What is Silver Dollar City? Silver Dollar City, located in Branson, Missouri, combines the wholesome family fun of a major theme park with the timeless appeal of crafts and a dedication to preserving 1880s Ozarks culture. Over 100 craftsmen are on park demonstrating glass blowing, basket weaving, blacksmithing, pottery, candy making, candle making, and many other disciplines. Packed with over 20 rides and attractions, 60 unique shops and restaurants, and 40 dazzling shows a day, Silver Dollar City truly appeals to all ages. It also hosts six major festivals per year and was named one of the Top Theme Parks in The World by the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions.
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Monday, May 12, 2008
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Missouri's Wildlife
White-tail deer are a common sight in Missouri today.
Other species have not fared as well.
Historically, Missouri was home to a great diversity of ecosystems that contained a vast array of wildlife. These ranged from the prairies and savannas of northern Missouri, the wetlands and bottomland forests found along the state's rivers and in the bootheel, to the oak and pine forests of the Ozarks. Two hundred years ago one would have found abundant mountain lions, black bears, elk, gray wolves, red wolves, prairie chickens and other wildlife species that today are greatly reduced in number or completely gone from the state. Despite great success in restoring white-tail deer, turkeys and river otters, many species remain absent from our state's landscape.
MCE works to ensure the continued survival of Missouri's wildlife species through the protection and restoration of their habitat.
The pallid sturgeon is one of
twenty-four federally listed species in Missouri.
Cougars in Missouri
Cougars in Missouri – Here for Now, But Future Uncertain.
Until recently, the last documented report of a wild mountain lion in Missouri was an animal killed in 1927 in the state's southeastern "bootheel" region. After more than one-thousand reported sightings – seven of which have been confirmed – it is now no longer disputed that at least a small population of mountain lions once again roams the state.
The confirmed sightings include some caught on video, a road kill and some verified through tracks and other evidence. They cover a wide range geographically, from northeastern Missouri, to suburban Kansas City, to the heart of the remote Ozark region. While only a few years ago state biologists considered cougar sightings akin to UFO reports, they now appear more open minded about the presence of big cats in our state. It is simply too hard to ignore the mounting evidence.
In 1994, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service prosecuted a case involving photographic evidence that 'coon hunters in the Ozarks had killed a mountain lion, and even obtained confessions from the men who shot it. This was the first of the string of confirmed reports. Over the next eight years, six more confirmed sightings occurred, including a road kill last fall just north of Kansas City. According to state biologists, only one of these cats showed clear evidence of being an escaped pet.
The 100-pound cougar killed last October on a suburban Kansas City freeway was found to have fed on deer and raccoon, according to microscopic tests of hair found in its digestive tract. DNA tests performed at Central Michigan University showed the cougar was a North American type, further indicating that it probably was not an escapee. "I think it was living on its own for awhile, if not totally wild,'' said Dave Hamilton, a biologist with the Missouri Department of Conservation. Hamilton speculates that the cat could have wandered south along the Missouri River from the population in South Dakota's Black Hills.
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It is unknown just why cougar sightings are becoming more common in Missouri and states further east. Wildlife biologists note that the large prey population – including white tail deer – could have an impact on the number of big cats, but no one knows for sure. There seems little doubt, however, that mountain lions are expanding eastward. The closest stable populations to Missouri are found in Texas, Colorado and South Dakota.
For its part, the Missouri Department of Conservation now seems ready to acknowledge that the big cats, from whatever source, do inhabit our state. The Department has formed a mountain lion task force to address sightings and livestock depredation issues. In addition, mountain lions remain classified as "endangered" under Missouri law, meaning they are protected unless they are pursuing or attacking humans, livestock or domestic animals. In those instances they may be killed, but must be reported immediately to a conservation agent and turned over within 24 hours.
The future for the mountain lion in Missouri looks bright if the state's residents can be convinced that the species is a positive addition to the already abundant wildlife. Although humans continue to encroach further into rural parts of the state, the large population of white-tail deer and substantial public landholdings may be enough to sustain a population of the big cats.
By Edward J. Heisel, 2003.
Our Thong Tree
Trail Tree near Branson MO
Thong Trees
Typical Trees: The typical trail tree is a white oak with an abrupt bend several feet from its base. The main trunk then extends horizontally for several feet terminating with a rounded end that usually has a small mouth. One or more main branches grows vertically from this horizontal segment of the trunk, each becoming a new supporting member for the upper branches of the tree. The horizontal portion of the trunk often slopes downward [either by design or perhaps from the weight of the vertical limbs over time]. The majority of the trees have this shape, and stand out clearly from the other trees in the woods. On the Sassafras Mountain ridge, one can often see from one trail tree to the next tree in the chain.
Atypical trees: Along the path of these more typical trees, there are some other trees that stand out in the forest, but have other [similar] shapes. The trees on the left below look like the typical trees that have been reformed by climate and time. Others, like those on the right, are atypical, but share qualities that suggest they are also "shaped" by human intelligence, though their inclusion is more by proximity than anything else. While it's tempting to guess their meaning [...pointing towards water, ...a branch in the trail], such thoughts remain in the realm of speculation at this point.
Are they pointing? Certainly, walking through the woods, they seem to be pointing out a route. On the left, we've plotted them with extensions on the classic trees that have a clear directional alignment. There are a lot of them that do line up with the path along the mountain ridge, but plenty of others that don't. Once they're all photographed, we intend to plot them by morphology along with nearby water sources and known Indian settlements to try to get at the question of whether they're "pointers" or simply "markers."
As you'll see in the references, these unique trees are found throughout the United States, and are generally interpreted to be trail markers from our American Indian past. But, so far, we've mostly found speculative and anectdotal reports without much scientific study. We hope that we can provide a central registry for these trees and develop a community of interested parties who can respond to the questions these trees ask with a definite answer.
Visit the Mountain Stewards website to see 100's of these trees!
http://mountainstewards.org/
