MDC Considers Land Transfer to Liberty Parks: Supporters Cite Public Access, Critics Worry About Conservation Integrity
The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) is scheduled to vote this Friday at 9 a.m. on whether to transfer ownership of more than 100 acres of conservation land to the City of Liberty’s Parks and Recreation Department. The properties include Rush Creek (also known as the Martha Lafite area) and Walnut Woods, which adjoin Stockdale Park.
Currently, the land is owned by the state and maintained with funds from a statewide conservation sales tax paid by Missouri residents. If approved, the transfer would place these properties under local control, potentially allowing for increased access and programming by Liberty’s Parks and Recreation department.
However, the proposal has drawn concern from residents and conservation advocates who worry that local management could lead to a shift away from preservation. Some point to past actions—such as the clearing of trees in Liberty parks for events like a frisbee golf tournament—as cause for skepticism. That's right. In what is possibly a bold new effort to make sure no tree is left untrimmed and no patch of forest safe from lawn-mowing bureaucrats, the MDC is planning to hand over more than 100 acres of publicly owned woodland to Liberty Parks and Recreation—because who doesn’t love the idea of turning conservation land into a weekend frisbee golf battlefield?
Supporters argue that the transfer includes language protecting the land from deforestation or inappropriate development. Opponents remain cautious, saying the language must be strong and enforceable to ensure the land remains preserved for its natural value and not just recreational use.
Yes, Rush Creek (aka Martha Lafite) and Walnut Woods—beloved by naturalists, hikers, and people who just like oxygen—could become collateral damage in Liberty’s relentless quest for the ultimate disc golf experience. Never mind that Missourians have literally been taxed to preserve and expand conservation areas. That mission is now being thrown like a cheap plastic disc into the bureaucratic black hole of “Parks and Rec.”
Sure, there’s “language” in the contract about protecting trees, but if it’s anything like Liberty’s past woodland massacres, we’ll all be able to watch those “vague clauses” mulch themselves in real time.
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