MDC's Lamberson Conservation Area to open to the public on Sept. 1

HOUSTON, Mo. – As autumn arrives and people are looking for outdoor recreational opportunities close to home, the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) wants to inform people that MDC’s Lamberson Memorial Conservation Area in Texas County will be open to the public on Friday, Sept. 1. This 1,724-acre public use area in western Texas County will be open to statewide regulations for hunting and other uses.

This area is located southwest of Houston, approximately one mile east of the Texas County-Wright County line on Missouri Highway 38. The area can best be accessed from a parking lot on Missouri Highway 38.

The Lamberson Area is named for Carson Lamberson, who donated the property to MDC. To prepare the area for the public, MDC staff have surveyed the area, marked boundaries, constructed a parking area, established service roads through the area, and conducted other start-up tasks that are part of the process of transforming a newly obtained piece of property into an MDC public use area. Staff have also been working on developing a draft area plan to help guide management of the area into the future. This draft area plan is anticipated to be made available for public review and feedback later this fall.

The Lamberson Area is approximately 80 percent forest cover. On parts of the area, MDC staff has been working on grassland conversion and woodland habitat restoration.

Whether someone is interested in hunting, hiking, nature photography, or nature viewing, this area can provide opportunities for outdoor recreation. The area is open 4 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. The area will also be open for deer and turkey hunting this fall.

For more information about the area, call the MDC Ozark Regional Office in West Plains at 417-256-7161.