Partners For Wildlife | OK Department of Wildlife Conservation

Supporting Private Lands for Fish and Wildlife

Partners for Fish and Wildlife is a program for Oklahoma's private landowners who are interested in alternative wetlands management opportunities. It is a cooperative effort between the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the OSU Cooperative Extension Service to conserve, enhance, and restore wetland habitat through technical and financial assistance.

Partners for Fish & Wildlife is designed to form alliances between landowners and government agencies through opportunities, such as cost-sharing projects that significantly improve fish and wildlife resources, while promoting compatibility between agriculture and other land uses.

Eligibility

Any private landowner in Oklahoma who is interested in alternative wetlands management opportunities.

Who To Contact

For an application or additional information, contact the Tulsa USFWS Office at (918) 382-4500.

How to Enroll

Contact one of the cooperating agencies to receive details on how to become involved in alternative wetlands conservation.

Additional Information

Partners For Fish & Wildlife Program

Private Lands Habitat Improvement Opportunity

Putting Conservation Dollars on the Ground

The Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program provides free technical and financial assistance to landowners, Tribes, schools and nonprofits interested in improving wildlife habitat on their land. In Oklahoma, 97 percent of the land base is privately owned, so working with private landowners is the only way the Service can help manage our federal trust resource species.

Our staff provides free technical and financial assistance to plan, design, supervise and monitor customized habitat restoration projects. These projects range in size from a few acres to several hundreds of thousands.

Cost-Share Practices

The Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program supports a wide range of practices to improve or enhance native ecosystems. We will work with landowners to develop management plans that fit within their overall ranch and farm management goals.

timber stand improvement
mechanical treatment
brush control
grassland restoration
vertical structure removal
fence removal or marking
wetland and riparian restoration or enhancement
fish passage projects
prescribed fire
native species plantings
invasive species removal, and much more!

Objectives of the Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program

Restore, enhance, and manage private lands for fish and wildlife habitat
Improve fish and wildlife resources while promoting compatibility with working lands
Restore declining species and their habitats

Who Can Apply?

Private Landowners
Native American Tribes
Schools and Universities
And... You!

Program Advantages

Projects are voluntary and customized to meet landowner needs. Participating landowners continue to own and manage their land while they improve conditions for wildlife. Landowners do not forfeit any property rights and are not required to allow public access to participate in our program.

Partners for Fish and Wildlife projects take place on working landscapes such as forests, farms and ranches. We focus our efforts on areas of conservation concern, such as forests, wetlands, native prairies, rivers and streams. We design projects to benefit federal trust species including migratory birds, endangered, threatened and at-risk species.

Private Lands Restoration in Oklahoma 1990-2023

431,503 Upland Habitat Acres
29,055 Wetland Habitat Acres
190 Miles of Riparian Habitat
1,514 Project Sites

To learn more about partnering with the Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program or to schedule a visit to your property, just call or email a Partners Biologist!

Outdoor Classrooms

Connecting Children with Nature

An Outdoor Classroom is a structured learning environment in the outdoors to educate young people on native habitats, resources, resource issues, and other environmental topics.

The Outdoor Classroom project is spearheaded by the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) Partners for Fish and Wildlife (PFW) Program, to "connect children to nature." Outdoor Classrooms provide education opportunities on native habitat, wildlife, resources, and culture.

Program Advantages

The USFWS Partners for Fish and Wildlife (PFW) program works alongside local schools, NGOs, churches, and other community facilities to provide technical assistance and starter funds to create outdoor spaces for educators to teach students about the environment around them.

"Hands-on" proactive and interactive approach to environmental education
Pollinator gardens support native species and create learning opportunities
Provides a place and learning environment for outdoor projects
Includes project signage to promote partnerships and build community

Working Towards a Better Future

Education in wildlife and natural resource issues is a growing need in our increasingly urban population. Since 1993, 160 Outdoor Classrooms with an emphasis on wetlands and other endangered and threatened ecosystems have been developed throughout the state of Oklahoma. An estimated two-million students and adults across Oklahoma will use these Outdoor Classrooms during their 15-20 year projected lifetime.

The PFW program, in cooperation with Partners, also provides training workshops or materials for educators on wildlife and wetland curricula for K-12 students.

Recommended Components

We work with you to create an outdoor classroom design that meets your education and outreach needs. While a wide range of elements can be included, we recommend including the following:

A water feature, which provides educational opportunities and benefits to wildlife
A gazebo or shaded structure, which serves as a learning center and weather protection