spacer image
Skip Nav Skip to Search
Contact Us  |  Site Index  |  Calendar of Events  |  RSS Feeds
spacer image
get adobe reader
email icon Email   |   print icon Print  

Oklahoma Conservation News


Click here for the Oklahoma Conservation Conversation newsletters.

For Awards & Recognition stories, click here.

News Archive:

Conservation Success Stories

2011

Two New Fact Sheets from the National Watershed Coalition

Keep Oklahoma Beautiful Recognizes Volunteer and University for Blue Thumb Activities

Oklahoma Carbon Initiative reaches 50 thousand acres

Agreement Creates Four New 15-Month Technician Positions

New: Watershed Fact Sheets 38 Fact Sheets about the Small Watershed Upstream Flood Control Program and selected dams.

OACDE Offering Two-Day Training Session for District Employees

Record Earthquakes Leave Dams Undamaged

Honey Creek Implementation Project Shows Water Quality Improving

“The 2011 Drought and Beyond - Will we keep the dust at bay???” 2011 OACD Area Meetings with links to presentations

OACD/OACD Auxiliary College Scholarships

Watershed Assessment Team Commended

Northwest Oklahoma Land and Range Contest

Denim & Lace: Women In Agriculture Conference

Wildlife Expo Held Sept. 23-25, 2011 (Post Event)

Wildllife Expo 2011 Underway

EPA Adds Nearly $1 Million to Water Quality Projects

Coal County Conservation District holds Open House in New Building

OACD to Receive Conservation Grant for Wildlife Credit Program

OACD praises EPA decision to fund additional water quality efforts

Conservation Program helps landowners recover from drought 

Record August Puts Exclamation Point on Hottest Oklahoma Summer

Conservation Districts in the News

Farm Women’s Day Out

Conservation Drought Seminar 

Oklahoma eCycles Day 

NRCS Earth Team Volunteer Accomplishes More Than Donating Time 

Conservation Districts Eligible to Apply for People's Garden Grant Program 

Conservation at the Crossroads — What will the future hold? 

EPA Offers Oklahoma Watershed Based Plan as Model 

Rains welcomed but may be too late to save crops

Oklahoma Prescribed Burning Association forming to help landowners and local prescribed burn associations

Congressman Frank Lucas on the 2012 Farm Bill

Deer Creek Conservation District and Friends of Hydro Library send ‘Hugs’ to soldiers

Sugar Creek L-44 Groundbreaking

Dig In! at ScienceFest Oklahoma 2011

No-Till Oklahoma 2011 (announcement)

Area I Conservation Commissioner: Karl Jett

Oklahoma Envirothon 2011 State Champions Named

NACD Auxiliary National and Regional Photo Contests 2011

Matt Gard Honored on Completing Term as Area I Conservation Commissioner

Grady County Conservation District Honors Ralph Morgan

Rogers County Conservation District recognized on KTUL Channel 8 "Good Day Tulsa"

Oklahoma Prescribed Fire Council: Burn Survey

OCC and NSU Partner to Reclaim Mine Land

National Watershed Conference held in Oklahoma City

Watershed Program named National Historic Landmark

Cotton County Conservation District Honors Jack Hudman

Quality Oklahoma Team Day 2011

Kay County Conservation District's Eco Trail

Redlands Community College and Concho Cheyenne and Arapaho hosted 60th National Land and Range Judging Contest (post event)

Russell Pierson, 99, Continues to serve National Land & Range Judging Contest

Missouri Levee Break Highlights Need for Flood Control Dams

Soil Management After Termination of a Drought-Stressed Wheat Crop

Stewardship Week 2011

Deer Creek Elementary's Grove Valley Outdoor Classroom

National Land & Range Contest 2011 Will Bring U. S. Teens to Oklahoma  (pre-event announcement)

Oklahoma Farmers Royalty and OACD to Partner on State Conservation Youth Awards

Tulsa Business Journal Honors Blue Thumb Program with Blue/Green Award

Oklahoma is a National Leader in Documented Water Quality Success Stories

No dust storms? Thank an agriculture producer By Clay Pope, executive director of the Oklahoma Association of Conservation Districts

12th National Watershed Conference — "From Local to Landscape: A Watershed Based Approach"  (pre-event announcement)

Conservation Day at the Capitol - post-event summary of events and award presentations

Conservation Day at the Capitol 2011- Announcement and schedule of activities

The Conservation Partnership — Pulling Together - OACD 2011 Annual State Meeting post meeting news wrap up

The Conservation Partnership — Pulling Together  - tentative agenda

Texas County Conservation District 2010 Outstanding Cooperators

NRCS Listening Session 2011

Conservation Districts Featured in the News!

Oklahoma’s 2010 Water Quality Success Stories

No-Till Oklahoma 2011 Conference

Stream Teams on the Job!

Garfield County Conservation District, OSU Extension Service to Host 6th Conservation Tillage Conference

Pittsburg County Legislators Tour District Sites

Oklahoma-Grown Seedlings Available Online

2010

Deer Creek Conservation District Open House

Max Dominick, A Legend in Conservation

Deer Creek CD Holds Groundbreaking for Cobb Creek Site 1

USFW Provides Grass Drill to Dewey County Conservation District

Little River Conservation District Receives McCurtain County 4-H Partnership Award

Sammy Soil at Ben Franklin Science Academy

“Navigating Through Troubled Waters”  OACD 2010 Area Meetings

Blue Thumb Volunteer Conference

Blue Thumb Receives Golden Paddle Award

Oklahoma Leads the Region in Nonpoint Water Quality Success Stories

Oklahoma ECOPass

Progressive Farmer features Conservation

Field Notes features Conservation Kerr Center newsletter

Blue Thumb Grants to Conservation Districts

Blue Thumb 2010 Volunteer Conference

NALMS 30th International Symposium

OCC  Full Staff Meeting, Oxley Nature Center

Commissioners of Land Office Annual Fall Lease Auction

Rogers County Conservation District Helps Make Bellringer DVDs

Monarch Migration Celebration 2010

Conservation District Directors named as "Master Agronomists"

Adair County Conservation District Watershed Rehabilitation Among Top 100 Recovery Projects

The True Cost of Unrestrained Development — Cottonwood Creek Sites 15 & 54

Oklahoma ECOPass

Brookhaven Creek Rehabilitation Project

Lt. Gov. Jari Akins Keynotes Women in Ag at Muskogee

Building a Rain Garden at Remington Elementary Channel 8 print story, Channel 6 print story  Channel 8's video page, select the "Day of Caring" video.

Oklahoma AML Program Wins Reclamation Award from Office of Surface Mining

No-Till Wheat Flour Mill Open House

Hughes County Conservation District Cedar, Brush & Weed Control Workshop

Oklahoma Women in Agriculture and Small Business Conference set for Oct. 14-15

Osage Nation Watershed Forum

Cedar Hollow Blue Thumb Fish Collection

New Conservation Program Popular with Oklahoma Landowners

Water Research Projects of Interest to Conservation Efforts

Cooperative Conservation Partnership Initiative Will Help Repair Storm Damage in Southwest Oklahoma

A Brick Wall Ahead:  The FY2011-2012 Outlook, A Message from Mike Thralls, Executive Director

Doris Anderson Retires from Payne County Conservation District

Reva Maddox Retires from East Woods County Conservation District

Jim Grego Appointed as Area V Conservation Commissioner

Oklahoma Carbon Program Approves First Aggregator

NACD Regional Auxiliary Adopts Youth Only Photo Contest

Lt. Gov. Jari Askins to Keynote Women in Ag in Muskogee, Sept. 14, 2010

Conservation Commission Partners to Assess High Hazard Dams

Portrait of a Steward of the Soil

OCC and OWRB Collaborate on Dam Breach Inundation Study

Carbon Sequestration Training for Senior Verifiers

Okie One-Call Now to Include Watershed Flood Control Dams

Virginia Kidd Retires as Area V Commissioner

OK Horizon Features Turkey Creek Dam No. 3 Dedication

Caddo County Commissioners Lunch 2010

High Plains Range Conference

OCC Budget and Allocation Committee 2010

Billy B at Rogers Conservation Education Reserve for 18th Year

Pontotoc Ridge Prescribed Burn Association

U.S. Deputy Sec. of Ag visits Oklahoma

Leon Russell retires from Hughes County Conservation District after 30 years

Oklahoma Today features Conservation and Conservationists

Conservation Commission Commended at Quality Oklahoma Team Day 2010

Mine Reclamation Work Fills Voids in Oklahoma

OCC and Water Quality  by Clay Pope, OACD Executive Director

El Reno hosted 59th National Land and Range Judging Contest (post-event)

Oklahoma County CD Director testifies before Congress

ScienceFest 2010

Green Roof Project Open House

National Land & Range Contest Brings U. S. Teens to Oklahoma (pre-event)

Stewardship Week 2010 Proclamation

Earth Day 2010 — CSP Rewards Good Stewards

Stewardship Week 2010 - Lt. Gov. Jari Askins television and radio PSAs

NRCS Chief Dave White Helps Dedicate Turkey Creek Dam No. 3

NRCS Chief Visits Oklahoma

National Weather Center Green Roof Project

Oklahoma State Envirothon 2010

Service Award: Mike Thralls, 15 Years

Service Award: Marti Mefford, 10 Years

Commissioner Gard Attends Ag Day 2010

EPA Ranks Oklahoma in Top Five for Improving Water Quality

GIS Day at the Capitol

Murray County CD Honors Jack Penner

Employee of the Quarter: Wes Shockley

Oklahoma Carbon Program Accepting Applications

Conservation Day at the Capitol 2010

OACD State Meeting  2010 “The Best Hard Time”


Oklahoma Horizon television program on Feb. 7 featured three stories on conservation. The stories are available for viewing online at the links below, along with a "Value Added" feature on Frank Austin, former board member at Central North Canadian River Conservation District. A fifth story, It's Your Government — Oklahoma Conservation Commission, was featured on OETA's Oklahoma News Report on Jan. 26

Farmers upstream of Oklahoma's Capitol are pitching in to implement conservation practices that would improve the water quality in Oklahoma City.

Clay Pope, executive director of the Oklahoma Association of Conservation Districts, about what conservation practices are being done on the farm.

Beyond their aesthetic beauty, trees play a critical role in our environment...cleaning the air and preventing erosion and many of these trees got their start from a small plot of land in Goldsby, Oklahoma.

Oklahoma's Frank Austin has spent years studying the land and building conservation programs for it which is helping to turn Oklahoma land into something beautiful, but more importantly, useable.

OETA Television: It's Your Government — Oklahoma Conservation Commission To view the program online, click on this link: http://www.oeta.tv/programs/ondemand.html?list=onr, then select the ONR 1-26-10 episode. The segment begins at about the 23 minute location within the 30-minute program.


Service Award: Lynn Weldon, 15 Years

OCC Cooperates to use ARRA Funds for Three Water Quality Projects

ARRA - American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009

Record funding for conservation and flood control in spite of budget cuts

A Brief History of the Conservation Commission and Conservation Districts

2009

Conservation Commission and Department of Transportation Collaborate on Project to Support U.S. Highway 270  Dec. 21

Record Funding for State Conservation Cost-Share Program  Dec. 18

Cotton County Conservation District Burns Mortgage  Dec. 18

Sugar Creek L-43 Rehabilitation Groundbreaking  Dec. 11

Mountain View and Kiowa County Conservation District Consolidate  Dec. 9

"The 'Best' Hard Time" - OACD Area Meetings 2009 - News summary following the meetings

"The 'Best' Hard Time" - OACD Area Meetings 2009 - Before meetings announcement with agenda, schedule, locations and links to photos available after the meetings.

Oklahoma lawmakers eye threat from cedars Story in the Daily Oklahoman  Oct. 28

Water Quality Success Story on Ron Hays' Oklahoma Farm Report  Oct. 28

Control of Eastern red cedar in Oklahoma urged Associated Press story in the Tulsa World  Oct. 27

$16Million in Stimulus Funds for Oklahoma Dams KWTV Channel 9 video  Oct. 26

Double Creek Celebration featured on Oklahoma Horizon Silent Sentinels Protecting Oklahomans video  Oct. 25

U.S Fish & Wildlife Service and Oklahoma Conservation Commission’s successful Prescribed Burn Program expanding  Oct. 23

Water Festival Held at Grove Valley Elementary  Oct. 13

OETA-TV News Report on the Locally Led Cost Share Program. You can view the clip by going to  http://news.oeta.tv and clicking on the "Archives" tab. In the "Oklahoma News Report Video" index window, scroll down to the 10.12.09 ONR report. The Cost-Share feature is at the 4:45 minute mark of the newscast. Oct. 12

Noble County Conservation District Sponsors Outdoor Classroom at CCC Lake  Sept. 30

Henry Bellmon —Farmer, Statesman, Conservationist  Sept. 29

Oklahoma County Conservation District Sponsors Sunset Elementary Natural Resource Day  Sept. 29

Grove Students Tour Demonstration Farm  Sept. 29

Wildlife Expo 2009  Sept. 27

Groundbreaking held for Sallisaw Creek Watershed Dam 18M  Sept. 24

National Watershed Coalition O&M Video News Release Scroll down list and select "USDA Helps Maintain Watershed Dam Safety."

Oklahoma Hosts Advanced O&M Workshop  Sept.17

Turkey Creek No. 3: Groundbreaking for New Dam Sept. 9

REVOLUTION: Oklahoma Wind Energy Conference  September (announcement)

USDA Rural Tour Listening Session  Sept. 16

Double Creek Celebration Marked First Completed Rehab Project  September (Post-event)

Double Creek Celebration to be Held September (Pre-event)

CREP Plan Writers Achieve Level II Certification August

Rogers County's Dog Creek Watershed Festival August

Blue Thumb Featured On Tulsa World Website August

Lake Thunderbird Watershed Implementation Project

Project Webfoot Workshop

Stimulus funds to help dams, streambanks and fight invasive species

Conservation Bond, Contributions Agreement, Budget Outlook July 

Blue Thumb Environmental Education Workshops June

Robert Gibbs, Rogers County Conservation District employee, featured on the Outdoor Oklahoma June

Spring Natural Resource Events for Youths June

Cross Timbers Prescribed Burn Association June

Summer Fire Field Day June

Greg Kloxin Named Water Quality Assistant Director June

Carl Lucero Meets with OCC and OACD on Carbon June

OACD and OACD Auxiliary Scholarships June

Chickasaw Nation Presents U.S. Department of Interior Awards to OCC June 1

Outstanding Teacher Awards Presented Locally in Five Congressional Districts May

National Land and Range Judging Contest 2009 May 8

Conservation Education Initiative story in the Oklahoma Gazette features Karla Beaty, OCC education coordinator May

National Land and Range Judging Contest featured on Ron Hays' Oklahoma Farm Report

Governor Signs Conservation Bond Legislation April 28

Lt. Gov. Jari Askins Stewardship Week PSA 2009  April 16

Stewardship Week - Dig It! The Secrets of Soil Along with resources for conservation districts:  A sample news release and a printable proclamation. April 17

Stewardship Week 2009 Audio Public Service Announcements from Oklahoma Lieutenant Governor Jari Askins April 17

Stewardship Week 2009 — Printable Poster April 17

Blue Thumb Exceeds 100 Stream Monitoring Sites April 23

More Water Quality Success Stories  April 17

EPA 2008 Report Features OCC Water Quality Successes April 14

Recovery funding coming to state for new dams and wildlife habitat  April 16

House Passes Conservation Bond Legislation April 9

Conservation Leaders Applaud U.S. Sec. of Ag Stimulus Announcement for Oklahoma Flood Control Dams April 6

2008 Farm Bill Information Meetings Scheduled March 31

State Conservation Leaders Discuss Stimulus Funding for Oklahoma Conservation Infrastructure Press conference during Conservation Day at the Capitol, March 25

Conservation Day at the Capitol March 25, 2009 Post-event roundup

Conservation Day at the Capitol March 25, 2009 (Event announcement)

We Can Do It!   A Message from Mike Thralls, Conservation Commission Executive Director

Conservation Commission Disappointed, but Hopeful on Bond Issue February 27

Eastern Redcedar Releasing Pollen February 26

OACD State Meeting 2009, A roundup of news from the OACD 2009 State Meeting February 24

Conservation Hall of Fame District Director: Wayne Spies  February 24

Conservation Hall of Fame Friend of Conservation: James E. Covey February 24

OACD President's Award: Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation and Wadell Altom February 24

Comanche County Conservation District wins pickup truck donated by Chesapeake Energy February 24

OACD Annual State Meeting 2009 Announcement and agenda, February 13

Julie Gordon, District Employee, to Compete in Pro Am Archery Competition

Small Watershed  Upstream Flood Control Dams by County

Cleora Outdoor Classroom

Mason Mungle Named Water Pioneer

Making Sense of Oklahoma’s Climate

2008

November

OACD Area Meetings 2008

September

OCC Full Staff Meeting, September 24, 2008, Billings

Deer Creek Conservation District, 2008 Outstanding Conservation District Hosts Conservation Commission, Rep. James Covey Commended

Radio Public Service Announcements

August

Central North Canadian River Conservation District Hosts “Groundbreaking” Carbon Event

OACDE and OCC Provide CPR and First Aid Training to Conservation District Employees

Conservation Commission Initiates Carbon Program in State

Poultry Litter Transfer Incentive - New Program Begins

Grazingland Strategies Workshop- Dewey County Conservation District

July

Successful Eucha/Spavinaw Water Quality Improvement Projects Extended

No Dust Bowl By Terry Peach, Oklahoma Secretary of Agriculture

Governor Henry and Sec. of Ag Peach Visit Cimarron County

June

Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program

Conservation District Act Revised - Part Two

Gov. Signs Bill for Conservation Repairs

May

Dam Deal: Flood-control spending worthwhile  

Conservation District Act Revised!  

Near Breach on Kadashan Bottom Dam No. 2   

2008 Land Judging Contest Goes On Despite Rain 

Poultry Litter Transport Incentive Program Closes 

Employee Recognition Week

April

Governor Proclaims Soil and Water Stewardship Week 2008

Soil & Water Stewardship Week 2008 Public Service Announcements

March

Muskogee County Conservation District Receives Land Donation for Nature Sanctuary

Conservation Day at the Capitol 2008 (Post-event)

Conservation Day at the Capitol 2008  (Pre-event announcement)

14th Annual GIS Day at the Capitol Biggest Yet

Gov. Henry Proclaims March 9-15, 2008, as Conservation District Week in Oklahoma

February

OACD State Meeting 2008: Conservation College - Accolades for New Location

Governor Brad Henry's Budget Proposes $30 Million Bond Issue to Address Flood Damage

January 

Conservation Commission Presents House Performance Review 

No-Till Oklahoma 2008 Conference 

New Location for the 2008 OACD State Meeting! Agenda, Registration and Exhibitor Info

2007

December

North Carolina Publication Spotlights OCC Water Quality Success 

NACD President Olin Sims Dies in Ranch Accident

November 

Centenarian, Former Conservationist Joins Stars in Celebrating Statehood

Make Money Using Your Land to Fight Climate Change

Implications of Climate Change for Oklahoma

The OACD Area Meetings 2007

October 

Gary Mast at the Governor's Water Conference 

Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program - First Contract Signing 
 

Conservation Districts Host Tours for Legislators

        State Legislators Tour Caddo County Flood Damage  

September 

        Caney Valley Conservation District Discusses Flood Control with Legislators  

        Sequoyah Conservation District Hosts Legislative Tour  

Conservation Programs Division Hosts Conservation Commission Staff Meeting 

Outstanding Conservation District Hosts Conservation Commission  

August 

Sugar Creek L-44: Dam Danger Averted

Open Meeting/Open Records Act Workshops

Watershed Aide for Seminole Co. and Konawa CDs

Mike Kastl Honored at U.S.Capitol

Robert Toole Elected NWC Vice Chairman

Kevin Norton named NRCS State Conservationist for Louisiana

July 

OACD Hosted NACD South Central Meeting

Garfield County CD Returns Legal Fees to OCC

Mike Rooker Appointed to the Conservation Commission

 Record Rainfall Proves Flood Control Dams’ Worth,

June 

Aging Dams

Rick Jeans, Area II Conservation Commissioner, Honored

Oklahoma's Water Plan

May 

OCC Joins Prescribed Burn Council

Oklahoma Conservation Commission unveils new logo

Older

Section 319 Nonpoint Source Success Stories: Oklahoma Leading the Nation in Conservation:
1. Beaty Creek: BMPs Result in Significant Reduction of Bacteria and Phosphorus Loading
2. Lake Creek: Improvement of Surface and Ground Water Quality
3. Sandy and Yellowstone Creeks: Education and Demonstration Efforts Result in Turbidity Improvements

Oklahoma Conservation Commission unveils new logo

Dams Save Oklahoma $33 Million in Flood Damage

Lake Eucha & Spavinaw Creek Demonstration Farm Tour

2007 Land Judging Contest Winners Honored (May 2007)

Gov. Brad Henry Proclaims April 29- May 5 as Soil & Water Stewardship Week in Oklahoma

Lt. Gov. Jari Askins records three Public Service Announcements for Soil & Water Conservation Week in Oklahoma April 2007)

Oklahoma Governor and U.S. Deputy Sec. of Agriculture Sign Conservation Reserve Enhance Program (CREP) Agreement (April 23, 2007)

Oklahoma State Envirothon April 2007

Garfield County CD & OACD say “thanks!” to event host (April 2, 2007)

Oklahoma Association of Conservation Districts Hosted “Conservation Day at the Capitol” (March 19, 2007)

Oklahoma Conservation Hall of Fame and President's Award  February (2007)

This Week in Conservation History

Oklahoma Association of Conservation Districts Sponsors "Conservation Day at the Capitol" (March 19, 2007)

Oklahoma Celebrates GIS Day at the Capitol (March 14, 2007)

Governor Proclaims March 11-17 as Conservation District Week

OACD State Meeting 2007: 70 Years and Still Going!(February 25-27, 2007)

The Conservation Commission's Awards and Recognition Committee has begun planning events and activities for 2007.

Conservation Construction Dollars at Record High (December 2006)

Blue Thumb Volunteers Armed With Data (December 2006)

OACD Conservation Awards 2007

2006

Garfield County CD, Dept. of Wildlife Conservation & Groendyke Lodge Host Legislative Shootout (December 2006)

Coalition for Conservation(November 2006)

Area Meetings 2006 Highlights

Darrel Temple Commended for 30 Years of Watershed Flood Control Research at USDA-ARS

Rogers County Conservation District Honored

Governor Brad Henry and the Conservation Commission Commend Darrel Dominick

Governor Henry and Oklahoma Conservation Commission Commend the Poteau River Watershed CSP Team

Area Meetings 2006, Photos and Sample News Releases:

    Area I

    Area II

    Area III

    Area IV

    Area V

Dear Conservation Friends

Farm Bill Hearing

Oklahoma Sweeps Awards at National AML Conference

Carolyn Tucker retires after 35 years of Service to North Caddo Conservation District

Cimarron County Conservation District cosponsors Brush Management Workshop

New Area I Commissioner

Cooperative Conservation Listening Session

Kay County Legislators

Oklahoma Conservationists Outraged at USDA Decision Aug. 16

Oklahoma Team Competes at Canon Envirothon in Canada Aug. 10, 2006

Conservation Districts and County Commissioners Collaborate on Versatile Equipment Aug. 10, 2006

Upper Red Rock Dam Construction Almost Complete Aug. 10, 2006

Governor Brad Henry's Public Service Announcement about the Dust Bowl and the work of the Conservation Partnership April 2006

Another Significant Milestone for Conservation District Employees
Legislative Review 2006 by OCC Executive Director Mike Thralls, July 2006

Area I Commissioner Completes Term, J.T. Winters Jr., June 2006

Eastern Oklahoma Landowners Rewarded for Good Conservation June 6, 2006

Older News Archive

OACD 2011 State Meeting Presentations

Last Modified on 12/20/2011