We had wonderful support from Chesapeake Energy employees throughout last summer and fall helping us water and cut down some of the invasive Red Cedars in the wooded area just north of the trees we planted.
Update June 20, 2009: We were not able to get trees planted last Fall due to
logistics, but we guarantee more will be planted this Fall. So far, we have 100% tree
survival, although some of the species that are not typically located in our type of
habitat do show some signs of struggling to acclimate. We are now into the hotter part of
the year and watering the young trees is again a critical part of ensuring their
survival.
We had wonderful support from Chesapeake Energy employees throughout last summer and fall helping us water and cut down
some of the invasive Red Cedars in the wooded area just north of the trees we planted.
We will be installing our Information Center this week at the project site. The purpose of the Information Center is to educate the public about the native trees we have used and encourage the public to use those species in their own yards. It will also allow us to express our thanks to Chesapeake Energy and The Margaret Annis Boys Trust for the support we have received towards this project. Again we have support from Chesapeake employees who will be helping us assemble and install this Information Center.
Update August 10, 2008: WE NEED MORE WATERING VOLUNTEERS! We want to plant the same amount of trees this Fall. We need 2 groups total, of about 5 or 6 people. We have one group who has kindly volunteered to help us water weekly through the hottest summer in years.
Update July 11, 2008: Now is the time that we have our watering challenge. The hot weather is upon us. We are NOT allowed use the lake water for watering the trees, so we are using a large tank that we fill up at a local fire hydrant. It has been necessary to use a water pump to water the trees and fill up the tree-gators to speed up the watering process. By this Fall we should have it down to a science. Also this Fall we will plant the same amount of trees in the same area as we did in the Spring which will fill up that location with a reasonable amount of native vegetation. We can always use more volunteers.
Update June 9, 2008: The trees are getting "set in" and we are paying close attention to them in this Oklahoma weather. An Eagle Scout has accepted the job of doing research to determine if this area may have an optimum location where we could install a Kildeer Nesting site. This will begin in July. His findings will be approved and signed off by Dr. Chris Butler from UCO and Dawn Holt from UCO. If a good location is found, then the study will continue into the actual design and accomplishment of installing and maintaining the nesting site. We welcome additional scouts that might want to take on similar challenges within this 8.5+ acre project.
Update: April 12th, 2008: The first half of our Phase 1 native trees and shrubs have been planted. The second half of Phase 1 will be planted in the Fall. That will make about 50 trees and shrubs in an area that is approximately 1/4 of our project area, so we have alot more area to cover.
Update: March 1st, 2008: We had our official groundbreaking ceremony with wonderful speakers helping us celebrate the beginnings of this project. They were Rev. Harold Straughn, Mr. Wendel Whisenhunt - Director of City Parks and Recreation, Cheyenne Chief Gordon Yellowman, Martha Burger -Sr. Vice President of Human and Corporate Resources from Chesapeake, Brian Dougherty from the Oklahoma City Community Foundation, and Dr. Bill Radke-Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs at University of Central Oklahoma.
And thanks go to Precure Nurseries for donating our first tree that we planted today, an Oklahoma Redbud.
Update: Feb 23, 2008: Phase 1 has begun. We moved in 6 native Oklahoma boulders today. Thanks to Minicks for some discount on the boulders. It was freezing cold but we got it done! Our official groundbreaking ceremony is set for the morning of March 1st, at 10 AM. The public is welcome to attend.
We will also plant various outcrops of native Oklahoma flowers if possible, but will not be creating flower beds. Additional phases include adding a native prairie grass area, installing a soft birding trail through the wooded area along the shoreline just North of Phase 1, and adding more native shrubs and trees all the way up to the main entrance to Stars and Stripes Park. This project is a long term project with a renewable agreement with The City of Oklahoma City.
Phase 1 Project Map Phase 1 Planting List How We Go About Watering
This project is funded
through grants and donations. We wish to thank CHESAPEAKE ENERGY for
their generous donation towards this project
and also thank THE OKLAHOMA CITY COMMUNITY FOUNDATION, Margaret Annis
Boys Trust Grant for their
additional grant towards funding the purchases of the Phase 1 shrubs and trees.
We are a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization. All
donations are tax deductible. Should you wish to donate towards this very
beneficial conservation project, mail your donation to: Audubon Society of Central
Oklahoma, 5505 NW 66th, Oklahoma City, OK 73132. We will mail you a tax deductible
receipt. Please print and mail our donation form when submitting a donation.
Click here: DONATION FORM
Below are some maps of the project area.
