Driving DirectionsFrom Portageville, take Highway 162 east, then gravel road 439 south 1 mile, cross the levee and park. Proceed by ATV about 2.50 miles southeast on private farm dirt roads. The area is also accessible by boat from the Mississippi River. HighlightsThis area is predominantly a bottomland forest on the Mississippi River. About This AreaThis 747-acre forested conservation area lies in parts of Pemiscot and New Madrid counties.  The tract was donated to the Missouri Department of Conservation in 1986 in memory of John L. and Georgia Girvin.This conservation area has about three miles of Mississippi River frontage. The topography is very flat and contains mostly bottomland riverfront forest.  Elevation ranges from 270-280 feet above mean sea level, and the entire tract is subject to periodic flooding.Rare species noted in the vicinity include the Mississippi kite, interior least tern, primrose willow, and cotton mouse.During your visit to the area, you'll see a variety of land management activities designed to renew the forest and diversify the habitat for many species.The property on both sides of the farm road is privately owned, so please respect the rights and privacy of the landowners by not leaving the road, or using it during wet conditions, until you reach the conservation area parking lot.