We read with great interest Bill Clark’s column in the May 21 Tribune concerning the potential impact of Discovery Ridge on the University of Missouri-Columbia’s South Farm Lake R-1. Learning of the many times he and other bird watchers have visited the lake, including the data they have dating back to 2003, could be invaluable as we attempt to track our own progress on developing this research park while improving the lake.

South Farm represents a special feature of a land-grant university such as MU. Reserving the landscape for the study of plants, animals, soils and other natural resources, it represents a portion of nearly 15,000 acres and many lakes the Agricultural Experiment Station manages across the state. Considering the coming Highway 63-Gans Road interchange, it became apparent that dedicating a part of South Farm for the Discovery Ridge research park only made sense.

Discovery Ridge is planned to demonstrate several important facets of the university. First, it will be a special neighborhood held exclusively for innovative businesses directly tied to MU research. In addition to creating high-quality jobs for Mid-Missouri, parks such as Discovery Ridge also can spawn the kind of innovation-based businesses that seem to congregate in clusters and strengthen the foundation of the region’s economy.

Second, it is our hope that Discovery Ridge will offer opportunities for students, giving them access to the kinds of businesses and research that generate savvy entrepreneurs. We hope to see buses running back and forth between campus and the park full of faculty and students either employed or interning in the park.

Third, we anticipate Discovery Ridge will be a living demonstration of how development can be sensitive not only to place, but can also improve the environment in and around the park. In the long term, we see possibilities for the lake and shoreline to be improved considerably from its current condition and become more attractive to people and wildlife alike.

Clark is right that in the short term we are undertaking considerable changes. Last fall, we chose to regrade the entire park for two reasons: to allow a comprehensive storm-water plan, which set the tone for what later will be individual tenant lots, and also to pre-empt the need for much disturbance later on. The lots will be construction-ready, attractive from a marketing and disturbance standpoint.

Our plans should create an attractive and environmentally friendly park in the long term. Plans are tentative, but they include reshaping the existing lake; creating another smaller lake; creating a corridor of water catchments to spread out storm-water infiltration; and restoring both introduced and native plants that will be attractive, hardy and help achieve responsible water, wildlife and landscape management.

We welcome Clark and other birders to Discovery Ridge. We hope progress toward our objectives can be measured against the kind of past data Clark and others have gathered. We also hope the success and impact of Discovery Ridge is self-evident, demonstrating a place that only happens when cooperation exists. We extend our thanks to the city of Columbia, Boone County, the state of Missouri - especially the Department of Economic Development - our congressional delegation led by Sen. Kit Bond, the private developers creating the adjoining properties and our pioneer tenants ABC Laboratories and MU’s RADIL.

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