BRANSON – Combining popular conservation programs with Branson’s tourist boom has turned the Missouri Department of Conservation’s (MDC) Shepherd of the Hills Conservation Center into a facility that has become overwhelmed by popularity.
In order to better accommodate its large annual visitation numbers, the conservation center closed to the public on March 12 so work on a new facility can begin.
The conservation center, which serves as a visitors center for MDC’s Shepherd of the Hills Fish Hatchery, is located at 483 Hatchery Road in Branson.
Work on the $6.7 million project will be done by Branco Enterprises Inc., of Neosho, and is projected to take nearly two years. The result of this labor will be an educational facility that’s 2.5 times larger than the existing building.
