Open Space and Wildlife

Missouri state park system includes 83 state parks and historic sites encompassing more than 140,000 acres. The park and soils sales tax which supports the Missouri state park system expires in 2008 if not renewed by voters.	The Mark Twain National Forest covers over 1.5 million acres of Ozark forests.
MCE Actions: MCE is actively working to protect Missouri's public lands and forests. Currently, MCE is concentrating on the protection of the Mark Twain National Forest and the Ozark National Scenic Riverways.
Mark Twain National Forest: The U.S. Forest Service has undertaken the first revision of the management plan for the Mark Twain National Forest in over 15 years. This is a key point in the management of the Mark Twain, and its nearly 1.5 million acres of Ozark forests. Specific areas of interest for MCE include policies relating to logging, mining, off-road vehicle use, wilderness and wild and scenic rivers. Learn more about Mark Twain MCE Position Paper 1/25/04 - Off-Road Vehicles on Federal Lands MCE Position Paper 7/21/03- Forest Management on the Mark Twain Natl Forest	Ozark National Scenic Riverways: MCE is also closely monitoring the management of the Ozark National Scenic Riverways, Missouri's largest and most natural National Park, which encompasses 80,000 acres and 134 miles of the Current and Jacks Fork Rivers. Learn more about OSNR.
Additional Open Space and Wildlife Issues:
Defining Public Lands Missouri's Wildlife	Ozark Hellbenders Cougars
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