By Tim D. Ripperger
Globe guest columnist
Editor’s note: Tim Ripperger, assistant director of the Missouri Department of Conservation, was asked by the Globe for his response to Larry Dablemont’s column.
Richard Massengill donated approximately 207 acres to the Missouri Department of Conservation in 2000. The Department of Conservation now holds this land in public trust and manages the area in a natural state for the citizens of Missouri as requested by Massengill. The Department of Conservation takes our public trust responsibilities seriously and works hard to promote, improve and implement conservation practices on public land throughout the state.
As part of the department’s continuing effort to be a good neighbor, the agency surveys tracts of land that are held in public trust to ascertain legal boundaries. The Massengill Conservation Area was surveyed by a private survey company in 2008, and this resulted in property line adjustments with three landowners.
Typically, neighboring landowners are notified that a survey will be conducted and are involved in the process and results. Communication with neighboring landowners is a priority for the Department of Conservation; unfortunately, in this particular instance the department could have done a better job.
The department asks private surveyors to contact adjacent landowners prior to a survey, but the responsibility to ensure adequate communication ultimately rests with the department. As a result, procedures to improve communication with neighboring landowners will be implemented.
In this instance, neighboring landowners received written notification of survey results in November 2008, but none responded until July 2009. At that time, landowners were contacted and invited to meet on the area to discuss the survey. Only one landowner chose to attend that meeting. Department of Conservation staff are continuing efforts to contact all landowners to review the survey results and listen to any comments or concerns they may have.
Land surveys are a long standing process used to identify property boundaries between parcels of land, and the Department of Conservation abides by those legal findings. In this instance, survey results showed the actual property line would transfer approximately 17 to 18 acres to public ownership.
Most often, surveys verify existing property lines as correct but in other instances surveys have resulted in land being transferred from the Department of Conservation to private ownership (neighboring landowners) or conveyed to the public trust, (Missouri Department of Conservation). In several instances the past few years, land has been conveyed from the Department of Conservation to our neighbors as a result of an updated survey.
Missouri Department of Conservation staff are professionals and the department only accepts land transactions from willing sellers and donors. Local staff have indicated Massengill was not badgered to donate additional land to the department. The Department of Conservation promotes openness, honesty and transparency in every forestry, fisheries, wildlife management decision and business process.
A small parking lot and camping area have been developed to help Missourians utilize the area. In addition, a small field road was created to encourage public use and assist with management activities on the area. The Massengill Conservation Area continues to be managed in a “natural state” as Massengill requested in his donation.
Public comments, including criticism concerning department actions are welcomed. The Department of Conservation works hard to manage the fish, forest and wildlife resources of the state, strives to be a good neighbor to private landowners who border conservation areas and is always willing to listen to citizen conservationists throughout the state. If you wish to share your thoughts on any wildlife management issue, please contact our Joplin or Springfield offices, give the Department a call at 573-751-4115 or e-mail the agency at Ombudsman@mdc.mo.gov.
Tim D. Ripperger is the assistant director of the Missouri Department of Conservation.
