Feb 20th River Parks Authority invited several groups to meet with representatives from the George Kaiser Family Foundation and Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates, Inc to participate in round table discussions of what we would like to see as a future for Turkey Mountain.

One of these groups was the Tulsa Urban Wilderness Coalition. First we wanted to make sure that those in the room were aware of who the TUWC is: We are the voices of the collective trail users. We carefully selected members of the TUWC to round out the input alongside the Board of Directors at this meeting. This included educators, cyclists, hikers, runners, birders, and scout leaders. While as usual our individual ideas vary a few things remained constant.

• First and foremost we want to keep Turkey Mountain as a wild space. We were reassured to hear that the two reps from MVVA were also avid outdoor recreation folks.
• We want our trails to stay multi-use trails with as little manicuring as possible. We love our technical trails and relish in the challenges it provides. This being said as most trails were not planned out, many of them are prone to very bad erosion, and we are aware that in order to have more sustainable trails we may need to close and re-route here and there.
• Dedicated staff to implement a woodland management system. Currently there is no one solely tasked with the care and work that goes into Turkey Mountain. Much of the work is done by volunteers. In order to keep the trails in good repair and also care for park patrons we see a need for a dedicated staff.

From our inception the TUWC has asked our members one simple question: “What would you like to see us accomplish in the future?” We took this data and compiled it into categories and were able to present these to MVVA for consideration.

We are not stopping there. Please provide input on the web here . March 7 is a public town hall meeting that we encourage you to make plans to attend. If you have TUWC apparel we encourage you to wear it. If you haven’t purchased yours yet, you can order here (the shop is local and the owner is a trail user too).

All future meetings and details are available on the TUWC Calendar of course we will also be sending out notices about the meetings on Facebook and Instagram as well.

One last thing, if you haven’t joined the TUWC we would like to extend the invitation here and now. Our dues are $5 annually and are  for the calendar year Jan 1 thru Dec 31 and expire each year. It is a very simple process and keeps you in the know. This is how we fund our trail work days. It may sound inexpensive but it is not. We are required to carry insurance to do the work we are known for.

Click here to become a member.

With Thursday’s news of land donations to Turkey Mountain, it’s important to take a long view back to what made this happen. In addition to lands donated by the city of Tulsa to the Tulsa River Parks Authority, the George Kaiser Family Foundation donated even more, bringing the total to around 400 acres. These donations triple River Parks Authority’s land inventory at Turkey Mountain.

 
GKFF has been a forward-thinking entity when it comes to preserving land at Turkey Mountain, buying up parcels for well over a decade. It has been patient, waiting for the city to commit to a vision for the area that dates back to the late 1970s – to keep that section of land along the Arkansas River as wild and free as possible, for the purpose of giving Tulsans a place to enjoy the outdoors in a natural setting.

 
The trend has been heading that way. Plans for an outlet mall on Turkey Mountain’s western edge were loudly rejected by the public, and the city listened. The land was included in the latest Vision Tulsa sales tax package, taking it off the market.

 
Next came dealing with the inherent instability of Turkey Mountain’s land leases. Monthly lease terms meant the possibility existed that lands leased to RPA could be wild one month, then developed commercially the next. A master lease program has ended that, providing a more stable and clear future for Turkey Mountain.

 
And now we have Thursday’s land donation, the moment that GKFF and many other advocates for Turkey Mountain have been waiting for. A hodgepodge of public and private land holdings is now being further unified, which will give planners the needed certainty that Turkey Mountain can be a long-term site for outdoor recreation.

 
For years, Turkey Mountain has been a magnet for mountain bikers, runners, hikers and nature enthusiasts. We now have greater assurance that this quality-of-life asset will remain so for the foreseeable future. Turkey Mountain serves as an important site for preserving the health of the city’s air and water, and is a major asset in the area’s promising outdoor recreation economy.

 
Thursday’s news is good for all Tulsans, now and in the future. For this, we owe the George Kaiser Family Foundation no small amount of gratitude. Its long-term thinking is paying off.

As another year draws to a close it is important to look back at what we have accomplished to better plan our goals for the new year. While we reflected the one thing that stuck with us was how much commitment Tulsa is showing to a renewed sense of community. A deep desire to be outdoors and a measurable value in what we have. Tulsa, again you leave us happy and speechless. Thank you.

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