OCHS welcomes new board member Harry Fritzler

OCHS Board Member Patti Christian named Conservation District Employee of the Year

Sarah Milligan, Head of OSU's Oral History Research Program, was a presenter at the OACD State Meeting on February 27th. Sarah's presentation was titled "Recording Your Family's Oral History." Ms. Milligan and her staff at OSU are responsible for establishing the Oklahoma Conservation Heritage Oral History Collection

OCHS member, Rick Godrey, was honored by the Oklahoma Association of Conservation Districts (OACD) at their awards banquet on Monday, February 27th. Mr. Godfrey was awarded the Elmer Maddux Advocacy Award by OACD for his many years of championing conservation at the state capitol. He has been on the board of the Oklahoma County Conservation District since 1994 and was a member of OACD's first Conservation Leadership Program. Rick is a Founding Member of the Oklahoma Conservation Historical Society and has been a significant financial contributor to the Society, including being a Gold Member. The Oklahoma Conservation Historical Society congratulates Rick Godfrey for promoting conservation in Oklahoma and for his commitment to preserving Oklahoma's conservation history.

The Oklahoma Conservation Historical Society will be holding its annual meeting on Sunday, February 26th at 1:00 PM. The meeting will take place in the Scissortail Room of the Embassy Suites Hotel at 3233 N.W. Expressway in Oklahoma City.

In the coming months, the Oklahoma Conservation Historical Society, in collaboration with Oklahoma State University, will release fourteen new oral history interviews with Oklahoma conservation leaders. Among these oral histories is an interview with Phil Campbell. Phil operates forty acres near Luther, Oklahoma where he runs cattle, raises poultry, grows fruits trees, and cultivates a vegetable garden.

Happy New Year from the Oklahoma Conservation Historical Society. Please help us continue to champion conservation history by joining us today.

At the recent OACD Christmas luncheon, the Oklahoma Conservation Historical Society was pleased to present recently retired NRCS State Conservationist, Gary O’Neill, several tokens of appreciation—an historic photograph of the Dust Bowl blowing over Hooker, OK in 1936 and a 1960 USDA Yearbook of Agriculture—in recognition of his years of leadership in the conservation community. Thankyou, Gary, for your support of conservation history.

Christmas is upon us here in Oklahoma. Conservation has long played a role in how we celebrate the holiday. These 1956 photos from the Arkansas-Verdigris Soil Conservation District show how land was used to grow Loblolly pines harvested for Christmas trees.

OCHS had the great honor to lead a training session for new employees of the Natural Resources Conservation Service at the Meridian Technology Center in Guthrie on October 12. Board members Ben Pollard, Larry Caldwell, and Sam Stalcup gave presentations on the history of the conservation partnership to a large audience of conservation professionals.

We are proud to share a short film produced by our partners at the Oklahoma Association of Conservation Districts (OACD) in conjunction with the Oklahoma Black Historical Research Project. The film highlights the Conservation and Agriculture Reach Everyone (CARE) Project, which seeks to help minority land owners overcome historical barriers to accessing USDA conservation programs. Oklahoma is a diverse state, both in natural resources and in its people. Through the CARE program OACD is working to connect all Oklahoma landowners with available conservation programs. Release of this film, marks the kick off of fundraising efforts to support the CARE campaign. You can help by donating here, and viewing this excellent film.

Hugh Hammond Bennett visits Oklahoma, May 1943

Welcome to Oklahoma Conservation History

Native Grasses for Conservation

Conserving Oklahoma’s forest lands