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TAHLEQUAH, OK - The Cherokee Nation, Oklahoma has developed a program to work with the United States Department of Agriculture and local counties to preserve the environment for all of northeastern Oklahoma. The Cherokee Nation works with the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) to provide technical and financial assistance to the tribe and it’s individual members for conservation and preservation of land in northeastern Oklahoma.

"The Cherokee Nation has tremendous natural beauty as well as natural resources," said Chad Smith, Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation. "It’s important that we use our land and water resources wisely, to preserve their beauty and usefulness for future generations."

The Cherokee Nation has placed a priority on preserving land that is tribally owned or held in trust. The Cherokee Nation Natural Resources Department uses funds from the NRCS to build fences, establish wildlife habitat, increase grazing acres, construct ponds and plant trees.

"Those improvements don’t just help the Cherokee people," Smith said. "Everyone in northeastern Oklahoma benefits from clean air and water and a healthy wildlife population."

With many important bodies of water within its jurisdiction, the Cherokee Nation has a serious interest in preserving water quality. The Illinois and Arkansas rivers, Lake Eucha, the Grand Lake of the Cherokees, Lake Tenkiller and Fort Gibson Lake all fall within the Cherokee Nation’s borders.

"The Cherokee people have lived in this area for more than 160 years," Smith said. "We have the strongest possible attachment to the land, air and water here. That’s why we are working so hard to preserve those vital natural resources. Our people drink the water, breathe the air and live on the land."

The Cherokee Nation and NRCS work together with the Cherokee County Conservation District on natural resource assessments, conservation planning, technical assistance for conservation practices and cost share programs for conservation work.

The Cherokee Nation and NRCS also provide technical assistance to all tribal members interested in improving their land, water, plants or air. They work one-on-one with an individual to address any concerns they might have about their property and develop a conservation plan that meets the objectives and needs of individuals.

A conservation plan includes aerial photographs, soils information, grazing plans, brush management plans, wildlife habitat design, animal waste management plan, and other forms of technical assistance.

The program provides incentive payments and cost sharing up to 75 percent to complete practices that are in a site-specific conservation plan. Cost share assistance is available to individual tribal members depending on the individual’s objectives and available funds.

For more information about these conservation programs, contact the Natural Resources Conservation Service and the Cherokee Nation, phone: 918-456-0671 (ext.2652).