This Earth Day, let's keep Oklahoma beautiful | TravelOK

Shelley Zumwalt
·2 min read
Volunteers help during an Earth Day cleanup event last year.
Volunteers help during an Earth Day cleanup event last year.

Anyone who has lived in Oklahoma knows that time spent outdoors is cherished. Whether fishing on one of more than 200 lakes, watching wildlife at a nature preserve or camping with the family at your favorite state park, our state’s natural resources and ecosystems are ingrained in our culture.

Gov. Kevin Stitt recently signed a proclamation declaring April 2024 as “Keep Oklahoma Beautiful Month,” an Oklahoma tradition dating back to 2016. In addition to this, Earth Day is celebrated globally on April 22 each year, making this the perfect time to remember the importance of protecting Oklahoma’s natural assets.

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Keep Oklahoma Beautiful Month was established to honor Keep Oklahoma Beautiful, an initiative that empowers Oklahomans to preserve and enhance the state’s natural beauty and ensure a healthy, sustainable environment for current and future generations.

In 2023, their Great American Cleanup participation collected over 2.3 million pounds of trash, saving Oklahoma taxpayers $6.5 million in cleanup costs, with volunteers representing 100% of all 77 counties. This year’s Great American Cleanup is in full swing through the end of May, with many Oklahoma businesses, schools and civic organizations actively taking part.

Shelley Zumwalt, executive director of the Oklahoma Department of Tourism and Recreation, helps during an Earth Day cleanup event last year.
Shelley Zumwalt, executive director of the Oklahoma Department of Tourism and Recreation, helps during an Earth Day cleanup event last year.

To celebrate Earth Day, the Oklahoma Department of Tourism and Recreation is hosting activities across the state to encourage Oklahomans to visit a state park and participate in the preservation of Oklahoma’s natural resources.

A core part of our agency’s mission is to preserve, protect and enhance Oklahoma’s natural assets, maintaining our legacy for future generations — this includes raising awareness about our state’s environment and ecosystems, as well as facilitating ways for individuals to get involved.

To champion this cause, we’re hosting events at five of our state parks on Sunday, April 21. Participating parks include Keystone State Park, Sequoyah State Park, Great Plains State Park, Lake Eufaula State Park and the Bernice Area at Grand Lake State Park.

Planting was a part of last year's Earth Day event.
Planting was a part of last year's Earth Day event.

Each park will host a range of activities for individuals to participate in — a park cleanup, educational crafts, seedling giveaways, environmental education with a park naturalist and more. Plan a stay for the weekend at the park nearest to you and join us for a day full of events. To learn more about when festivities start, check in with your local park.

With springtime in full bloom and many of us getting out to enjoy the outdoor recreation our state has to offer, I encourage us all to take time this month to reflect and invest in maintaining and sustaining this beauty for future generations of Oklahomans.

Shelley Zumwalt is the executive director of the Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department and interim secretary of tourism, wildlife and heritage.
Shelley Zumwalt is the executive director of the Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department and interim secretary of tourism, wildlife and heritage.

Shelley Zumwalt is the secretary of Tourism, Wildlife and Heritage and the executive director of the Oklahoma Department of Tourism and Recreation.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: TravelOK column: This Earth Day, let's keep Oklahoma beautiful