Oklahoma Association of Conservation Districts and the Oklahoma Conservation Commission Announce the Launch of the Oklahoma Conservation Historical Society’s Oral History Collection
Oklahoma City, OK – The Oklahoma Conservation Historical Society is excited to announce the launch of the Oklahoma Conservation Heritage Oral History Collection. The Oklahoma Conservation Historical Society has partnered with the Oklahoma State University Library to record and archive interviews with individuals who have made contributions to conservation in Oklahoma. Audio, video, and transcripts of the interviews are posted digitally in the new Conservation Heritage Section of the OSU Library’s oral history collections. Interviews are available to researchers and the general public.
Oklahoma holds a unique place within the American conservation movement, as the epicenter of the worst man-made ecological disaster in history, the Dustbowl. Out of the 1930’s conservation districts were created by local farmers and ranchers who recognized the need to implement voluntary conservation practices on private working lands. Over the course of the last 80+ years, Oklahoma has been a leader in the adoption of practices that benefit the health of our soils and water while building resiliency on our farms and ranches.
The Oklahoma Conservation Historical Society was formed in partnership with the Oklahoma Association of Conservation Districts, the Oklahoma Conservation Commission, the Natural Resources Conservation Service, the Oklahoma Chapter of the Soil and Waters Conservation Society and the RC&D Association. The Oklahoma Conservation Historical Society believes these interviews will preserve the storied and proud history of conservation in Oklahoma. This collection is a celebration of individuals and programs that have contributed to making Oklahoma known across the country as a leader in conservation.
“Please take the time to listen to these great Oklahomans tell their story of bringing our state back from an environmental disaster,” said Trey Lam, Executive Director of the Oklahoma Conservation Commission. “What a fantastic project teaching history in the first person. Conservationists want to leave the land better for the next generation. Now that generation can learn how these pioneers did it. We owe a huge thank you to the Oklahoma Conservation Historical Society.”
“We are most appreciative of the efforts of the Oral History Research Program at the OSU Library for working with us to create this collection,” said Ben Pollard, President of the Oklahoma Conservation Historical Society. “We have a proud conservation history in Oklahoma and are pleased that these first person accounts are now available.”
To listen to the nineteen completed oral histories, please visit: https://library.okstate.edu/oralhistory/digital/ or okconservation.org/history
The Oklahoma Association of Conservation Districts is a private, nonprofit organization representing conservation districts across the state and individual members dedicated to protecting our state’s natural resources and improving the environment. For more information visit www.okconservation.org.