Since the end of January, the Missouri Department of Conservation’s Texas County headquarters (located in Houston) has had a new leader: Resource forester Shane Botard.
Botard, 31, is a native of the Houston, Texas, area who moved to Texas County in 1999. A graduate of Houston High School, he now lives in the Yukon area with his wife, Kendra, and the couple is expecting their first child in October.
Botard earned an associate’s degree from Ozark Technical College in Springfield, and went on to secure bachelor’s and master’s degrees in forestry from the University of Missouri. He began working for MDC in Piedmont about 6 1/2 years ago.
“It’s great to be back and working in my home county,” Botard said.
Botard’s staff in Houston includes resource technician Bryant Chilton, resource assistant Chris Horbyk and hourly worker Clinton Cooper.
“I’ve gotten along with them really well and they’re all great to work with,” he said.
The Texas County MDC office oversees management of seven river accesses and six parcels of public land, including the 11,244-acre Gist Ranch Conservation area southeast of Houston. The crew also assists private landowners with management of forest and wildlife habitat.
“I did a lot of work on both public and private land in Piedmont,” Botard said, “and it’s going to be the same here.”
Botard replaces Travis Mills, who now works out of MDC’s Salem office as a conservation educator.
“Like with any job, there are days that are harder and more stressful than others,” Botard said. “But overall, I really get a lot of satisfaction out of working with private landowners and on state land. I get a lot of enjoyment out of doing something that helps wildlife and from helping out landowners.”
The phone number at MDC’s Texas County headquarters is 417-967-3385.
“I’m really glad to be here,” Botard said, “and if anybody has any questions or needs assistance with timber management or trees on their property, give me a call. That’s what I’m here for.”