Before an area is designated as a Missouri Natural Area, it undergoes a careful nomination process which includes review by the Missouri Natural Areas Committee and approval by the Conservation Commission, the director of the Department of Natural Resources, the Ozark National Scenic Riverways superintendent, and the Mark Twain National Forest supervisor. Today, the Missouri natural areas system consists of 167 areas containing over 37,000 acres. They range in size from 1 acre to 5,387 acres and are distributed among 74 of the state's 114 counties. Some of these natural areas are scenic and accessible. Others are remote and must be located on foot with map and compass.
Some areas can withstand considerable human traffic without harm.
Others easily could be harmed by overuse. Some areas contain native Missouri habitats that were once abundant, such as prairies, streams, oak-hickory forests and limestone glades. Others contain rare or endangered species or unique natural communities or features that have always been uncommon, such as large springs, natural bridges, fens and sinkhole ponds. Natural areas are a type of natural resource containing relatively undisturbed native habitats. They can be used as research areas for comparison with more modified habitats and as places to study ecosystems, plants, animals and their interrelationships.