Missouri Department of Natural Resources thanks voters for their support of Parks, Soils and Water Sales Tax

JEFFERSON CITY, MO, AUG. 4, 2026 – The Missouri Department of Natural Resources would like to thank Missouri voters for their continued support of the Parks, Soils and Water Sales Tax.

“We are very honored Missouri voters demonstrated their confidence in the Missouri Department of Natural Resources to protect their state parks, historic sites, water quality and soil resources,” said Kurt Schaefer, director of the department. “Because the Parks, Soils and Water Sales Tax sunsets every 10 years, voters are familiar with it and understand how the money is spent. I would like to extend our thanks to the voters and the numerous supporters and partners as well as to Governor Mike Kehoe for supporting the Parks, Soils and Water Sales Tax.”

The Parks, Soils and Water Sales Tax is a statewide one-tenth of 1% sales tax providing dedicated funding for Missouri’s 93 state parks and historic sites and soil and water conservation efforts. The revenue generated by the sales tax is split equally, with half going to support Missouri state parks and historic sites, and half going to soil and water conservation practices.

“As a proud first-generation farmer and supporter of Missouri’s state parks and historic sites, I appreciate Missourians’ continued backing of this important investment,” said Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe. “Supporting state parks and soil conservation through funding that is not subject to the ups and downs of general revenue benefits all Missourians. Thank you to the Missouri Department of Natural Resources and the many agriculture and conservation partners for their work in advocating for this extension of the Parks, Soils and Water Sales Tax.”

Missouri’s Parks, Soils and Water Sales Tax generates $136 million annually. Missourians benefit from the sales tax in a number of ways.

Missouri is one of only eight states that allows free access into its 93 state parks and historic sites. More than 20 million people, including 1.3 million overnight guests, visit Missouri’s state park system annually. The system, routinely ranked among the top four in the country, consistently receives a 96% approval rating from guests.

A recent economic impact analysis conducted by the University of Missouri  revealed Missouri’s state park system is a powerhouse for the state’s economy, generating about $1.5 billion in total business sales and supporting nearly 12,000 jobs. The system operates on a $68 million annual budget but brings a much bigger economic benefit to Missouri citizens and our visitors. Tourism, outdoor recreation and cultural interpretation remain as popular today as they’ve ever been.

Also, thanks to the Parks, Soils and Water Sales Tax, the state has saved 195 million tons of soil from eroding off Missouri farmland since 1984. A portion of the tax is used for Missouri landowners to install soil and water conservation practices through the state cost-share program. Through fiscal year 2025, Missouri farmers implemented almost 295,000 conservation practices for cropland, hayland, pastureland and woodlands. These practices were supported by more than $1 billion from the Parks, Soils and Water Sales Tax since 1984.

“Now that we have the assurance to move forward to completion, we are setting our sights forward to the next 10 years,” said Schaefer. “Our vision is a future where Missouri’s natural and cultural resources only continue to improve over the next decade, thanks to the passage of the Parks, Soils and Water Sales Tax.”

For MoDNR’s Division of State Parks, the next 10 years will include:

• Completing 28 revenue bond projects across 22 state parks in 21 counties.
• Completing $15 million in capital improvement projects, including Montauk State Park campground loop 5, renovating lodging units at Thousand Hills and Bennett Spring state parks and the museum gallery renovation at Missouri Mines State Historic Site.
• Opening Shepherd of the Hills and Eleven Point State Parks to public use.
• Celebrating 100-year anniversaries at Roaring River, Meramec and Washington state parks. 
• Continuing its focus on public safety by installing additional storm warning sirens in campgrounds across the state. 
• Upgrading playgrounds across the state to expand play opportunities to encourage younger generations to enjoy the great outdoors.

Also looking forward, MoDNR’s Soil and Water Conservation Program is committed to furthering the department’s mission of stewardship. The program will continue to provide Missouri farmers the tools they need to sustain the productive power of agricultural land. This will help landowners continue to provide fuel, food and fiber while enhancing water quality for the benefit of all current and future Missourians. Program goals include: 

• Advancing innovative conservation solutions through ongoing research and monitoring partnerships with Lincoln University, the University of Missouri-Columbia, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Geological Survey, the Natural Resources Conservation Service, the Missouri Corn Grower Association and the Missouri Soybean Association. 
• Continuing to evaluate practices that improve farmers’ resilience to drought and floods.
• Increasing state and local capacity for technical assistance, reducing reliance on federal inputs.
• Streamlining processes to get conservation practices on the ground faster.

First passed in 1984, Missouri’s Parks, Soils and Water Sales Tax requires voter approval every 10 years. It would have expired in 2028 if voters had not renewed it this year. 

More information is available at Parks, Soils and Water Sales Tax.

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