,” says OLT board president Jim Reeves. “The foundation and ranches. OLT’s work encompasses of long-term protection starts with a all of these. landowner’s belief that OLT knows what it’s doing, cares “Land trusts are such a great way for landowners to needs of both the people and the land.” families, and for the greater good of keeping open space,” Adding to the foundation of trust is recent national says Wyman. accreditation, a designation only afforded about 20 A number of land trusts operate in Missouri, offering rigorous evaluation of standards and practices. Now, landowners many options when they seek to legally, other land trusts in Missouri are actively seeking and in most cases, permanently retain the beauty and accreditation. Many people may want to protect their character of their properties. (See related story about the properties, and having a choice among land trusts to suit Missouri Land Trust Coalition). A national trade group, their goals is positive. The more we can build awareness Land Trust Alliance (lta.org), serves as a voice for the about land trusts and conservation options, the better. among land trusts. Many of OLT’s landowners are able and willing to donate Sometimes, conservation-minded landowners will and to help defray the costs of the transaction, including donate land outright to a group like OLT. long-term stewardship. If they can’t, OLT may, in some But such transfers only represent about 20 percent of cases, seek other, outside funds to cover these costs. about the landowner, and finds solutions that meet the percent of American land trusts after undergoing a to OLT’s long-term stewardship and operational funds
Lois Wyman (l), Glenn Boettcher and their late mother Esther Boettcher. (Photo: Ozark Land Trust)
Congress has also made charitable tax deductions available to value the development rights that a landowner chooses to restrict by subjecting their property to a conservation easement.
After an easement is signed and recorded, OLT will periodically monitor the property by visiting in person or analyzing aerial imagery to ensure there have been no violations of the conservation easement agreement. And our staff will visit with landowners about management needs and changes on the property. Though many conservation easements retain the private nature of the land, they can be compatible with public access. OLT has permanently protected lands such as Kress Farm Garden Preserve in Hillsboro, which serve as nature and hiking getaways for public members.
“The easement can serve as a facilitator to help ensure lands open to the public can be permanently protected and undeveloped,” says OLT Conservation Program Manager Nic Rogers. “As well as give comfort to those who have invested their time and energy in enhancing the natural beauty and wildlife benefits of the land.”
“We’re proud of the work we’ve done to help landowners figure out how to permanently protect their lands,” said Reeves. “The landowner and other partner relationships we’ve built over 36 years will let us contribute in both our traditional and new ways. We can build on that by helping the Ozarks keep their unique attributes for generations to come. That’s our hope, our work and our commitment.”
For more info about Ozark Land Trust, visit www. ozarklandtrust.org, OLT’s Facebook page, or contact Executive Director Larry Levin at larry.levin@ ozarklandtrust.org.
Larry Levin
THE OZARK LAND TRUST
Ozark Land Trust belongs to the Missouri Land Trust Coalition, an association of groups from across the state dedicated to conservation in various landscapes. The group comprises land trusts and partner organizations and agencies that share common goals of conservation, protection, and resource restoration.
The group has met annually to learn more about each group’s work, brainstorm potential collaborations, and offer educational opportunities. In 2020, though, despite COVID-19 challenges, MLTC has been able to take its activities to another level.
Thanks in part to a new partners grant program from the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC), MLTC has received funding for a website, which will be under development in the coming months. And MDC has also supported new education initiatives so that the coalition’s member groups can share more about trends and key issues in the conservation community.
“Though we’ve been all virtual this year, we’ve branched out from our annual meeting to have three Zoom education sessions as well,” says Mike Powell, Executive Director of Greenbelt Land Trust. He, along with Ginny Moore of the Conservation Fund, serves as co-chair of the coalition. “Our topics reflect the wide range of issues our partners face, from farmland to open space to community conservation.”
Groups like MLTC operate in many states across the country and allow focus on the local challenges and offer a good point of interaction with groups like the Land Trust Alliance. “By having state, regional and national connections, we can build a strong network of knowledge, cooperation and ultimately, better and more conservation,” says Moore.
The Conservation Federation of Missouri is one of over 35 organizations and groups that belong to the Missouri Land Trust Coalition. To see a list of Coalition members, visit tinyurl.com/y3kkt9da.
For more information about MLTC, contact either Mike Powell at mpowell@greenbeltmissouri.org or Ginny Moore at gmoore@conservationfund.org.
Missouri Fishing Reports Taken to a New Level
About seven years ago, a man with a love of fishing and a career in software development moved down to Lake of the Ozarks. He booked several trips with local guides to learn how to target the trophy bass lurking around the many miles of dockcovered shorelines. During those trips, he asked each guide where he could find daily fishing reports to help him stay on a good bite throughout the summer. Nobody could give him a solid answer.
So, that man, Bob Bueltmann, decided to create the solution himself. Soon after, bassingbob. com was created. The site created a resource for the general public to subscribe and receive daily fishing reports covering bass, crappie, and catfish for a majority of Lake of the Ozarks.
Local guides and bait shops joined forces with bassingbob.com and the membership has grown to nearly 20,000. The site also receives about 80,000 unique visitors a month. In addition to fishing reports, bassingbob.com holds regular video seminars each week with fishing pros, hosts tournaments throughout the year, and helps increase fishing tourism around the lake.
The success of bassingbob.com helped him see there was a need for sites like this across the country for popular fishing lakes. Now, Bueltmann is expanding.
Local Table Rock fishing guide, Eric Prey, was the first licensee under bassingbob.com and has seen immediate success.
“We are very happy about the praise from anglers for tablerockfishingintel.com,” Prey said. “Our team of guides work meticulously to produce daily video and written fishing reports, and it’s great to see the site helping others find success on the water.”
Expert tournament angler and crappie fishing guide, Brad Jelinek (left), and author Tyler Mahoney had a great day chasing big crappie on Truman Lake over the summer. (Photo: Tyler Mahoney) With its proximity to Lake of the Ozarks, Truman Lake was also a natural progression for Bueltmann to target for expansion. Trumanlakefishingintel.com launched in August to cover largemouth bass, crappie, catfish, wipers, and white bass. Members can subscribe to one species or all of them and see reports from expert fishing guides like Jeff Faulkenberry, Richard Bowling, Cody Vannattan, Steve Blake, Brad Jelinek, and many more.
But it’s not just fishing reports you can find at these websites. For example, trumanlakefishingintel.com has in-depth, exclusive tournament coverage, news, and many extensive video interviews with Truman Lake experts. One of the most popular videos is the experts’ monthly round table hosted at Nee Nee’s Italian Steakhouse, a local restaurant in Warsaw, MO.
If you’re an avid angler, with a boat or otherwise, but have been unsure where to start on the big reservoirs Missouri has to offer, these subscription websites will shorten the learning curve. With all the weekly content put out by bassingbob.com, tablerockfishingintel.com, and trumanlakefishingintel.com, you’ll learn what baits to be throwing and what patterns the fish are on throughout the year.
