Home AUDUBON SOCIETY OF CENTRAL OKLAHOMA
        The Lake Hefner Native Habitat Project
Our hopes are to leave something permanent and meaningful for future generations.
Project goal: Our goal is to plant native habitat, attract more birds and wildlife, and provide educational information to the public using attractive signage identifying the native birds, plant species, and migratory wildlife that one could expect to see there. This is a native habitat installation project on approximately 8.5 total acres located on the southern shore, East of the entrance to Stars and Stripes park, see maps below.  

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.  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   Hefner Project Phase 1 planting list and notes   Phase 1 Planting Location Guide

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 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  

We can always use more volunteers to help with this project. 
Please call or e-mail Jane at hanenhark@sbcglobal.net  or 721-5711