SierraScape August - September 2010
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by Becky Denney
Conservation Committee Chair

The story of the Current River is intertwined with the story of Pioneer Forest. In 1964, at the time the Ozark National Scenic Riverways (ONSR) became reality, Leo Drey owned acreage either side of 35 miles of the Current River. After 1964 much of his land right along the river was condemned and bought from him by the Park Service or he received other lands in trade. He led the political fight to save the Current River from being dammed but he tried to forge a different type of agreement from the bill that passed Congress. The National Wild and Scenic Rivers Act of 1968 which included the Eleven Point and 8 other rivers was actually closer to what Drey tried to get passed.

As early as March, 1951 Leo Drey bought his first timberland in Shannon County. According to Susan Flader's marvelous article "Missouri's Pioneer in Sustainable Forestry," Leo Drey bought nearly 90,000 acres in June, 1954 in northeast Shannon County after months of bargaining. Even then the seller, National Distillers Products, had the rights to make heavy timber cuts for years. Those nearly 90,000 acres had originally been bought over a 40 year period by Pioneer Cooperage Company in St. Louis. In fact, Pioneer Forest was designated as Missouri Tree Farm Number One several years before Leo Drey bought it. Again, according to Flader, the original forestry staff encouraged selective cutting in what became the Seton Porter Forest under National Distillers ownership. The staff and selective cutting policy was continued even as they passed the banner to a new owner, Leo Drey, and later to a younger generation of foresters. He renamed his total forest acreage Pioneer Forest.

There are many stories of how individual springs, natural features and historical sites of the Current River watershed became part of ONSR or adjacent state lands. Round Springs, Alley Springs, and Montauk were state parks well before 1964. The Drey family supported public recreation on their land and left tracts of timber as uncut old growth. In fact, Leo's discussions with state and federal officials led to the building of the first segment of the Ozark Trail, Blair Creek, through Pioneer Forest. It was built with help from Sierra Club volunteers. The Roger Pryor Pioneer Backcountry of 61,000 acres was dedicated as a backcountry recreational area in 2001.

Pioneer Forest, which now represents 150,000 acres of Ozark forestland, was donated by Leo and Kay Drey to become part of the L-A-D Foundation in 2004. It is a working forest which is the model for sustainable forestry in central hardwood forests. The consistent record keeping of forestry plots and excellent management practices for over 50 years shows those of us who love Missouri forests a way, single-tree selection, to harvest our trees yet still enjoy the other aspects of our forest. The story of Pioneer Forest is one of constant work, careful planning and use of opportunities.

Susan Flader writes in "Missouri's Pioneer in Sustainable Forestry," that Leo Drey originally hoped " to demonstrate the potential for developing a viable natural resource-based economy in the Missouri Ozarks" Pioneer Forest has continued to do that as it was the first forest certified in Missouri under a Forest Stewardship Council program.

The joy of wading in a cool Ozark stream or creek, watching the crawdads scatter, hearing a wood thrush or noticing if a dragonfly perches level or obliquely becomes part of our private story. But someone else has worked so the stream bank remains stable and the surrounding forest is healthy. Our stories will continue and must include advocacy for good management practices of streams and lands throughout Missouri. We have the model of Pioneer Forest to use as we advocate for better forestry practices in our state and national forests.

Susan Flader's article and more information on Pioneer Forest can be found on the L-A-D Foundation website: www.ladfoundation.org/