The Central Great Plains (CGP) Ecoregion extends from Nebraska to central Texas, and includes much of the western half of Oklahoma. Average rainfall in this ecoregion is 27" per year. The CGP are a transition zone between tallgrass and shortgrass prairie and include grass species from both communities. The predominant land features are rolling hills and plains. Grasslands are the primary habitat type in this ecoregion, but other habitats include wooded ravines and moist slopes, cottonwood-dominated riparian forests, and savannas. Natural salt springs, salt flats, and salt marshes are found in the Great Salt Plains in Alfalfa County. This area offers critical habitat for migratory birds. The Wichita Mountains in Comanche and Greer Counties, Red Rock Canyon in Caddo County, and sand dunes along the Cimarron and North Canadian River are other examples of unique habitats in this ecoregion. The CGP is the largest Level III ecoregion in Oklahoma, so we have a lot of monitoring in this ecoregion.

From the Volunteer Coordinator

USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service

Blue Thumb volunteers know that partnerships are valuable in getting things done.  The United States Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service is an important partner to not only the Oklahoma Conservation Commission but also all of Oklahoma’s Conservation Districts.  NRCS is a strong supporter of agricultural producers who provide our nation’s food. 

NRCS is currently undergoing reorganization, and part of that effort involved updating their motto, mission statement, and vision statement:

• Motto: Keeping Working Lands in Working Hands 
• Mission Statement: We deliver practical, voluntary, and locally-led conservation solutions that help producers conserve natural resources, strengthen agricultural production, and keep working lands productive for generations to come.  
• Vision Statement: An America where working lands remain productive, resilient, and in the hands of those who steward them. Learn more about the Natural Resources Conservation Service at:

 https://www.usda.gov/about-usda

According to the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition, between January 2025 and January 2026, the Natural Resources Conservation Service lost 23% of its workforce.  The lion’s share of cuts were to the “boots on the ground” conservationists who travel to farms and ranches to work with the nation’s agricultural producers. In Oklahoma, the Oklahoma Conservation Commission, NRCS, and the Oklahoma Association of Conservation Districts have fostered a decades-long partnership focused on helping Oklahoma farmers and ranchers implement on-the-ground conservation practices. Funding sources wax and wane, but the partnership provides a stability and continuity that would be impossible for one organization to achieve alone. We look forward to supporting our NRCS friends during this time of transition.

The Streams We Protect

Blue Thumb volunteers are often in the field monitoring small streams. Often, there would be no data for these streams without the work of our volunteers!  Every time you submit data on a stream, you are:

• Capturing an important “moment” in time for a small waterway

• Saying “this stream is important”

• Documenting this moment, so that future events and data collections at the stream can be compared to what will become “historic” data

• Completing the groundwork that makes your stream eligible for bug collections and fish collections – without chemical data being generated, these other activities do not take place

Why do people volunteer?  Why do you volunteer?  For the Blue Thumb Program, the volunteers who come on board and then stick around seem to do it for the sake of a stream! 

Sometimes I consider some of the streams that were once monitored by volunteers but no longer have data being collected.  There is a good chance that someday another set of volunteers will choose to pick up the monitoring.  Even though there will be a gap, once again we will be able to learn how the stream is doing, and we can compare new data to what we have from the past. 

Picture this:  A Blue Thumb fish collection from 1998 found 9 fish species in Coal Creek, south Tulsa County.  A collection in 2021, when monitoring had resumed, found 18 fish species.  Because of local knowledge of what was going on, we can know that the City of Glenpool stopped releasing their effluent into Coal Creek and instead sent it all the way to the Arkansas River.  Without the effluent, the stream was able to recover and once again have a reasonable fish community.  What is your stream’s story?  If you continue to collect data, the story will unfold. 

Cheryl Cheadle
Blue Thumb Volunteer Coordinator

Nicole Black Named Oklahoma PLT/WET/WILD Outstanding Facilitator of the Year

The Oklahoma Conservation Commission's Blue Thumb Program and Oklahoma Forestry Services are proud to announce that Nicole Black of Ada, Oklahoma, has been recognized as the 2026 Oklahoma Project Learning Tree (PLT), Project WET, and Project WILD Outstanding Facilitator of the Year.

Project Learning Tree, Project WET, and Project WILD provide educators with high-quality, science-based environmental education resources focused on forests, water, wildlife, conservation and natural resource stewardship. Together, these nationally recognized programs help educators engage students in hands-on learning experiences that build environmental literacy and critical thinking skills.

The Outstanding Facilitator of the Year Award recognizes an active Oklahoma facilitator who demonstrates exceptional leadership, service, and dedication to advancing environmental education through educator professional development and community outreach. 86 passionate volunteers currently serve as facilitators across the state, leading professional development events, tabling at conferences, and connecting these resources to educators in their local and professional communities.

A dedicated 4-H volunteer from Ada, Nicole is a vital member of Oklahoma's environmental education ecosystem since becoming a PLT/WET/WILD facilitator in 2024. Since then, she has helped lead 14 educator workshops across the state training hundreds of educators and has represented Oklahoma's PLT, WET, and WILD programs at numerous conferences and outreach events. Through these efforts, she has helped connect educators with resources that inspire students to explore forests, water, wildlife, and the natural world around them.

"Nicole exemplifies what it means to be an outstanding facilitator," said Blue Thumb Environmental Education Coordinator, Jack Hilgert. "Whether she is assisting with educator workshops, tabling at conferences, or encouraging fellow educators and volunteers, Nicole consistently brings enthusiasm, professionalism, and a passion for environmental education. Her willingness to serve and support others has helped expand the reach of these programs all across Oklahoma."

"The success of Oklahoma's PLT, WET, and WILD programs depends on dedicated facilitators who generously share their time and expertise," added Tony Pascall, Oklahoma Forestry Services and Oklahoma Project Learning Tree Coordinator. "Nicole's commitment to helping educators connect students with the natural world makes her exceptionally deserving of this recognition."

The Oklahoma Conservation Commission, Blue Thumb Program, and Oklahoma Forestry Services congratulate Nicole Black on being named the 2026 Oklahoma PLT/WET/WILD Outstanding Facilitator of the Year and thank her for her continued service to environmental education in Oklahoma.

Educators, schools, and organizations interested in Project Learning Tree, Project WET, or Project WILD can contact Jack Hilgert with the OCC or Tony Pascall with Oklahoma Forestry Services to learn more about workshops, facilitator opportunities, and environmental education resources available across the state.

From the QA Officer

Cam Huynh is a long time Blue Thumb creek monitoring volunteer in Lawton. He works for the City of Lawton in their Stormwater Department. Cam and his coworker, Mike Hawkins, have been monitoring two locations on East Cache Creek for many years. The past year or so they had to drop one of the sites due to land use changes. For several months now, Cam has been leading creek cleanups in Lawton on his own time and getting some of the general public and some local organizations involved. Here is his story:

“I started this in October of 2024 and call it Stream Clean Saturday where I go out on my own time on the last Saturday (usually) of every month, pick in a section of stream for a couple of hours (usually 10am-noon) and anyone in the public is invited to join me.

I provide what the City would usually provide volunteers such as bags, gloves and grabbers, but I also bring water and snacks for everyone. On special occasions, a friend of mine who smokes meat will make something. I haul everything to the landfill and get a weight the following Monday in my work truck. I have had anywhere from 0-50 volunteers show.

For past cleanups, I have had friends, coworkers, my former director, scouts, churches, realtors, clubs, soldiers, representatives from both the Comanche Nation and Ft. Sill/Apache Environmental programs, an elementary school, neighborhood watch and just regular citizens who do not have a group to be a part of come along. When I had the 50, about 30 were from a Ft. Sill training class.

We got 1300 lbs on that first cleanup in October of ’24.  That record stood until March of this year when we got 1360 lbs.

From October of 2024 to this past Saturday, we have a total of 14,910 lbs!”

On July 25^th, 2026, Cam led a group that cleaned up 340 lbs of trash at Wolf Creek on the south side of Gore Blvd. The group included a co-worker who brought along his son, the president of a local car club with a couple of friends in tow, and family, friends and staff from Cameron University (the university is just east of the cleanup site). 

WELL DONE Cam and local citizens of Lawton to clean up your creeks!!

What can you do in your neighborhood, city/town, watershed to make the environment better? Spread the word about your monitoring results, organize a creek cleanup, advocate with your local and state government, etc. If you’ve done work like this please let us know as we’d like to feature you/your project in our newsletter and perhaps give others ideas of what they can do in their area.

Kim Shaw
Blue Thumb QA Officer

FBT is a small nonprofit organization that was formed primarily for the benefit of helping Blue Thumb volunteers effectively monitor and educate the public about protecting streams, rivers, and lakes. FBT does this primarily by providing small grants. If you would like more information, please reach out to Board president, Terrie Becerra.

• A new resource from the Xerces Society can recommend plants that are known to be important for monarchs based on your location! Check it out here.
• Do you have a knack for poetry? Teh American Fisheries Society is putting together its first book of poetry! Learn more and submit your poetry here.
• The Every Kid Outdoors program lets 4th graders and their families get free access to hundreds of parks, lands, and waters for a whole year! Click here to learn more.
• 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