Swamp Friends Sponsor New Fishing Area


2005 Kids Fishing Derby located near the new Binford Recreational Wetland Area.

The Mingo Swamps Friends, with the help of benefactors and approval of Refuge Management from Mingo National Wildlife Refuge, have begun construction of a multi-purpose wetland complex on the southern portion of the Refuge.  The new Binford Recreational Wetland Area, located west of the Mingo Job Corps Center on the north side of Spillway Road, will cover about 40 acres of the old moist soil area formerly known as the Binford Unit. Before initiation, the project required environmental documentation and public comment.

In addition to providing waterfowl habitat, the new Binford Recreational Wetland Area will offer more opportunities for public fishing, environmental education, and wildlife viewing.  Other potential uses include the resumption of the annual Kids Fishing Derby, a highly successful public event that attracted up to 300 participants each spring to the Refuge.

Construction of the project and related parking area, pavilion, levee roads, etc., is expected to cost at least $70,000.  Under a cooperative agreement with the nearby Mingo Job Corps Center, students from the Center's heavy equipment operator program provide the machinery and labor to do the earth work.  The Mingo Swamp Friends provide diesel fuel to power the equipment. By the fall of 2007, the Friends have received in excess of $13,000 in donations for fuel, including a $10,000 grant from the Stoddard County Industrial Development Authority.  Several thousand dollars more will be required for completion of the project.

Bulldozers, earth scrapers and other equipment operated by student trainees work daily to move dirt to the perimeter of the 40-acre site for levee construction.  When completed, the levees will slope gently to the water to allow access for anglers and facilitate mowing.  Both deep channels and shallower areas will be sculpted to provide optimum habitat for a variety of fish, amphibians, reptiles and aquatic birds and mammals.  Interior levees will facilitate the variety of habitat needs.

Also cooperating with the Friends on the project is the U.S. Forest Service, which administers the Job Corps Center; and the Missouri Department of Conservation.  The earth-moving (Phase I) portion of the project hopefully will be finished by the end of 2007.  Phase II will consist of laying crushed rock for parking areas and levee roads and construction of a pavilion and water control structures.

The Binford Recreational Wetland Project has drawn substantial regional support from outside the local community.  It has also attracted several individual and corporate sponsorships to the Swamp Friends organization.  The Friends thank all the donors who have helped with the project and would like to encourage future contributions to ensure the timely completion of the project.  Because Federal budgets are tight within the National Wildlife Refuge System, both in-kind and tax-deductible cash donations from Swamp Friends supporters are important to Mingo NWR, one of Missouri 's unique natural areas.