Local efforts preserve Ozarks' natural beauty

“There’s an increased awareness of issues,” said Terry Whaley, executive director of Ozark Greenways Inc., citing groundwater, water quality and the impact of development. Ozark Greenways started in 1991 to promote greenways that offer safe transportation routes for cyclists and walkers, and urban forestry and tree protection.

Walking trails and green space in several subdivisions connect to the Ozark Greenways trails system, providing opportunities for residents to interact with nature.

Whaley said two things are happening in terms of the local environment with land use and open-space protection.

“One, the local (Ozarkers) … who have always lived here are seeing development on the increase, and their homeland, home ground, become developed and consumed, so they’re starting to recognize the pressure and the need and importance of protecting their own backyard, whether that’s for aesthetics, whether it’s for wildlife, whether it’s for water quality,” Whaley said.

Second, he said, newcomers to the Ozarks are seeing the effects of their migration to southwest Missouri. “(They’re) placing a value on the need to protect and preserve the reasons that they moved here, Whaley said.

To date, Ozark Greenways has about 35 miles of trails, with more coming in the next several months.

The local construction industry is one sector that has put increased attention on the environment. Springfield’s Discovery Center is in the midst of an approximately $3.5 million expansion that’s regarded as Springfield’s first “green” building project. The project is certified through the U.S. Green Building Council as a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design project.

But it doesn’t stop there. The local chapter of Habitat for Humanity has unveiled its plans for an environmentally friendly subdivision that uses low-impact development practices designed to mitigate ill effects such as runoff and erosion. And the Habitat ReStore helps conserve space in local landfills by reselling new and used building products.

Perhaps the most contentious environmental concern of late has been in efforts to keep the air cleaner.

In 2003, Springfield City Council passed an ordinance that prohibits smoking in most of the city’s eateries. Some eateries, including those that have fewer than 50 seats or 50 percent or more of their annual gross receipts from alcohol sales, are exempt from the ordinance.

While the issue drew the ire of smokers and of individuals who felt that government had no place making decisions for business owners, the city seems to have adjusted fairly well, with restaurants reporting increased sales in the months after the ordinance took effect.

Meanwhile, discussion continues regarding future energy needs and energy production’s impact on the environment.

In 2004, Springfield voters said no to a $515 million bond issue that would have paid for a second coal-fired power plant for the city. While the plant – touted by City Utilities as necessary to meet the region’s future power needs – was endorsed by Springfield City Council and the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce, members of Southwest Missouri Citizens for Clean Energy voiced strong opposition, fearing that the new plant would emit 1.5 million tons of pollutants annually.