The state of Oklahoma supports many distinct types of wetlands such as playa lakes, riparian wetlands, and cypress swamps. In the late 1980s to early 1990s, both the state and federal governments pushed for a strategy that would construct a framework to assist in the sound management of Oklahoma’s wetland resources. An interagency working group led by the Oklahoma Conservation Commission accomplished this task in May of 1996. The strategy focused on voluntary measures for wetland protection versus regulation.

The Conservation Commission, as well as other wetland agencies in Oklahoma, have a variety of ongoing wetland projects to meet the goals and objectives of the state strategy which are funded through the Wetlands Program of the Environmental Protection Agency Region VI. The ultimate goal of each project is to provide landowners, students, and agency personnel commonsense approaches to wetland issues through education, demonstration and restoration.

Visit the Oklahoma Wetlands Program website to learn more.