Group Helping Wildlife

By SAM POWELL World Sports Columnist

Nature Conservancy is protecting land, animals in various Oklahoma preserves

The Nature Conservancy is doing a lot more in Oklahoma than just stocking some elk in the rugged hills of northeastern Oklahoma.

The recent incidents in which two bull elk were shot after they strayed from the J.T. Nickel Family Nature and Wildlife Preserve north of Tahlequah, prompted a number of calls and questions to the outdoor desk about this organization.

What is the Nature Conservancy, and what exactly does it do?

An interview last week with Tulsan Michael Fuhr, state director, answered a lot of those questions. One surprising thing, to this observer, was the amount of land, and wildlife, being protected in Oklahoma.

“Right here in Oklahoma, the Conservancy now protects a total of 75,000 acres, in four major areas,” Fuhr explained. “But we also have several smaller areas, all of which have some unique characteristics. And most of those areas are open to the public for hiking, wildlife viewing and several other activities.”

The Nature Conservancy was founded in 1951 in upstate New York by a group of individuals who were hopeful of protecting some threatened land in that area.

“The basic mission of Nature Conservancy is to preserve the plants, animals and natural communities that represent the diversity of life on Earth — by protecting the lands and waters we need to survive,” Fuhr said.

According to the Nature Conservancy Web site, there are chapters in all 50 states and over 30 countries.

The organization’s basic goal is “saving the last great places on Earth.”

Here in Oklahoma, the Conservancy’s most important, and popular, area is the Tallgrass Prairie Preserve in Osage County. The 39,000 acre expanse is now home to a sustainable, vibrant herd of American bison, which are more commonly called buffalo.

The Tallgrass buffalo are doing so well the Conservancy stages a fall-season roundup each year, where approximately 200 animals are sold. The herd is maintained at about 2,000 bison, after starting with 300.

The newest area in Oklahoma is the Four Canyon Preserve, and photos indicate this will be an interesting place for a nature hike before the heat of summer arrives. There are 4,000 acres there, a complex of canyons and bluffs where I’m sure you could spot a big rattler in a few more warm, early-spring weeks.

No telling what you might see in that Ellis County area, for mountain lions have been spotted there several times.

Elk reintroduction on the Nickel Preserve began in March 2005, when 20 animals were released. The herd now numbers 58, and Fuhr said Conservancy personnel are keeping a close watch on the situation, in hopes that no predation problems occur.

The Conservancy certainly occupies a strong position among conservation forces in this state, as there are now 27 full-time employees in Oklahoma, and offices are maintained in Tulsa, Oklahoma City and Pawhuska.

“Most of our personnel are field managers, biologists and scientists whose jobs are to work with local citizens on issues related to our basic goals,” he said.

Nature Conservancy is funded through a wide variety of sources. Several major corporations based in Oklahoma are significant donors, as members of the Chairman’s Circle. But the individual citizen who would like to support such programs can certainly do so, with yearly memberships available at $25. That includes a fabulous magazine, published four times a year.

There are some exciting things planned for upcoming months too.

“We are going to be offering quite a few special events, such as guided tours and field trips of some of these areas, primarily in April and May,” Fuhr said, “and we’ll be making announcements through the media about those as they near.”

Much more detailed information is available through their Web site at nature.org.

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