The Missouri Conservation Commission and Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) held a ceremony to honor Dan and Connie Burkhardt with the Master Conservationist Award Friday, May 29, at the Washington Council Chambers.
This item is available in full to subscribers.
We have recently launched a new and improved website. To continue reading, you will need to either log into your subscriber account, or purchase a new subscription.
If you are a digital subscriber with an active subscription, or you are a print subscriber who had access to our previous wesbite, then you already have an account here. Just reset your password if you have not yet logged in to your account on this new site.
If you are a current print subscriber and did not have a user account on our previous website, you can set up a free website account by clicking here.
Otherwise, click here to view your options for subscribing.
Please log in to continue |
The Missouri Conservation Commission and Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) held a ceremony to honor Dan and Connie Burkhardt with the Master Conservationist Award Friday, May 29, at the Washington Council Chambers. The award honors individuals “who have made a substantial and lasting contribution to the fisheries, forestry, or wildlife conservation efforts of the state.”
Deputy Director Laura Conlee of the MDC said award winners show innovative ideas to advocate and preserve conservation and have a lasting and far-reaching effect on conservation.
Conlee mentioned many of the efforts the Burkhardts have taken for the cause of conservation, including the formation of the Katy Land Trust and Magnificent Missouri, the donation of the first Welcome Center along the Katy Trail, preservation of historic buildings, tree planting and many educational opportunities for children.
“They will have a lasting impact on generations to come,” she said.
Connie Burkhardt, Missouri born and raised, said the award has just spurred the couple to redouble their efforts. She has great joy being “Dan Burkhardt’s accomplice” in the effort to impact conservation along the Katy Trail and Missouri Bottoms.
“Dan is the civilian embodiment of your mission,” said Connie to members of the Conservation Department.
Dan said he has always tried to find a way to be a part of the MDC, spending his first job bundling fishing licenses in the basement of their new building in Jefferson City when he was a young man.
“My mom was featured in the 1995 Conservationist magazine for her pressed flowers and leaves,” said Dan. “I have been envious for 30 years.”
The Burkhardts own 220-acre Bethlehem Farm near Treloar where they have added dozens of bluebird houses, removed 1,000s of honeysuckle bushes and have gone to long lengths to use conservation methods on their farm and help others do the same.
In addition to forming the Katy Land Trust, the Burkhardts were impacted greatly by their friendship with Ted and Pat Jones, who formed the Katy Trail rails to trails park.
“It’s America’s longest and narrowest state park,” said Dan.
The Burkhardts have put much of their efforts into purchasing, renovating and sharing two historic buildings along the Katy Trail — Peers Store and the Treloar Mercantile. They recently donated the Treloar Mercantile to Missouri State Parks to be used as the Ted and Pat Jones Welcome Center for the Katy Trail.
Peers Store, built in 1896, is open to the public every day but Wednesday. Live music and snacks are available. The butterfly pollinator plot is just right across the street. It is referred to as a conservation outpost on the Katy Trail.
The Burkhardts’ efforts to protect farms and woodland along the Katy Trail are too numerous to list, but include planting trees and prairies, fighting invasive species and promoting conservation in a myriad of ways. Books written by the couple include “Growing Up with the River,” “Missouri River Country,” and “Trails Across Missouri.”
