SierraScape Spring 2021
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BY CAROLINE PUFALT
Conservation Chair

This time we really mean it, we hope! Intrepid readers will recall back in 2017 Missouri Sierrans and fellow conservationists poured over plans and maps to submit comments on a draft updated Roads and Trails plan (RT) for the Ozark National Scenic Riverway (ONSR). This beloved park encompasses the Current and Jacks Fork rivers.

It has been many decades since the park's RT plan has been revised to meet current needs and address future challenges. The ONSR has a new park superintendent, Jason Lott, who is dedicated to completing unfinished park work such as the RT plan and implementing a decision on seasonal horsepower limits which has been pending since 2015. We welcome his energy and dedication.

When the new RT plan is unveiled, there will still be an opportunity for public feedback. We hope the new plan includes sustainable trails for the hikers, bicyclists and horseback riders who use the park. And we hope the issue of motorized access to gravel bars is addressed as are the large number of authorized and unauthorized stream crossings. Stay tuned!