What will it be like in 20 years?

The park's General Management Plan is the guiding document that will steer the management of the park for the next 15 years and more, providing direction to the current and future administrations of the park. The Wilderness Study is an evaluation of an area near Big Spring for possible designation and management as "wilderness."

Your input into this process is necessary for a successful outcome.  The balance between resource protection and recreation is not fully understood without knowing what the public thinks.  If you have ideas, suggestions or concerns, we appreciate your submissions.

Public comments during September 2006 meetings and from the comment forms and website helped shape the preliminary alternatives. Now that the park staff has worked through the comments, the next phase is to present these alternatives to interested stakeholders, the people who care about Ozark National Scenic Riverways. We will be sending out our Preliminary Alternatives newsletter to our mailing list in early June and place a link on our website at the same time. Our next round of meetings will occur the week of June 22, 2009.  The schedule is as follows:

Monday, June 22, 2009             5:00 PM-8:00 PM

Van Buren Community Center, Intersection of D Hwy and Business 60, Van Buren, MO 63965

Tuesday, June 23, 2009             5:00 PM-8:00 PM

Eminence High School New Gym, 1 Redwing Drive (College Drive), Eminence, MO 65466

Wednesday, June 24, 2009      5:00 PM-8:00 PM

Ozark Natural & Cultural Resource Center, 202 S. Main Street (Hwy 19), Salem, MO 65560

Thursday, June 25, 2009          3:30 PM-7:00 PM

Courtyard by Marriott, 3301 Lemone Industrial Blvd, Columbia, MO 65201

Friday, June 26, 2009                3:30 PM- 7:00 PM

Crowne Plaza Hotel, 7750 Carondelet Avenue, Clayton, MO 63105

Keep in mind that we are gathering comments and information that will be used to make future plans. Let us know what you want the park to look like in 15 - 20 years.

This website has updates, newsletters, news, and the ability to submit comments about the General Management Plan / Wilderness Study process: http://parkplanning.nps.gov/projectHome.cfm?parkId=158&projectId=15793 (Deadline for comments is July 31, 2009.)

Deadline for comments on the planning alternatives is July 31, 2009.  Of course, we are always interested in hearing from you on any issue. To send general e-mail to the park's managers, go back to the home page and click on "contact us."

or send written comments to:

Superintendent, Ozark National Scenic Riverways, P.O. Box 490, Van Buren, MO 63965

(Before including your address, phone number, e-mail address, or other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be aware that your entire comment – including your personal identifying information – may be made publicly available at any time. While you can ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.)