After a decade dedicated to the enhancement and conservation of Mississippi’s outdoors, Scott Coopwood has departed from his position on the state wildlife commission.
Coopwood, a Cleveland native, spent 10 years on the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks Commission. He served as chair of the commission for two terms, helping guide the group to numerous milestones, including:
- The acquisition of the 18,000-acre Phil Bryant Wildlife Management Area, which combined with the Mahanna Wildlife Management Area, offers over 30,000 acres of public land for outdoor recreation.
- The creation of the state’s first outdoor stewardship trust fund in 2022, which has now invested $92 million to enhance public land and water access, promote conservation efforts, and enhance recreational opportunities such as walking and bicycle trails.
- Further collaboration with lawmakers, resulting in additional dollars being allocated to state park improvements.
- Stronger campaigns to elevate public awareness of MDWFP’s mission and activities.
“Commissioner Coopwood’s contributions to the MDWFP and to conservation efforts statewide have not gone unnoticed,” MDWFP executive director Lynn Posey said. “His leadership has left a lasting impact on Mississippi and the commission.”
Coopwood is a magazine and newspaper publisher who spends much of his free time in the outdoors. Hitting the deer stand for the first time at the age of 4, he went on to become an officer at a 10,000-acre hunting club in the Mississippi Delta before first being appointed to the commission by Gov. Phil Bryant in 2015. Gov. Tate Reeves reappointed him in 2021.
During an interview on SuperTalk Outdoors with Ricky Mathews, Coopwood called his stint on the wildlife commission one of the best chapters in his life.
“Ten years passed by like lightning,” Coopwood said. “It has been an incredible rise. I can’t believe it’s coming to an end, and of course, it’s one of the highlights of my life.”
He credited the entire wildlife department and the commission for their dedication to Mississippi’s outdoors scene.
“It’s a moving target every day, and you almost have to be a specialist at managing multiple things at one time. But just about all of our folks, they’re so smart and dedicated,” he continued. “It’s a passion, it’s a love, and it’s a huge commitment. If the general public could just watch every day and see what happens in that department, I think they would be stunned.”
Earlier this month, Drew St. John replaced Coopwood on the commission. Gary Rhoads was selected as chair and Billy Mounger as vice chair.
