Landowner of the Year 2006 - Randy Lively
The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation announced
2006 Landowner of the Year - Randy Lively, of Sharon. Producing
beef, sheep and crops, the Lively Ranch is a diversified
operation, but wildlife is always an important consideration in
land management decisions.
“For several generations the Lively Ranch has placed an emphasis
on quality wildlife habitat on the 2,000-acre property in
Woodward County. Randy Lively is a great example of real-world
conservation in action,” said Wade Free, northwest region
wildlife supervisor for the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife
Conservation.
According to Free, Lively uses a variety of methods to encourage
the growth of beneficial native plants including, patch burning,
roller chopping, rotational grazing and strip disking. In
northwest Oklahoma, water is always a top concern and Lively has
built six separate watering areas which are used by both
wildlife and cattle.
“When my kids were young, I realized that if I didn¹t manage for
wildlife for my kids’ future, nobody was going to do it for me,”
Lively said.
The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation has recognized
a landowner conservationist each of the past 16 years and
continues to work closely with landowners by providing technical
assistance and in some cases financial support for land
practices that benefit wildlife. Projects may include fencing,
brush management, timber thinning, wetland restoration and more.