Come He-ck or High Water: TUWC Is Committed to Keystone Ancient Forest!

After one too many attempts to host trail work days at Keystone Ancient Forest that have been thwarted by dreadful weather conditions, the TUWC board of directors is taking a bold stand. We are planning a work day at KAF, but if conditions force our hand, our fallback will be an education day on the patio. One thing is clear—we will not bail on this site!

A Bold Commitment

Determined not to let weather dictate our mission, TUWC is set on making our presence felt at Keystone Ancient Forest. Whether it’s a hands-on work day or an engaging education day, we are committed to protecting and enhancing this beloved natural space.

Pivot!!!

Our primary goal remains the same: to come together as a community to care for our trails. And if Mother Nature isn’t on our side for physical work, we’re ready to pivot to an educational event that will still bring our community together to learn and share best practices in trail stewardship.

Looking Ahead

Stay tuned for more details as we finalize plans. Rain or shine, TUWC is here to stay—and we’re making sure Keystone Ancient Forest gets the attention and care it deserves. Join us as we redefine what it means to work together for our environment!

10AM – Noon

Meet at the Keystone Ancient Forest Visitor Center

160 Ancient Forest Dr. Sand Springs, OK 74063

What to bring / wear:

Tools (optional)

***** Should you bring personal tools please clearly label them so you can make it home with what you brought.

*******note – we do not expect any one volunteer to provide everything on this list, pick one or two things

• • Gloves

• • Lopper/Pruner (with your name on them)

• • Hand saw (non-power like a bow saw or folding saw) and small Axe/Hatchet

Project list:

9AM – Noon

Meet at the Keystone Ancient Forest Visitor Center

160 Ancient Forest Dr.
Sand Springs, OK 74063

What to bring / wear:

Tools (optional)

***** Should you bring personal tools please clearly label them so you can make it home with what you brought.

*******note – we do not expect any one volunteer to provide everything on this list, pick one or two things

• Gloves

• Lopper/Pruner (with your name on them)
• Hand saw (non-power like a bow saw or folding saw) and small Axe/Hatchet

Project list:

Join us for a “Walk in the Forest”

Hosted by:

Oklahoma Division of the Ouachita Society of American Foresters

Oklahoma Forestry Services

Tulsa Parks

OSU Dept. of Natural Resource Ecology & Management

When: 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m., on Saturday, October 12 th
Where: Oxley Nature Center at 6700 Mohawk Blvd, Tulsa, OK 74115
Cost: Free!

What is “Walk in the Forest” all about? Professional foresters and natural
resource specialists will have several interesting and informative stations set up along a
short trail through the woods at Oxley Nature Center. There will be educational and
hands-on activities focused on topics like forest ecosystems, soil and water health, life
cycles of trees, careers in forestry and conservation, and so much more! Walk in the
Forest is part of a national campaign coordinated by the Society of American Foresters
and the American Forest Foundation. This is a family-friendly, fun for all ages event,
and we would love to see you!

The “Walk in the Forest” will take about an hour if you stop at each station and get
involved in each activity, but you can walk at your own pace and spend any amount of
time that you desire. There are options to walk additional trails for those eager and
willing.

Educational brochures and other cool giveaways will also be available while supplies
last.

Partnering Organizations: Tulsa County Parks, Tulsa Urban Wilderness
Coalition, Tulsa Health Department, Blue Thumb

Questions? Need more information? Contact:
Bryan Murray, Oklahoma Division Chairman, Society of American Foresters

405-744-6805; bryan.murray@okstate.edu

To learn more about the Society of American Foresters go to www.safnet.org.
Bring family! Bring friends! See you at the forest!

Tulsa Urban Wilderness Coalition is known for being an informed and activated group of volunteers and community members who come together to preserve, honor, and restore our natural areas, trails, and wilderness. As a fellow trail user, I find myself sometimes focused on the physical path made by my predecessors guiding me to a place in Nature scenic and treasured. I can admire the substrate my feet pass over under a canopy of a Post Oak forest, tall grasses, and small yellow-spotted butterflies dancing together battling wind with each wing-beat. While the trail is a path to such destinations, the native inhabitants of this area look upon us in this Spring season on a journey all of their own. Let us learn of their journey and allow me to introduce you to some of this season’s finest urban wilderness wildlife.

In this photo, six Tufted titmouse (Baeolophus bicolor) hatchlings are nested inside a utility pole, discovered during the installation of new lines. Utility companies will often separate the nest-cavity from the rest of the pole to preserve and protect the nest site. Their thoughtful black eyes wait for the sound of their mother’s call ‘peter-peter-peter’ before returning with nourishment.

Above, you can see the efforts of maintenance staff to seed areas with native wildflowers over the Winter season. The blooms of that labor contribute to the sustainability and beauty of our region, where the Common Buckeye (Junonia coenia) butterfly visits Oklahoma’s state wildflower, Indian blanket (Gaillardia pulchella). Mistletoe (Viscum album) with its white blooms served as the first state flower for 108 years until 2004. In 2004, the hybrid tea rose, ‘Rosa Oklahoma’ became our current state flower. 

In our final images, we see the new life that Spring brings to our urban wilderness. Black vultures (Coragyps atratus) are one of many bird species that mate for life, often returning to successful nest sites each year. Preferring nest sites in the cracks and crevices of large rocks, the lower image is that of one new black vulture hatchling, fuzzy with the tell-tale black beak. A parent of this baby vocalized in their language to mind our distance. 

As we use our trails, may we be reminded that our animal and plant neighbors find their home under the same canopy we enjoy. Though we use the trail for different reasons, we can come together for the love of our wild urban neighbors, sharing the brilliant ecology that makes Northeast Oklahoma so rich and beautiful in diverse life.

Photos were taken along trails at Chandler Park, Tulsa by Patrick T. Hayes, April, 2024.

9AM – Noon

• Come prepared to work
• Crews will be very spread out

What to bring / wear:

Tools (optional)

***** Should you bring personal tools please clearly label them so you can make it home with what you brought.

*******note – we do not expect any one volunteer to provide everything on this list, pick one or two things

• Gloves

• Lopper/Pruner (with your name on them)
• Hand saw (non-power like a bow saw or folding saw) and small Axe/Hatchet

Project list: