Page 30 - 2023MayJun

Conservation Efforts Soar With a Diverse Flock
By Jena Donnell, Communication and Education Specialist

SPOTLIGHT ON WILDLIFE DIVERSITY

CONSERVATION EFFORTS

SOAR WITH A DIVERSE FLOCK

BILL HORN

Long-billed dowitchers, By Jena Donnell, Communication and about the outdoors; and administrative person-
stilt sandpipers, Wilson’s
phalaropes and other Education Specialist nel manage conservation grant programs and
shorebirds take flight over To meet its constitutional directive to man- sell licenses to hunters and anglers.
an Oklahoma wetland.
age and conserve the bird, fish, game and Because the Wildlife Department is large-
wildlife resources of the state, the Oklahoma ly funded by the sale of hunting and fishing
Department of Wildlife Conservation has licenses, much of the agency’s flock is dedicat-
ed to management and conservation of game
gathered a large and
JENA DONNELL/ODWC diverse flock of experts. species. But a small wing of the Department,
the Wildlife Diversity Program, concentrates its
Biologists maintain fish
and wildlife popula-
with a special focus on species considered to
tions and their habitats efforts on species that aren’t hunted or fished,
on the state’s Wildlife be of greatest conservation need.
Management Areas and The Wildlife Diversity Program officially
lakes; Game Wardens started in 1981 when the Oklahoma Legislature
enforce hunting and opened a revolving fund for the purpose of
fishing regulations; a “preserving, protecting, perpetuating and
communications and enhancing nongame wildlife in this state.” But
education team shares the program didn’t really take flight until 1983,
stories and knowledge when the first staff members were hired.

28 OUTDOOR OKLAHOMA