JEFFERSON CITY, MO. ? In an ideal world there would be no barriers to prevent persons with disabilities from participating in outdoors recreation.

Still, the Missouri Department of Conservation is working to assure its facilities come as close as possible to ideal for persons with disabilities.

Since 1992 the agency has dedicated at least $500,000 each year to capital improvement projects to make conservation lands, buildings and programs disabled accessible.

Improvements to Conservation Department facilities include:

l Construction of fishing platforms at Montauk and Roaring River state parks as well as boat loading platforms at Noren Access, Cooper Creek Access, Ralph Cox Access, Seven Island Access and J.N. “Turkey” Kearn Memorial Wildlife Area.

l Installation of automatic door openers at Conservation Nature Centers in Jefferson City, Kansas City, St. Louis and Springfield.

l Construction of accessible trails at O’Fallon Park Lake, Boathouse Lake, South Lake, Wilmore Park.

Most of these projects have consisted of adapting existing facilities to meet the needs of persons with disabilities. Meanwhile, all new Conservation Department facilities are being designed with disabled users’ needs in mind.