MDC's Shepherd of the Hills Conservation Education Center opens to the public on Dec. 19

BRANSON, Mo. - On Thursday, Dec. 19, the doors will open on a new Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) educational facility at one of the Midwest's major tourist destinations.

At 10 a.m. on that date, members of the Missouri Conservation Commission, MDC staff, state legislators, and local officials will participate in a ribbon-cutting ceremony to officially open MDC's Shepherd of the Hills Conservation Education Center in Branson to the public. The new facility is located at 483 Hatchery Road and is adjacent to MDC's Shepherd of the Hills Fish Hatchery. The Dec. 19 ribbon-cutting will open the $7 million facility four months ahead of its originally scheduled opening date. Construction on this facility was done by Branco Enterprises Inc. of Neosho.

"People from all around the world travel to Branson and many visit the Shepherd of the Hills Conservation Education Center and the fish hatchery," said MDC Director Jason Sumners. "Missouri has a great conservation story to tell, so it makes sense to tell it at one of Missouri's top tourist destinations."

The new Shepherd of the Hills Conservation Education Center is more than double the size of the previous building that was at the same site. It features a large multi-purpose room that can be divided into two classrooms. In one classroom, a video about how trout that are raised and stocked into nearby Lake Taneycomo will be shown. The other classroom space will be used for educational programs and meetings. The new Shepherd of the Hills Conservation Education Center also features a 7,500-gallon indoor aquarium, new exhibits, a larger lobby than the previous facility, larger restrooms, and more office space for staff.

As soon as the Dec. 19 ribbon-cutting ceremonies conclude, Shepherd of the Hills Conservation Education Center will be open to the public. Also open to the public will be the popular fish-feeding opportunities that exist along the trout-rearing raceways located between the education center and the hatchery building. The education center's hours of operation will be 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Tuesday-Saturday.

The hatchery's scenic location, coupled with the free conservation-oriented tours and programs that focus on the one million trout raised at the hatchery each year, have made the Shepherd of the Hills Conservation Education Center a must-see destination for travelers from far and near. In summer - the center's busiest time - the building can see as many as 1,800 people per day. Since the original building opened in 1980, more than eight million visitors have walked through its doors.

"We appreciate the public's patience throughout the construction and preparation process," said Shepherd of the Hills Conservation Education Center Manager Alison Bleich. "We are excited for everyone to visit our new facility."