Wildlife Department's Outdoor Education suite teaching youth lifelong hobbies
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The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation's suite of outdoor education programs is finding success in public schools, teaching students about safe, ethical and fun outdoor recreation in Oklahoma and growing in popularity among students and school officials.
The Wildlife Conservation Commission recently met at the Jenks Public Schools' Education Services Center for it's April meeting and learned how the suite of programs is benefitting students in Jenks and statewide.
The Department's education programs have enjoyed significant growth and expansion into schools in recent years, such as the Archery in the Schools Program which has grown over a 10-year period from its original 10 pilot schools to about 425 schools across the state that participate today. The Hunter Education program, which has educated tens of thousands of sportsmen over the years and is credited for a reduction in hunting-related accidents in recent decades, has been and continues to be used widely as in-class curriculum in Oklahoma schools, and the Explore Bowhunting and Explore Bowfishing programs build on the Archery in the Schools program by focusing on the hunting and bowfishing aspects of the sport of archery. Also, the Fishing in the Schools program implements the Wildlife Department's Aquatic Resource Education program to teach students in schools about fishing for recreation and conservation.
Additionally, the newest program is the Scholastic Shooting Sports Program that implements the Department's Shotgun Training Education Program to introduce safe, competitive shotgun shooting to youth as part of school curriculum. Through the program, educators and instructors at certain schools and FFA organizations are being trained and certified by the Wildlife Department's STEP Program to implement the program in their schools. Students who receive the training have the opportunity to learn safe gun handling as well as recreational and competitive shotgun shooting.
The shooting sports program initially has been piloted in pre-selected schools that already participate in either FFA shooting sports or the Department's outdoor education suite.
To learn more about how educators and schools can become involved with the Wildlife Department's outdoor education suite, contact Colin Berg, education supervisor for the Wildlife Department, at (918) 299-2334.
The Commission also heard a presentation on the Archery Trade Association's national initiative to develop community archery parks. The Wildlife Department has worked with the Archery Trade Association already to begin developing community archery parks, starting with one that opened in Coweta in the Fall of 2013.
On Oct. 25, municipal officials, local students and Wildlife Department personnel gathered for the official opening of the City of Coweta Archery Park.
The archery range was built near an existing ballfield complex, which meets the goal of putting the parks in a location that promotes public involvement.
The Commission also heard an update on the implementation of the Lesser Prairie-Chicken Rangewide Plan and Department officials' plans to temporarily vacate its headquarters office for renovations and flood damage repair.
Additionally the Director recognized Charles Cowell, data analyst and programmer for the Department, for 25 years of service to the agency; as well as John Ridge, senior wildlife biologist, for 25 years; and Leon Johnson, wildlife technician, for 35 years.
The Wildlife Conservation Commission is the eight-member governing board of the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation. The Wildlife Commission establishes state hunting and fishing regulations, sets policy for the Wildlife Department and indirectly oversees all state fish and wildlife conservation activities. Commission members are appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Senate.
The next scheduled Commission meeting is set for 9 a.m. May 5 at the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation headquarters (lobby), located at the southwest corner of 18th and North Lincoln, Oklahoma City.
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