Sarah Parker Pauley reflects on her career caring for Missouri’s great outdoors

The longtime head of Missouri’s Department of Conservation has stepped aside after taking the helm of the agency in late 2016. For years, Sarah Parker Pauley managed the state’s incredibly vast expanse of pristine wilderness and outdoor spaces where people hunt, fish and hike. During an in-depth conversation with STLPR politics correspondent Jason Rosenbaum last week, Pauley spoke about the ongoing challenges of balancing the commitment to preserving Missouri’s natural beauty with the need for economic development in struggling parts of the state.