Madison County Conservation Agent issues farewell

I am saddened to announce that my time as the Madison County Conservation Agent has come to an end.

I am blessed for spending the last three years here in Madison County. This assignment will always hold a special place in my heart. The people of this county are great people and friendly as they come. I won’t forget the friends I have made here and hope to stay in touch with all of them. I have certainly made a lifetime of memories in this county from trapping my first bobcat, harvesting my first turkey in the timber, catching large smallmouth bass on the St. Francis and Castor Rivers, and hiking the trails on Forest Service.

Now I want to thank all of the people that have helped me along the way in making me a better Conservation Agent during my time here. Without input from the public it is hard to do the job as a Conservation Agent well. Calling in wildlife crime and current issues regarding conservation is huge. From the input from the public I was able to help address the problems at Amidon Memorial Conservation Area such as the overflow parking lot during peak seasons to allow the county road to not get blocked. The increased presence at Amidon also has made the place more family friendly again. This could not have happened without calls from the public. I hope that the citizens of Madison County continue to report conservation related issues because that’s how changes can happen and how poachers get caught. I wouldn’t have made some cases without the help of a phone call from a concerned citizen.

To all of the citizens of Madison County, you all will remain in good hands. The new Conservation Agent starting Oct. 1 will be Alan Lamb. Alan was raised in Madison County and has been a Conservation Agent for nearly 10 years. Alan is a great Conservation Agent. He has spent time in the Northeast Region and spent the last few years as the Wayne County Conservation Agent. He is excited to get started in Madison County and will be great to work with. The Madison County Conservation Agent phone number will remain the same. It is 573-934-0824.

Finally, I want to inform everyone that even though I will no longer be the Madison County Conservation Agent, I will be remaining close to the area and still will be working in Madison County on occasion. Starting Oct. 1, I will be one of the two new Conservation Agents in Saint Francois County. I look forward to this new chapter and the challenges that are ahead.

Farewell for now, Clayton Lewis, Conservation Agent, Madison County; 573-934-0824, clayton.lewis@mdc.mo.gov

Madison County Conservation agent Clayton Lewis begins working in St. Francois County in 2019.