Page 11 - 2019 SEPT/OCT Outdoor Oklahoma

OLAP ADDS TO PUBLIC

ACCESS FOR 3RD YEAR DON P. BROWN/ODWC

The Oklahoma Land Access Program began in 2017, when it
opened about 10,000 acres of private land to public access for
hunting, fishing and wildlife-watching opportunities.
As OLAP enters its third year, more than 62,000 private
acres have been enrolled, said Wildlife Biologist Jeff Tibbits,
coordinator of the program for the Oklahoma Department of
Wildlife Conservation.
OLAP provides financial incentives to landowners who
allow public access for hunting, fishing, stream access, and
wildlife viewing opportunities on private lands. The Wildlife
Department received a $2.26 million dollar grant from the
U.S. Department of Agriculture as part of the 2014 Farm Bill,
through the Voluntary Public Access — Habitat Incentive
Program (VPA-HIP). VPA-HIP programs are successful at
simultaneously rewarding conservation on private lands and
providing more opportunities for sportspersons. OLAP coordinator Jeff Tibbits places a sign to mark the boundaries of
“OLAP has grown substantially in its first three years,” another private property opened for public access.
Tibbits said. This year’s newest areas have added four miles compensated based on enrolled acres, location, access type,
of stream access and 55 acres with ponds for walk-in fishing. and contract length. Almost anyone who owns or leases land
A core principle of the OLAP is to increase walk-in access can qualify for an OLAP lease, and ideal properties include
opportunities for hunting, fishing, stream access, and wildlife CRP-enrolled grassland, native rangeland, weedy crop stubble,
viewing. This goal compliments a main tenet of the North forests, riparian corridors, wetland areas, and wildlife-friendly
American Conservation Model: that every citizen has an field buffers. The Wildlife Department posts signs on OLAP
opportunity, under the law, to hunt and fish. The democratic property boundaries, and parking areas have informational
foundation of this conservation model has made it the most signs indicating access dates and activities that are permitted.
successful in the world, and the OLAP seeks to increase access For updated maps, lease applications, e-newsletter subscriptions
for multiple opportunities throughout the state. and more information, go online to www.wildlifedepartment.com/
Anyone with a hunting or fishing license is permitted to enter olap. OLAP is also on Facebook.
open OLAP areas for the activities specified for that area; no OLAP is made possible by a Voluntary Public Access and
other permissions are required. Habitat Incentive Program grant provided by the U.S. Depart-
Another core principle of the OLAP is to include and reward ment of Agriculture and administered by the Natural Resourc-
conservation-minded landowners. Enrolled landowners are es Conservation Service.

Cimarron Texas Beaver Harper Woods Grant Kay Washington Nowata Craig Ottawa
Alfalfa
Osage
Rogers
Woodward Garfield Noble Mayes
Major Pawnee Delaware
Ellis Tulsa
Payne
Dewey Wagoner Cherokee
Blaine Kingfisher Logan Creek
Adair
Roger Mills Custer Lincoln Okmulgee Muskogee
Canadian Oklahoma Okfuskee McIntosh Sequoyah
Beckham Washita Cleveland Haskell
Caddo Pottawatomie Seminole
Grady Hughes
Greer Kiowa McClain Pittsburg Latimer
Leflore
Harmon Garvin Pontotoc
Jackson Comanche Coal
Stephens Murray Pushmataha
Tillman Atoka
Cotton Johnston
Carter McCurtain
Jefferson Marshall Choctaw
OLAP sites exist in Love Bryan
orange counties as of August 2019.

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