FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
Contact: Steve Siwinski, (573) 522-1009

Carnahan Announces Opening of New Missouri Department of Conservation Exhibit

Jefferson City, MO - Secretary of State Robin Carnahan today announced the opening of a new exhibit, A Legacy of Conservation: The 75^th Anniversary of the Missouri Department of Conservation. In development for over a year, the exhibit examines the rich history of conservation in Missouri by drawing from more than 400,000 Conservation Commission photographs, documents and publications, as well as materials provided by the Missouri Department of Conservation and the Conservation Federation of Missouri. Most of the documents used are part of the collection of the Missouri State Archives, a division of Carnahan’s office, and will be on display to the public for the very first time.

“The Missouri Department of Conservation provides an invaluable service by protecting and managing our forest, fish and wildlife resources and also by providing opportunities for Missourians to enjoy and learn about our state’s many natural treasures,” said Carnahan. “The opening of this exhibit allows our offices to come together to celebrate the history of this vital agency. I am pleased to share with Missourians some of the records held at the Archives, while also offering an engaging way to learn more about how the Missouri Department of Conservation has benefitted our state and its citizens.”

A Legacy of Conservation provides a complete picture of the conservation movement in Missouri, from the 1895 establishment of the Missouri State Game and Fish Commission — the predecessor of today’s Department of Conservation — to the present day. The role of the agency is explored, in terms of scientific research, propagation of fish and game, enforcement of game laws, forestry and public relations. The exhibit also examines Rudolf Bennit and Werner O. Nagel’s landmark study of 1934, A Survey of the Resident Game and Furbearers of Missouri, which established the need for the Missouri Conservation Commission, as well as the Missouri Department of Conservation’s long-term plan, Design for Conservation, implemented by the agency in 1971 to help meet the growing needs of the state’s outdoor enthusiasts.

The exhibit will be unveiled at 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, August 1, at the Kirkpatrick State Information Center in Jefferson City, where it will be on display through the end of 2012. Starting in January 2013, the exhibit will travel throughout Missouri. For more information about A Legacy of Conservation, or other Missouri State Archives traveling exhibits, please contact Greg Olson at 573-522-2705 or greg.olson@sos.mo.gov.

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To find out more about Missouri’s Secretary of State’s Office, visit www.sos.mo.gov.

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