From the Director

During the first two weeks of November, the Blue Thumb team travelled around the state attending five area meetings hosted by the Oklahoma Association of Conservation Districts (OACD). We do this each fall. Much of the conservation work in Oklahoma is achieved through a partnership between OACD, the Oklahoma Conservation Commission (OCC) and the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). OACD is the nonprofit arm of the partnership, while OCC and NRCS are the state and federal partners, respectively. This partnership works together to leverage financial resources and local, state and federal expertise to accomplish on-the-ground conservation. Conservation districts are critical to the effectiveness of the partnership because they ensure that state and federal funding is used in ways that are appropriate for the ecology of the area and supportive of local agricultural producers. You can find out which conservation district you live in here.

I hope you have a beautiful Thanksgiving holiday with family and friends!

Rebecca Bond
Blue Thumb Director

News from NAAEE

Earlier this month, I was privileged to present and participate in the North American Association for Environmental Education’s (NAAEE) Conference in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. For more than 50 years, the NAAEE has served as the backbone organization for environmental education in the United States, and their annual conference is touted as the largest gathering of environmental educators in the world. In Pittsburg, I was one of over 1,100 other conference participants who attended representing every US state and over 25 countries.

This year’s conference drew inspiration from Pittsburgh's iconic bridges, celebrating their symbolic significance while embracing the theme of "Building Bridges" to address challenges in the environmental education landscape. In a world grappling with complex environmental and social issues, ranging from climate change to injustice, collaboration and understanding are more crucial than ever.

Throughout the sessions, workshops, and plenaries, environmental education was spotlighted as a natural bridge builder; something the Blue Thumb team at the Conservation Commission does incredibly well. Environmental education is a pivotal tool in developing solutions for environmental issues and amplifying conservation impact, as NAAEE puts it, "providing the education we need for the world we want."

My session, Building a Bridge Between Formal and Nonformal EE Providers Increases EE Outcomes, brought together a diverse panel of educators from Nebraska, Oklahoma, Kentucky, and Pennsylvania to highlight strategies and best practices that encourage formal school systems and classroom teachers to co-create environmental education opportunities with educators working for government agencies and nonprofit organizations in their own communities.

When nonformal educators and classroom teachers build bridges by working collaboratively, this collaboration can increase richness and learning outcomes.This and many other sessions highlighted the positive outlook and hopeful nature of the environmental education field.

Despite the constant change we encounter in our human and natural systems, we still can find opportunities for resilience, aspiration and hope. As we close out our present autumnal season of change, I encourage you to connect with people and places that inspire you; and importantly, express your own form of gratitude for the rich ecosystem and support system that empowers you in your daily life.

Jack Hilgert
Blue Thumb Environmental Education Coordinator

The Ripple Effect

At the end of October, I traveled to New Orleans and the Florida Gulf coast, and during my trip, I was reminded of how interconnected the water systems we monitor here in Oklahoma are with larger, distant ecosystems. While exploring the banks of the Mississippi River and enjoying the Gulf Coast, I thought about just how much our local waters—seemingly far from the ocean—are connected to the Gulf of Mexico. Our actions in Oklahoma have far-reaching consequences, affecting not only the streams and rivers here but also the health of the Gulf thousands of miles away.

Oklahoma’s rivers and streams are part of the Mississippi River watershed, which ultimately flows into the Gulf of Mexico. This connection means that water quality issues here, such as pollution, sedimentation, and runoff, can contribute to environmental challenges downstream. One such challenge is the "dead zone" in the Gulf—a region of low oxygen caused by nutrient pollution. Much of this pollution is carried by rivers like the Mississippi, which receives runoff from areas in its watershed, including Oklahoma. In 2018, this dead zone was determined to be the size of Delaware.

During my trip, I thought about how pollution from land-based sources, including agricultural runoff, urban waste, and even litter, can make its way into our rivers and, eventually, the Gulf. Pollution that starts in our local watersheds can accumulate and travel long distances, impacting the health of coastal ecosystems and marine life. This is why your monitoring efforts matter. By keeping an eye on water quality in your local streams and recording any changes, you help detect pollution early, before it spreads downstream. Your data helps us take action to prevent problems from escalating, ensuring cleaner water systems not only locally but across the entire region.

Your vigilance in monitoring local water bodies is crucial for preventing pollution from building up and spreading downstream. If there’s one takeaway from my trip to the Gulf, it’s this: we are all connected. Water doesn’t stop at state lines, and neither do the challenges we face. The work you’re doing is vital in protecting not just Oklahoma’s waters but also the broader ecosystem, all the way to the Gulf of Mexico. As we continue our work monitoring local streams, we are also protecting larger water systems that impact us all. If you notice any changes in water quality or spot anything out of the ordinary, let us know. Regular monitoring and quick reporting are key to catching problems before they escalate.

So, next time you’re out in the field, remember: the work you do has a ripple effect. It contributes to healthier, cleaner water systems not just in Oklahoma, but in the Gulf and beyond. Your efforts are part of a larger effort to protect our waters for future generations. Thank you for being a part of this important work!

Hunter Hodson
Blue Thumb Field Education Coordinator

Image taken from https://time.com/5635375/mississippi-river-flooding/

Friends of Blue Thumb is a small nonprofit organization that provides small grants to Blue Thumb volunteers and conservation districts involved in Blue Thumb. If you would like more information, please reach out to Board president, Terrie Becerra.

• EPA has recently released a training called Protecting and Restoring our Waters: The Clean Water Act Through an Environmental Justice Lens. You can access the training here. The training is part of EPA's Watershed Academy, a free educational resource to anyone who is interested in learning more about watershed management.
• Did you know that there is a whole association for Citizen Scientists? You can become a member and learn more about it here!
• Don't forget about the "Stream Selfie," a project from the Izaak Walton League.

Oklahoma Conservation Commission

Oklahoma Conservation Districts

Project WET

Friends of Blue Thumb

Soil Health Program

Department of Environmental Quality

Macroinvertebrate ID Website