Tulsa County Conservation District

Conservation Education

Natural Resource Days

Natural Resource Days are education events where District Employees and Volunteers visit classrooms and youth groups to teach hands on conservation education.

Wildlife

• Wildlife Tracks  

Students or youth learn about Oklahoma wildlife through the use of life like animal tracks.

Wetlands & Pond Biology

• Pond and Stream Biology

Students visit a local stream or pond to collect and learn about aquatic insects and invertebrates and their relationship to water pollution.

• Marsh Market

This activity introduces the importance of wetland communities and the concept of a food web.

• Oh Fish! 

Students will learn the importance of suitable habitat as well as factors that may affect wildlife populations in constantly changing ecosystems.

• Macroinvertebrate Mayhem

This activity takes a look at water pollution and its affect on aquatic macroinvertebrates (insects, mussels, crawfish, etc.)

Soils

• Dirt Babies

Students learn about the importance of soil in plant growth and what products can be traced back to the soil as they fill a stocking with seeds and soil to grow annual rye grass as hair on their dirt baby.

• Life Bracelet  

This activity will learn the four crucial factors that are necessary for life to exist by building a bracelet with beads to represent soil, water, air, and sunlight.

• Raindrop Splash

This activity demonstrates the power of rain and its effect on soil erosion.

Forestry

• Tree Cookies 

Students learn about Oklahoma trees as they age trees by counting their rings.

• Tree Factory  

By acting out the parts of a tree, students will see how a tree works like a factory.

• Every Tree for Itself 

This activity give students an idea of the conditions that trees need to live and grow.  It also helps students understand that trees must often compete for their needs.

Water

• Thirsty Plants  

Students learn how plants take in and transport water throughout their structure and the role of vegetation in the water cycle.

• Sum of the Parts

This activity demonstrates how each person in a watershed can contribute to the non-point source water pollution of that watershed.

• Pucker Effect

Students learn about the possible effects of point source water pollution.

• Branching Out 

This activity shows the drainage patterns of water and how water flows through a watershed.

• Common Water  

This activity helps students recognize that it is vital for water users to consider each other's needs and to share this finite resource.

Annual Resource Management Conference

Since 1984, the Tulsa County Conservation District has held an annual conference to educate the public about the conservation of natural resources.  A few recent conferences include:

• 1997:  Managing Your Urban Lake
• 1998:  Tulsa's Challenge:  Protecting Watersheds
• 1999:  Urban Ecology:  Protecting Tulsa Area Resources
• 2000:  Stewardship of Tulsa's Natural Resources
• 2001:  EPA Tools for Watershed Management Workshop
• 2002:  Stormwater Quality Phase II Conference
• 2003:  Stormwater Quality Phase II for Builders & Developers                
• 2004:  Stewardship of Urban Environment
• 2005:  Building Tulsa's Future: A River Runs Through It
• 2006: Managing Natural Resources: Protecting Our Water(s)
•  Jenks Elementary-Jenks- extension of Rentigrove Outdoor Classroom
• 2007: Building A Greener Green Country: A Sustainable Approach To Development
• 2008: Going Greener with Low Impact Development

Pasture & Pond Management Workshops

• Free Workshops are presented to local farmers and ranchers on best management practices for pastures and ponds.

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• The conservation district received Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative (GLCI) Grant in 2001 and 2003 to cover expenses for the Pasture Management Workshop.

Outdoor Classroom Assistance

The Conservation District assists schools, organizations, and communities with the planning and development of outdoor classrooms where youth and students can learn about natural resources hands-on.  Below are a few examples:

• 2000:  Remington Elementary, Tulsa Wetland Outdoor Classroom

• 2001:  Arrow Springs Elementary, Broken Arrow ABC Native Plant Garden

• 2002:  YFR 4-H Club, Broken Arrow  4-H Centennial Native Plant Garden

• 2002:  Sequoyah Elementary, Tulsa Wetland Outdoor Classroom

• 2003/2004:  City of Broken Arrow,  Ray Harral Nature Learning Center and Wetland Outdoor Classroom

• 2007/2008: Owasso Middle School - Owasso Wetland relocation for outdoor classroom

Teacher/Educator Workshops

Teachers and non-formal educators are trained to use hands on conservation education activities using proven natural resources curriculum including the following:

• Project WET (Water Education for Teachers) is used to teach about stewardship of water resources using hands on activities and classroom-ready teaching methods.

Co-Sponsored by Oklahoma Conservation Commission, Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality, and Oklahoma Water Resources Board.

• Project WILD (Wildlife in Learning Design) uses hands on methods to teach about wildlife conservation and its relation to the environment.

Co-Sponsored by Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation and Oklahoma Conservation Commission.

• Project Learning Tree is used to teach about forestry and plants using hands on activities.

 Co-Sponsored by Oklahoma Department of Agriculture Forestry Services.

• Wonders of Wetlands provides curricula for teachers and students to use when studying about wetlands. 

Sponsored by Oklahoma Conservation Commission.

• Ag in the Classroom uses hands on activities to teach about the importance of agriculture. 

Sponsored by Oklahoma Department of Agriculture.

Education Displays 

These displays are set up at several meetings, community events, and business events including:

• Tulsa State Fair

• Home and Garden Show

• Enviro Expo at Bartlett Square

• Oklahoma Association of Environmental Educators

• Watershed Education Events

• Earth Day at the Zoo

• And many more!

Newsletter 

The Tulsa County Line is a quarterly newsletter published by the district, containing current information about conservation in Tulsa County.  The newsletter is distributed to approximately 1500 people, and is paid for by local conservation related advertisers.

Presentations 

Each year hundreds of adults are educated about natural resources by the district.  A few examples are:  Garden Club presentations, neighborhood association presentations, conservation meeting presentations, and presentations to college and university students.

Creek Clean Up Watershed Education

The Conservation District holds an Annual Creek Clean Up Watershed Education Event in Partnership with the City of Tulsa to educate and involve citizens in watershed protection and pollution prevention.  Previous events include:

• 1998:  Mooser Creek
• 1999:  Crow Creek
• 2000:  Fred Creek
• 2000:  Little Joe Creek
• 2001:  Jones/Mill Creeks
• 2002:  Flat Rock Creek
• 2003:  Mingo Creek
• 2004:  Haikey Creek
• 2005:  Coal Creek
• 2006:  Cherry/Red Fork Creek
• 2007:  Haikey Creek
• 2008: Ranch Creek

Partners in our Annual Creek Clean Up include City of Tulsa, Tulsa Area Conservation Foundation, EPA, Keep Oklahoma Beautiful, The Metropolitan Environmental Trust, Midland Recycling, and many other area businesses (Blue Thumb Business Partners) and organizations.