Water Conservation Program Grows In Oklahoma Cities

An Oklahoma soil and water conservation program is growing in the state's largest cities. The goal is to stop runoff in urban areas, through conservation programs targeting individual yards.

On a recent Friday, Jack Tichener, from the Tulsa Soil Conservation District, visited a yard in Glenpool to check it for the features that earn the “Yard by Yard” certification.

He’s looking for a yard that absorbs water rather than letting it runoff, uses only organic pest control, and composts waste on site.

He found it in the backyard of Jeffrey Jenkins, who started with a 10x10 plot during the pandemic and now has expanded into a full lot behind his house.

“Just a cool place to hang out, my little park oasis after a long days work,” said Jenkings.

His oasis is designed to hold water, and soil, in place, through a careful selection of plants, including clover and buckwheat and corn.

His raised beds include blackberries and squash, and outside the fence, the wildflowers are allowed to grow - to make the habitat as natural as possible.

“There's plants that are supposed to be there, so if you find out what those plants are and plant them, the insects, birds and butterflies, they'll all find you,” Titchener.

Tulsa has the most “Yard by Yard” certified plots in the state, and Oklahoma City is second, but the program is growing as more homeowners seek out ways to make their yard more natural - and naturally environmentally friendly.