Bill Black - NPS furnished photo

In announcing Black’s selection, National Park Service (NPS) Midwest Regional Director Michael T. Reynolds said, “The depth and breadth of Bill’s experience both within and outside the National Park Service, coupled with his intuitive understanding of building lasting relationships and partnerships with local, regional, and national communities, organizations, and groups, makes him an ideal choice to lead Ozark National Scenic Riverways.”

Black began his NPS career as a seasonal Park Technician at Cumberland Gap National Historical Park in Kentucky followed by a season position at Castillo de San Marcos National Monument in St. Augustine, Florida. His first permanent position was as a Park Ranger in law enforcement at Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Tennessee. Black then went on to become the Administrative Officer at Chickasaw National Recreation Area in Oklahoma and a few years later was promoted into the Administrative Officer and Assistant Superintendent role at Isle Royale National Park in Michigan. His career also included working for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Florida and Alabama as an Assistant Wildlife Refuge Manager.

As Superintendent at Fort Smith NHS since January 1992, Black led the park through major rehabilitation, including the planning and development of its visitor center and exhibits. He has also been successful in developing, improving, and maintaining positive cooperative relationships with local, state, and other federal agencies, Native American tribal governments, land owners, and interest groups. Black served an acting assignment in Las Vegas as the director of one of the largest multi-agency partnerships in the country dealing with both federal agencies and numerous interest and support groups in southern Nevada.

“Having served the acting Superintendent detail at the park, I have had the fortune to meet many of the partners and local people that have a special interest in Ozark National Scenic Riverways, and I look forward to working closely with them in the years to come,” commented Black. “I have been very impressed with the truly world class natural resources of the park, including the magnificent springs and the clear free-flowing Current and Jack’s Fork Rivers.”

An Indiana native, Black graduated from Purdue University with a degree in Wildlife Management. Married to Judi, a first grade teacher with the Fort Smith Public Schools, the Blacks have a grown son and daughter.

A couple weeks ago when I went to Shannon County for the Current River public meeting, we stayed over because Eugene had work to do on the way home at Montauk on Sunday.

He and Steve Bost, the naturalist there, went off on some A/V maintenance issue, leaving me to take pictures of anglers along the tiny Current River.

When they returned, Eugene was babbling about some owl pictures he had just taken.
Owl pictures? At two in the afternoon? Yes. “I’ve got to get these things to Steve’s office, and then we can go back. I want to go back and get some more pictures.”

After a slight delay, the story came out. Apparently a pair of barred owls are raising owelets in a public area at Montauk. Young owls are interesting birds. They have a “teenage stage” where they cannot yet fly because they don’t have flight feathers, but they can and do leave the nest. At this point, they are called “branchers.” This usually happens when they are about four weeks old. Mom and Dad keep bringing the teen food until it can fly on its own. Sound familiar?

A small boy peers up at the small owl. Wonder what is going on in both young minds.

This owlet, according to Steve, went out on a limb and fell off into the Current River.
Once on the ground, since they cannot fly, owelets are easy prey.

Someone noticed the owl, fished it out, and got Steve. With the help of a ladder, the owl was restored to its tree, or at least a nearby one. The campground hosts check on it periodically. The parents apparently have found their wayward son (or daughter?)
and are continuing to feed it, so there is a good chance the owl will make it to adulthood.

The owl poses after noticing us photographing it.

Needless to say, this owl has attracted a fair amount of attention. It’s rather unusual to be able to get owl photos in the daytime, but this fellow seems rather bold, and adapted to her or his human neighbors. Even so, (and like human teenagers) naptime falls whenever the mood strikes. Owls, like most birds, can sleep on perch because when their weight is on their claws, the tendons automatically clench to grip the branch.

Sleeping standing up in the daytime is easy for owls.

One day soon, at about 7 to 9 weeks of age, the flight feathers will out from this fluffball, and then he or she is on their own. After a little supervised training, the young owl will be both mobile and know how to get its own food, and will move out to its own tree and territory.

Until then, this may be the the most famous teenage owl at Montauk.

Wake me when I'm grown, please...

There will be an Elk Zone Landower Field Day May 19 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Quo da Riva Club near Paint Rock on the Current River. Sponsored by the Missouri Department of Conservation, the session is intended to educate landowner how to manage their property as elk habitat. This management includes woodland restoration, prescribed burning and food plots designed for elk and other wildlife, according to Private Lands Conservationist Mike Gaskins.

Because 93% of all land, and 85% of all forested land is in private ownership, MDC takes very seriously its outreach to landowners. Lunch will be provided, and registration is required by May 14 at 573-226-3241.

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Radeena Proffer, a 29-year-old Doniphan woman, was found not guilty of felony charges coming from a fatal boat collision July 5, 2009, on the Current River at Doniphan.

The case had been moved to Carter County on a change of venue. The three day trial returned the not-guilty verdict after three hours of deliberation.

Proffer operated a boat traveling downstream that collided with a boat being piloted upstream by Chad Mikel, 26 of Poplar Bluff. An 11-year-old boy, Jerry Mote, was thrown from Proffer’s boat because of the collison, and drowned. Josh Burson, 25, was a passenger in Mikel’s boat and died as a result of injuries received in the crash.

Proffer had been charged with two counts of involuntary manslaughter, three counts of 2nd degree assault with a boat, and first degree endangerment of a child.

Witnesses said Proffer had drunk some beer before the accident, but she was not proven to be intoxicated nor impaired. She also suffered injuries in the crash.

Current River State Park has been in a contentious limbo since a 780-acre portion of the old Alton Club/Jerry J. Presley Center was transferred from the Missouri Department of Conservation to the Department of Natural Resources-Division of State Parks in March 2008.

Bill Bryan (midleft) takes question from Shannon Countians

At an open house/picnic on April 28, State Parks Director Bill Bryan, Deputy Director J. C. Kuessner, and other park officials addressed, then took informal questions from approximately 60 mostly local, and mostly male attendees for two and half hours.

The opening of the park has been delayed several times. The plans themselves changed between the administrations of Governors Matt Blunt and Jay Nixon. A poor economy, and drop in state park revenue resulted in insufficient funding to transform the property from small groups accommodated by the historic Alton Club facilities to the hundreds who visit a state park on a typical weekend.

Jane Lale, planning director and District Supervisor Denny Bopp cook hotdogs for the crowd

The state is still $3 million short of the $8 million needed to upgrade the infrastructure for public access. Even so, development under a plan similar to that proposed in 2008, is expected to begin in 12 to 18 months.

Road development is contested issue

And then came the issue of a rejuvenated (or new in the view of some) road which crosses state property for a mile, ends in the woods, creates a second park entrance and which was revived (or cut) by the Shannon County Road Commission in 2009 without permission or knowledge of the state park. The road crosses a fen, uses a creek for roadbed, and passes close to an area where the state wants to put a youth group camp.

The disputed road, just a few feet from Hwy. 19

The county and state attorney general’s office have been at an impasse over the road since. It escalated last spring when Chris Koster filed an injunction against and asked for damages from the Shannon County Court.

“I’d like to apologize for the way we got started on this park under a previous administration,” began Bryan. “We’re holding this open house to meet the neighbors,” he said, “and to listen to your concerns. We may not always agree, but we will listen. That’s why we’re here.”

Deputy Director J.C. Kuessner addressing the meeting in rec hall

And the locals had an earful for Bryan, mostly about the road.

“We want these roads kept open,” said Max Gorman. “We’ll help you with your state park, because otherwise we’re all going to end up with a dirty face. I remember back before the Park Service took over the state parks down here. They were nice. But we don’t want that road closed.”

Locals at Current River Park April 28. Max Gorman, seated

“Look around here,” said William Piatt. We don’t use state parks. We live here and we want it kept as it is. We’re here to figure out why every time they take a foot, we have to watch to make sure we’re not giving everything up. It wasn’t supposed to change. They promised us that. But it did anyway. So we want to know what this is going to cost us.”

All ears respectfully listened as each person had their say. William Piatt at far right.

Bryan did a little pleading: “Dealing with state parks is different. National Park Service people may be from anywhere. But we’re from here.” Gating, keying, and rerouting the primitive road away from sensitive areas were proposed.

Talking and listening: unidentified, Bill Bryan, Shannon County commissioner Dale Counts (in camo cap), J.C. Kuessner, unidentified

The residents seemed to soften a bit, but solving the road issue remains key to locals embracing the new park. “This park was bought with conservation money. That means we can still hunt here. Now, I’m older and I need to drive my truck down there in deer season. How can we be able to do that if you take away the road?” said one older man who declined to be identified.

Park will be open to managed hunting

Managed hunting has been permitted at Current River SP even when generally closed to the public, and will continue after the park is officially opened, said Park Superintendent Jim Newberry.

In this case, MDC will manage youth and regular hunts in spring and fall for turkey and muzzle-loading and regular deer hunting. Other hunting seasons will be permitted when they can be managed in a manner consistent with visitor safety, in the more remote parts of the park.

Old hunting regulations remain posted in the park.

“We are going to continue the hunting tradition here,” he said. “The local people expect it. We would have had a youth spring turkey season, except none of the kids with permits showed up. If you are interested in hunting here, you will have to apply through the MDC website, just like other youth, managed and special hunts. But it won’t be any more difficult than that.”

What the park will look like

Rumors over the years have turned the park into a high-end, high-dollar state resort park similar to those elsewhere, a limited access park utilizing the buildings for their original purposes for a few by reservation, as well as into another commercial canoe access point on the Current River.

Jane Lale, state parks director of planning and development, was on hand to answer questions, with a flipchart document still dated 2008.

Planning flipchart presented April 28 at Current River State Park

“What limits us are the [National Park Service scenic] easement, and the reality of wastewater treatment,” she said. “The highest cost of development relates to properly dealing with wastewater.”

“We plan to turn the lodge into park offices, and remove some of the later dormitories, taking the structure back to its original size,” she said. We want to keep many of the public buildings as they are, or take them back to their original purpose, like the rec hall, and the boathouse and the barbecue house. We want to interpret what we have as what it was.”

One major change will be the draining of the upper lake, which will hold both family and camper cabins. The area which the Alton Club used and is near the river will be a day use area, and this upper lake area, nearer to Hwy. 19, and away from the scenic easement will accommodate overnight use. Regular camping, and a youth group camp are planned.

And what about the river?

“The Canoe Landing is not intended for commercial operations but for those floating to have an access to stop in and visit the park. Also, park users who have their own canoe/kayak can utilize this access for launching. This could be used as an emergency access as well,” Lale said.

Photo by Tim Harrison. Horses are offspring of horses let loose in the 1930s.

It’s a problem with no easy solution. Animal rights advocates believe horse slaughter is morally wrong. Others see it as the only solution for unwanted or unadoptable animals. Misguided, but tenderhearted horse owners on hard times (and dog and cat and other pet owners as well) will drive an unwanted animal to a rural area and turn it loose, assuming an animal which has been cared for its entire life will do just fine if turned loose.

Most do not, and become a nuisance for people and pets and wildlife. Sometimes exotic animals with no natural predators become entirely too successful, such as the Burmese pythons let loose in the Everglades, which are upsetting the entire ecosystem because they have become the new top predator.

(This month’s online Traveler features a music video of the wild horses created by Bill Cooper. Please log in to http://www.rhetraveler.com to view. Not a subscriber? Become one, or get a 3-day peek for 99c.)

Even the “wild” horses of the Eminence area are cared for by people; Smith and others keep the herd culled to 50 horses, do veterinary tasks and themselves cull new arrivals, which are usually easy to identify. The feral horses generally are white or gray dappled, with occasional blacks; more recent horses are often bred for colors and are bay, brown or roan.

While the wild horse herds are a valued part of the south central Ozarks, too much of anything is usually a bad thing. When to say when is always a problem in the spare, rocky grounds of Shannon County.

This is a bit lengthy, but it is the best summary of the legislation which went into the formation of the Riverways that Jo has seen. Reading through this, you will get a clear understanding how the Riverways was intended to differ from a standard issue national park, and the sense of give and take which has always existed between federal governance of the park, and the expectations of the people of Missouri in regard to the land and waters which form it.

HCR 52 was adopted by the House April 24, and sent to the Senate for consideration.

It’s a political resolution as well a public document, and it’s no secret that the current makeup of the Missouri state house is of a conservative bent, even so, the material contained here is factual. If you care about the Riverways in any sense, take the time to read it.

When you’re done, we’d be really interested in what you think.

House Concurrent Resolution No. 52
96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVES COOKSON (Sponsor), RICHARDSON, FITZWATER,
FRANZ, SMITH (150), WELLS, SWINGER AND WRIGHT (Co-sponsors).
6219L.03I
WHEREAS, in 1959, Senate Resolution No. 33 and House Resolution
No. 19, recognizing the importance of the extraordinary manifestations of
nature and recreational attributes of the Current and Eleven Point
Riverways, requested Congress to enact legislation to preserve the natural
resources and provide recreational development and other improvements for
the public use; and

WHEREAS, in 1964, Congress answered Missouri’s request by
enacting legislation to establish the Ozark National Scenic Riverways; and

WHEREAS, the riverways within the Ozark National Scenic
Riverways are, and remain, public highways of the State of Missouri,
subject to concurrent jurisdiction between the State of Missouri and the
United States under Missouri Senate Bill No. 362 enacted in 1971; and

WHEREAS, in 2005, the National Park Service began researching
for the purpose of drafting a new general management plan for the Ozark
National Scenic Riverways; and

WHEREAS, the general management plan for the Ozark National
Scenic Riverways will ensure that the National Park Service managers and
stakeholders share a clearly defined understanding of the resource
conditions, opportunities for recreational use, and managerial methodology
for access, and development designed to successfully achieve the national
riverways’ purpose; and

WHEREAS, in keeping with the National Parks and Recreation Act
of 1978, the general management plan will serve as a guideline which will
be relied upon as a basis for decisions affecting the riverways and for
decisions which serve to preserve resources for the enjoyment of future
generations; and

WHEREAS, every national park system unit has been asked to
prepare this kind of document since 1976 when Congress passed a law to that
effect. The general management plan will guide decisions related to the
Ozark National Scenic Riverways for the next 15 to 20 years; and

WHEREAS, the Missouri Conservation Commission is charged with
the control, management, restoration, conservation and regulation of the
bird, fish, game, forestry and all wildlife resources of the state,
including hatcheries, sanctuaries, refuges, reservations and all other
property owned, acquired or used for such purposes; and

WHEREAS, in September of 2009, the Missouri Department of
Conservation recommended that “hunting, fishing and trapping continue to be
allowed throughout the ONSR except in highly developed areas where a
reasonable safety zone for public protection may be required” and supported
the “No-Action Alternative” released in 2009 by the National Park Service
as an appropriate balance between preservation of resource conditions and
opportunities for recreational use; and

WHEREAS, the recreational resources afforded by the riverways
are an economic staple to the citizens of the surrounding communities with
the State of Missouri; and

WHEREAS, the State of Missouri and a majority of the citizens
of Missouri agree that the citizens of Missouri and those Missouri citizens
most impacted in their daily lives are in the best position to formulate
policy and regulations to manage and protect Missouri’s natural resources
as opposed to a federal agency headquartered in Washington, D.C.:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the members of the House of
Representatives of the Ninety-sixth General Assembly, Second Regular
Session, the Senate concurring therein, hereby strongly urge the National
Park Service to draft its final General Management Plan to recognize the
importance the riverways provides to the State of Missouri not only for the
preservation of those extraordinary manifestations of nature, but also
recreational use and enjoyment; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Missouri General Assembly finds
that the previously announced “No Action Alternative” provides the best
balance to maintain the riverways’ purposes; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Missouri General Assembly stand
prepared to utilize its concurrent jurisdiction to assure this balance is
properly maintained; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Chief Clerk of the Missouri
House of Representatives be instructed to prepare properly inscribed copies
of this resolution for Jonathan B. Jarvis, Director of the National Park
Service, and Bill Black, Interim Superintendent of Ozark National Scenic
Riverways.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — The public is invited to bring their ideas to an informational meeting Saturday, April 28, in the gymnasium located in Current River State Park outside of Salem. The informational meeting will begin at 4 p.m. Light refreshments will be provided.

Current River State Park is currently under development. Located along Current River, the property is the site of a former corporate retreat of the Alton Box Co. between the 1930s and the 1950s. The property includes the retreat’s historic structures, other facilities and two lakes all in a rugged Ozark landscape setting.

Staff will be on hand to discuss the development of the park including roadways into the park property. This informational meeting is part of an ongoing effort by Missouri State Parks to ensure citizens have input on facilities and services offered in state parks and historic sites.

The buildings in the park are on the National Register of Historic Places

Current River State Park is located 25 miles south of Salem on Hwy 19 in Shannon County. The park entrance is located at the intersection of Hwy 19 and Shannon County Road 19-D. The lodge is located 1.4 miles west of Hwy 19 on Shannon County Road 19-D.

People requiring special services or accommodations to attend the meeting can make arrangements by calling 573-858-3015. For information about state parks and historic sites, visit mostateparks.com. Missouri State Parks is a division of the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.
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(Asst. Ed. Note: Missouri state parks periodically hold these public meetings to get input on how they are doing and input on future proposals. Much of the delay opening this state park has been due to the poor economy, but some to conflicting ideas on how the property should be developed and issues with the Shannon County commission. This meeting, being held on a Saturday afternoon, is likely to draw more than the usual light crowd. If you attend, you might want to put a lawn chair in the car or the back of the truck. — Jo Schaper)

By Jo Schaper

With the public release of the draft General Management Plan pending in the near future, the focus of the meeting will be on making sure “the local folks are engaged and aware of what is happening in regards to this issue,” said Emerson spokesman Darren Lingle of her Cape Girardeau office.

“Two years ago when this all started, the local people came together to discuss this,” he said. “We sort of see this as our answer to the petitions from people out of Springfield and St. Louis. With the General Management Plan pending and no permanent superintendent in place, we want the people of the district to have their input as well. We think this is the ideal time to do this.”

Congresswoman Jo Ann Emerson

“We deal with Park Service issues every day, and this is just one more way for the local folk to have their voices heard. We expect this to be a laid back opportunity for people to talk with Jo Ann and express their views,” he said.

According to an ad placed in the Current Wave, this gathering is being billed as a property rights meeting.

(Thanks to Ray Mallinckrodt, Jim Anderson and John Mark Brewer for bringing this to our attention.)

“The park staff have completed their review of the 318 page document and have provided comments. These remarks have been compiled and submitted to the Denver Service Center planning team,” says Acting Superintendent Black.

Two Rivers: Jacks Fork on left, Current River on right. Jo Schaper photo.

Besides the park staff reviewing the draft, the National Park Service’s Denver Service Center and the Midwest Regional Office in Omaha, Nebraska have also reviewed the draft document and provided their input.

Comments from all enities will be incorporated into the draft which will be sent to the National Park Service leadership in Washington D. C. for their review. Once this review is completed, the draft General Management Plan will be released for public review and comment. Ozark National Scenic Riverways and the planning team anticipate the public release for review and comment to occur Spring 2012.

The park will inform the public when the review and comment period will occur. We encourage and welcome your input on the draft General Management Plan.