December 31, 2019 Issue, Page 12 of 17

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Agriculture (is Tuesday, ccember 31, 2019 The Elk City News, Elk City, Oklahoma Page 5 Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department to celebrate new year with first day hikes across state on Jan. 1 will take approximately 45 Foss State Park, Foss: easy, 2.2-mile walk along minutes. 918-465-2565 Meet at the Cedar Point the paved cart path below McGee Creek State Park, shelter at 2 p.m. for a moder- the Pensacola Dam. 918- Atoka: Meet at 1 p.m. at T- ate, 2-mile hike on the Great 435-8727 Hill in the park for an easy, Western Trail. 580-592-4433 Greenleaf State Park, 1.4-mile walk through the Great Plains State Park, Braggs: Meet at 10 a.m. at Welcome HearttoHealthy Foss State TellPark's Potapo Campground. 580- Mountain Park: Meet at the the park office for an easy, 889-5822 park office at 10 a.m. for a 1-mile hike along the paved Southern and Central moderate, 5-mile hike on the Family Fun Trail. 918-487- Oklahoma Healthy Heart and Nature 5196 Lake Murray State Park, Trail. 580-569-2032 Sequoyah State Park, Hul- Ardmore: Meet at the Na- Roman Nose State Park, bert: Two different hikes are ture Center at 11 a.m. for an Watonga: Meet at noon in scheduled. The 11:30 a.m. easy-to-moderate, 1.5-mile the lodge lobby for a moder- hike is an easy, 1-mile hike. hike along the Nature Center ate, 3-mile hike to Inspira- The 1:30 p.m. hike is a mod- Loop. 580-223-4044 tion Point. 800-892-8690. erate, 2-mile hike. Follow- Lake Thunderbird State Northeastern Oklahoma ing each event, participants Park, Norman: Meet at 11 Keystone State Park, Man- are invited to enjoy warm a.m. at the Discovery Cove nford: Meet at the park of- refreshments at Three Forks Nature Center for three dif- fice. The first hike begins at Nature Center. Bring your ferent hikes. The first will 12:01 a.m., and the second own mug and help us reduce Hikers at Foss State Park in Foss take guests on the Nature begins at 10:30 am. The waste! 918-772-2108. provided by Oklahoma State Parks. Trail while the second will moderate, 1.25-mile hikes Hikers should remember take guests on a paved, ac- will be held on the Rangers OKLAHOMA CITY — to the state parks for this Center for an easy, 1-mile cessible trail. The third hike Pass Trail. Afterwards, hik- to wear weather-appropriate In keeping with an annual event.” hike along the Forest Heri- is across the dam. 405-360- ers can enjoy coffee and hot clothing and comfortable tradition, Oklahoma State Nineteen state parks will tage Center Tree Trail. 580- 3572. chocolate. 918-865-4991 shoes. Bring a camera or Parks will again host First host hikes on New Year’s 494-6300 Western Oklahoma Osage Hills State Park, binoculars for wildlife view- Day Hikes on Wednesday, Day. Park staff and volun- Lake Eufaula State Park, Alabaster Caverns State Pawhuska: Meet at the ball ing, and don’t forget water Jan. 1, 2020. The free, guid- teers will lead the free hikes. Eufaula: Meet at 10 a.m. Park, Freedom: Meet at the field at midnight for the first and snacks. Pets on leash are ed hikes present an oppor- For information on the in- at the Visitor Center for an park office at 10 a.m. for an hike. A second hike will welcome at most hikes. Par- tunity to begin the new year dividual parks, visit Trav- easy, 1.5 mile hike on the easy, 1/2-mile hike on the be held at 1 p.m. The easy, ticipating Oklahoma State on a healthy perspective by elOK.com. Chinkapin Trail. 918-689- cavern trail. 580-621-3381 1-mile hikes will be along Parks are offering hot choc- getting outdoors, connecting First Day Hikes will be 5311 Boiling Springs State the Creek Loop Trail. 918- olate and warm beverages with nature and promoting held in the following Okla- Robbers Cave State Park, Park, Woodward: Meet at 2 336-5635 after completion of the hikes year-round recreation. homa State Parks: Wilburton: Two separate p.m. at the trailhead of the Bernice Area at Grand and encourage visitors to “The First Day Hikes con- Southeastern Oklahoma hikes will be held simultane- Scout Trail for a moderate, Lake State Park, Bernice: stay and explore other areas tinue to be a great resource Arrowhead Area at Lake ously. Meet at Community 1-mile hike. 580-256-7664 Meet at 11 a.m. at the nature or enjoy the quiet beauty of for our guests and state park Eufaula State Park, Canadi- Room #1 at 9:30 a.m. and Fort Cobb State Park, Fort center for an easy, 1-mile the parks in the wintertime. personnel to gather in the an: Meet at the park office at choose from two different Cobb: Meet at 9:30 a.m. at hike along the paved Heart In the event of inclement fresh air and beautiful sur- 10 a.m. for a moderate, 1/2- hikes. The moderate-to- the Eagles’ Nest Pavilion Healthy Trail. 918-257- weather, information about roundings of the parks,” said mile hike on the Trivia Trail. strenuous Mountain Trail at CS2530 and Eagle View 8330. cancellation of hikes will Oklahoma State Parks Di- 918-339-2204 is three miles long and will Road for a moderate, 3-mile Grand Cherokee Golf be available by calling the rector Kris Marek. “We en- Beavers Bend State Park, take approximately 2 hours hike on the Western Oaks Course at Grand Lake State state park listed or checking joy making new friends and Broken Bow: Meet at 11 to complete. The 1-mile Heart Healthy Trail. 405- Park, Langley: Meet at 2 Facebook.com/OklahomaS- meeting those who come a.m. at the Forest Heritage Outdoor Classroom hike 643-2249 p.m. at the pro shop for an tateParks. Tribal Soil Climate Analysis Network projects of Oklahoma tribes providing benefits for today and tomorrow A breeze sways the mares- number one in soil health,” ma. Dr. Crouch has played a systems. Management of tions and resulting data will “Our Tribal lands are inex- tail weeds and pushes past Hart said. “We believe that key role in assisting with this water availability is one of be supported by the tribes tricably linked to our history the bunchy little bluestem, everything starts with the project. The Cheyenne and the primary issues surround- Department of Natural and and culture. The TSCAN side-oats grama and switch- soils and if we take care of Arapaho Tribes, the Chero- ing agricultural production. Water Resources (DNR / program is a unique partner- grass. the soils, we'll get good veg- kee Nation and the Choctaw Weather variables, such as DWR), USDA, NRCS, BIA ship that ensures we are ap- Nathan Hart, business di- etation, good plant material Nation have TSCAN units. rainfall, soil moisture, and and United States Forest propriately evaluating and rector for the Cheyenne and which translates to the ani- “These TSCAN units will soil temperature, are key to Service. (USFS). The USDA monitoring soil health and Arapaho Tribes, stands near mals and of course the ani- be valuable tools to expand proper management and tim- Hubs will play a key out- climate conditions, which is the pointed tips of a yucca mals provide food for us. So the interest for our American ing of operational decisions. reach role in this area. fundamentally important to and on top of the dry High our philosophy is everything Indian youth in the field of In limited locations, tribes “The life and culture of current and future genera- Plains soil. starts in the soil. Having the science, technology, engi- have benefited from having the Choctaw Nation has al- tions of Cherokee Citizens,” Hart is thinking about the ability to monitor your soils neering and mathematics access to advanced weather ways had strong ties to the said Chad Harsha, Secretary question of, “What does this and particularly by precipi- (STEM),” Dr. Crouch said. information from stations in- land. We see our participa- of Natural Resources, Cher- weather, soil and climate tation, everything else in the “This includes training on stalled on their lands. tion in TSCAN as a learning network project called the soils is vitally important to okee Nation. how valuable the units will In terms of education, the tool for our students, par- The benefits to the TSCAN Tribal Soil Climate Analysis us.” be in forecasting climate weather stations will also ticularly at Jones Academy, Network (TSCAN) mean to TSCAN was initiated in conditions to Elders, tribal serve as a focal point for and a research tool to guide program are so far-reaching. your tribes?” He was stand- 2017 to provide improved members and local produc- education of tribal youth us- our efforts with soil health. For example, during in- ing just a few feet from the soil climate data to tribes ers.” ing the STEM model. STEM TSCAN monitors “the place stallation of the unit, NRCS unit that was being installed in underserved locations “By participating in this where things grow — Nan took the opportunity to dig is an interdisciplinary and this past summer only around the U.S. Goals of the project we can also furnish applied learning approach Awaya” and ties our past a T-shaped trench. The pur- about five miles from the Project are to provide local- other data on the climate to to integrate these four dis- to the promise of the fu- pose was to take a closer, Oklahoma-Texas state line ized soil and climate data to all the other institutions, re- ciplines into a cohesive and ture,” states Donna Loper, literally deeper, look at this near Reydon in Roger Mills selected tribes for agricultur- searchers and to the public, real-world application. Age- Executive Director of Land land and then be able to save County. al and forestry management and that is important to us,” appropriate STEM K-12 Title and Natural Resources, this along with information “We are on the far western decisions, strengthen tribal Hart said. “We believe in a education and demonstra- Choctaw Nation of Okla- about other areas, near and side of our Cheyenne and outreach to support produc- system of reciprocity, we all tions using the weather sta- homa. far. Arapaho original Reserva- tion management as well as share with each other and tion, on an allotment called STEM (Science Technology people will share with us.” the Ora Woods Allotment,” Engineering and Math) edu- The BIA and NRCS com- he said of the tribe’s far- cation, and connect tribes bined their technical and thest west property in Okla- with local entities — United financial resources through homa. “This combines both States Department of Ag- an Interagency Reimburs- our heritage and the future. riculture Natural Resourc- able Agreement to purchase We do have a focus on our es Conservation Service and deploy 30 Soil Climate youth. We understand the (USDA NRCS), the Bureau Analysis Network (SCAN) importance of Sciences and of Indian Affairs (BIA), weather stations to eligible Mathematics. That’s what and partners — to build and Tribes and Nations to sup- we want to encourage our strengthen partnerships and port agricultural operations © Sending a dazzling array of well wishes youth to move towards. So alliances both locally and and STEM education. In ad- @ your way for the coming year: Health, with this particular project nationally. dition the NRCS is working happiness, peace, prosperity, friendship we want to get our youth Gary O'Neill, Oklahoma with three tribal partners to and fun, just to name a few! involved so they understand NRCS State Conservation- assist with outreach, educa- what we’re doing out here ist, said, “We are both excit- tion and community capac- Thank you for helping to make 2019 with all the data that is being ed and honored to be a part ity building. a successful year for us. We couldn't do collected and how that is be- of the TSCAN projects. The Native Americans are lo- it without the support of great friends ing used. Maybe it will en- potential for conservation cated across the U.S. (34 and customers like all of you. courage some of our youth states and 567 federally rec- nN KTS AUTO GLASS benefits to both current and to move into these various future generations is tremen- ognized Indian tribes) and fields in an area with the dous.” many are involved in agri- weather or soil science.” There are now three culture as they always have Hart went on to provide a TSCAN units on tribal land been. These tribal producers more detailed explanation of in Oklahoma, said Dr. Carol require adequate decision Serving a 100 mile radius of Willow, Oklahoma + We come to you! the importance of the soil. Crouch, USDA NRCS State support tools to maintain “We are very interested Tribal Liaison for Oklaho- productive and profitable [email protected] * 580-291-3786 »* Owner-Kristofer Schell!