Missouri conservation areas remain open

Overcrowding issues have resulted in a handful of Missouri state park closures. The state's many conservation areas, however, continue to remain open through the coronavirus outbreak.

"We are currently monitoring conservation areas to make sure that we don't have overcrowding issues," Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) spokesperson, Robert Hemmelgarn, told the Daily Mail on Thursday. "Of course, we want to remind people that it's important to continue to practice physical distancing, even when you're in nature. And hope people recognize the importance of getting out, and having time outside. So, as of now, our conservation areas are still open."

There are several conservation areas in the surrounding area, including Schell-Osage and Four-Rivers. Hemmelgarn said the MDC would like its visitors to adhere to CDC pandemic recommendations when visiting their grounds.

"We're not a public health agency," he said. "All we can really tell people in regard to (that) is to follow the public health advice that comes from the CDC, National Institute of Health, and reputable public health agencies. We don't currently have any additional limitations on our conservation areas."

Added Hemmelgarn: "Now, we have canceled a lot of public events. Our nature centers are closed. But conservation areas, which would include the areas that those nature centers are on, remain open to the public — for now, anyway."

Hemmelgarn said almost all of the state's conservation area hours remain the same, and that they are closed from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m.

"We are actively monitoring, to the best of our ability, to make sure that people aren't putting themselves, or other people, in danger in those areas," he said. "If somebody goes to a conservation area and the parking is full, probably not a good idea to stop there. But we don't have any (newly) official regulations beyond the normal open and close hours."

Hemmelgarn said the MDC appreciates phone calls related to perceived unsafe behavior.

"We are limited in our capacity personnel-wise," he said. "We don't have eyes everywhere, all the time. But our conservation agents are always out patrolling. And, we still do have some staff who are doing field work. They're keeping an eye out to make sure everybody is staying safe."