Oklahoma contains a vast array of ecosystems due to the variability in soils, climatic conditions, altitude, and land use

The Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture awarded Oklahoma State University $1,325,438 under the Cooperative Forestry Research (McIntire-Stennis) program on October 1, 2025.

The funding supports research to design and develop sustainable, economical, and environmentally sound management methods for Oklahoma's natural resources, including forests, wildlife, rangelands, soils, lakes, and streams. The research addresses ecosystem degradation, habitat fragmentation, climate variability, and increased risks from floods, droughts, extreme temperatures, storms, and wildfires that affect human safety, agricultural production, and native plant and animal populations. Expected outcomes will enhance efficient use of Oklahoma's natural resources and environmental resiliency, with benefits intended primarily for Oklahoma citizens and potentially for neighboring states where resulting management practice changes prove relevant.

Work is performed in Stillwater, Oklahoma, with a period of performance from October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2027. The McIntire-Stennis program distributes funds to state-certified forestry research institutions to increase research in forestland production, utilization, and protection, and to train future forestry scientists.

Management of natural resources is significantly affected by ecosystem degradation and loss of services, land use changes and habitat fragmentation, and climate variability. Oklahoma has commonly been affected by severe weather, resulting in increased risks to human safety, agricultural production, and shifts in natural communities of plants and animals. The recent number and severity of floods, droughts, extreme temperatures, storms, and wildfires in oklahoma will pose a challenge to human health and to native populations of plants and animals, as well as create habitat conditions more conducive to invasive species. Oklahoma's land, air and water resources and wildlife (i.e., forests, wild animal and plant populations, rangeland, soils, lakes and streams) provide benefits for all oklahomans. Activities to be performed include research conducted to design and develop management methods to use natural resources that are sustainable, economical and environmentally sound. Expected outcomes will include results that will positively impact the efficient use of oklahoma's natural resources that enhance environmental resiliency. The intended beneficiaries of the research activities will be the citizens of the state of oklahoma primarily as well as those citizens in our neighboring states where our resulting changes in practices might be relevant