The Initiative of the Osage Basin
Shawn Swearingen for SPLIT REED
Cover Photo Courtesy Lee Kjos
Article originally published Fall 2022
A group of researchers, land managers, and owners came together in west central Missouri at the end of August 2022. The thing they have in common is their love of waterfowl and the desire to improve habitat. This gathering is the brainchild of long-time property manager in the area, Jeff Watt, and is hosted by him and Josh Cussimano of the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC). The weekend-long symposium was August 25 through 27 is designed for those that may have been managing land for decades looking to improve their knowledge base or for potentially new landowners looking at all options. In the end, the impacts and lessons learned will be felt well beyond the Truman Lake floodplain.
“This is the first time in several years there has been an event or gathering like this in west central Missouri. A lot of focus in the state gets given to the Swan Lake [National Wildlife Refuge] and Grand Pass Conservation Area,” said Jeff Watt. “There is a massive amount of waterfowl habitat in this area of the state that needs attention and improvement as well.”
There is an impressive cast participating in the event including the MDC, Jody Pagan of Five Oaks Ag Research Center, Dr. Mickey Heitmeyer of Greenbrier Wetland Services, along with presenters from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers. “We will start Thursday evening with a cocktail/social hour giving all the presenters and attendees a chance to mingle and get to know each other. Friday morning will begin in the classroom with sessions, attendees and presenters will be going out in the field to work and learn,” said Jeff.
“We will be visiting private tracts of moist soil management areas along with very neat tracts of flooded timber that will put a smile on any duck hunter’s face! Test plots highlighting different agricultural practices as well as work on plant identification. The goal is to cover everything a landowner needs to know to create more than a stopover,” Jeff stated. The plant identification will be led by
In addition to the direct education of land owners and managers, the event by Josh and Jeff will be helping the future of waterfowl. Any money made by the Osage Basin Wetlands symposium is being donated to the Five Oaks Ag Research Center for its research and education goals. Five Oaks Ag Research Center is doing some amazing things to provide a public knowledge base around waterfowl habitat and waterfowl migration patterns. Everything from improving habitat in traditional migration/wintering areas to GPS telemetry monitoring of waterfowl patterns; all of which bases are being covered. As Jeff states, “Watching these selective students gain the knowledge and wherewithal to help waterfowl in the future is exciting!”
George Dunklin, Jr., founder and President of Five Oaks adds, “We are extremely appreciative of Jeff donating any proceeds from this event to our mission at Five Oaks. The participants will learn a great deal as Jeff has assembled the best biologist in the business. Jody Pagan will be representing Five Oaks and there is no better person in the world that I know of that can deliver the message I think the people that are attending want to hear.”
Groups that bring private and public land managers together are critical for a well-rounded approach to habitat and the animals that rely on it. While the attention of the general public may sway to the public lands and the money spent there, without the devotion of private land managers conservation efforts will fail. Waterfowl may not know what property lines are, but they will flock to where the best habitat is.
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