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In the four decades since, the program has
added three additional staff members and WILDLIFE DIVERSITY PROGRAM TIMELINE
considerably bolstered the larger Wildlife 1981
Department flock by joining forces with doz-
The Nongame Wildlife
ens of conservation partners. Through these Improvement Program
partnerships, fish and wildlife populations have Act is signed into law, creat-
been documented and assessed; a developing ing what is now the Wildlife
Diversity Program. The act
base of knowledge has been shared with the
also created a Nongame
public; and nongame conservation priorities Wildlife Improvement Fund to
have been identified in a statewide compre- support the program. Wildlife enthusiasts first contrib-
hensive strategic plan. uted to the fund by donating a portion of their state tax
refund, an opportunity that continues today.
As the Wildlife Department looks to the future,
it will continue to lean on this Comprehensive 1983
Wildlife Conservation Strategy, which serves as The first Nongame Program staff members, two
a guiding document for the Wildlife Diversity biologists and an information specialist, are hired.
Program. The strategy not only identifies 1984
Oklahoma species that are rare, uncommon, or Nongame News, a seasonal newsletter offering
declining, but also identifies their key habitats program updates, is published for the first time.
and conservation issues, and proposes a variety Stories about Oklahoma’s fish and wildlife and the people that
work to conserve them are now shared in the monthly e-newsletter, The Wild
of actions that could restore those species and
Side. Subscribe at wildlifedepartment.com.
their habitats.
1995
By maintaining strong partner-
ships with conservation-minded indi- The Oklahoma Tax Commission releases the
first wildlife conservation license plates, a
viduals, agencies, and organizations,
new fundraising opportunity for the Wildlife
and fostering new connections, the Department. Today, wildlife enthusiasts can
Wildlife Diversity Program aims to choose from nine plate designs.
fulfill the goals in this strategic planning docu- 1996
ment and meet the combined goal of conserv-
The Nongame Program gets a name change. The Wildlife Diversity Program
ing Oklahoma’s wildlife heritage. was thought to describe the broad scope of the program more accurately.

JENA DONNELL/ODWC 2002
The Wildlife Department begins receiving State Wildlife Grant funding.
To learn more about the conservation work funded by this program, turn
to page 30.
2016
The state’s Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy is updated,
identifying 313 species of greatest conservation need. This strategy directs
the Department’s conservation efforts and priorities, and is updated on a
10-year schedule.
2021
The Fourth Edition of A Field Guide to Oklahoma’s
Reptiles and Amphibians is published,
showcasing the state’s 140 species of
salamanders, frogs, turtles, lizards,
snakes and alligator. This customized
guide is available at www.
GoOutdoorsOklahoma.com.

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