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Xplor reconnects kids to nature and helps them find adventure in their own backyard. Free to residents of Missouri.
A monthly publication about conservation in Missouri. Started in 1938, the printed magazine is free to residents of Missouri.
CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – Children across southeast Missouri will soon take a break from school for the holidays, giving parents opportunity to plan family outdoor activities. The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) has a free mobile app, MO Outdoors, to help plan those activities.
“With this app, we’ve made it easier to find places to get outdoors and discover nature,” MDC Outreach and Education Supervisor AJ Hendershott said. “Anyone with a mobile phone can easily find conservation areas closest to them with complete information on what’s available at each area.”
MO Outdoors uses mobile location data to show users conservation areas closest to their location. Users can see where they have quick access to fishing accesses, hiking trails, birdwatching locations, nature centers and shooting ranges.
“Based on the desired types of outdoor activities of birdwatching, camping, fishing, hiking, hunting, or shooting, users can look up what’s closest to home, work, or even find something quickly when traveling,” Hendershott said.
Users can also mark “favorite” locations to quickly find them in future searches. MO Outdoors also connects users to area regulations and season information, hours of operation, images, area closings, and interactive maps of area boundaries and features. The map function also displays features such as parking lots, boat ramps, and wildlife viewing areas, and allows users to easily navigate to the features using their device’s GPS. Users can also download maps for offline use. Hendershott said these features make it easier for families to discover nature together.
“This app is useful for everyone, but as school holiday breaks approach, this this a tool parents can use to help them plan that extra family hike while the kids are out of school,” Hendershott said. “Outdoor activities are a perfect reason to gather the family together for some quality time.”
MO Outdoors and MDC’s other free apps -- MO Hunting, MO Fishing, and MO Con Mag – are available for download through Google Play for Android devices or the App Store for Apple devices.
