The approximately 60,000-acre refuge spans prairie, mountains and freshwater lakes and is home to species it has helped restore — notably the first 15 bison transported from the Bronx Zoo in New York in 1907 to the preserve, which has grown to 550 today.
Despite a couple of name changes over its centuries-old history, beginning before Oklahoma statehood, Refuge Supervisory Park Ranger Quinton Smith said the mission has remained the same.
"Any changes that have been made have been made to progress the ecology, the prairie landscapes, [and] wildlife species," Smith said. "So reintroduction of the bison, the elk, the otter, protection of the mixed grass prairie, reducing the amount of invasive species, [and] working on endangered species such as the black-capped vireo."
These efforts were celebrated by refugee staff and visitors during the anniversary event, who also peeked behind the curtain of the past when artifacts from a 100-year-old time capsule buried in Lost Lake were displayed. The past and present stewards of the land were also remembered during a speech by Choctaw Nation citizen Alicia Nevaquaya and a flute song performed by her partner, Timothy Tate Nevaquaya, a citizen of the Comanche Nation.
"As our nation approaches 250 years, places like this refuge remind us that the story of this land did not begin in 1776, nor in 1901, when this refuge was established," said Alicia Nevaquaya, who is also the director of development for the InterTribal Buffalo Council (ITBC). "The story stretches back thousands of years through the stewardship, wisdom and resilience of tribal peoples and conservationists whose connection to this landscape continues today."
The event spanned all aspects of time, and allowed visitors to consider life here in 100 years in a new time capsule project.
Meta Mccauley, a 66-year-old Texas resident, said she has made many memories at the refuge since she was one year old and chronicled some of the highlights in her letter for the time capsule, like the time she explored Elmer Thomas Lake with relatives.
"One time we were out there, all of us girls were, and we came face to face with the buffalo," McCauley said.
Reese Church, an 8-year-old who lives in Lawton, wrote his time capsule letter about his family's lineage and their connection to the land. It included his great-great-grandfather, who helped with the 1926 time capsule, and his cousin, who is interning at the refuge this year.
The current features of the refuge and its conservation efforts are also cataloged in a newly released documentary, created by filmmaker Peter Schiemer. The film, which will be screened in the visitor's center going forward, is a part of a larger series he worked on about wildlife refuges.
"There are 63 national parks in this country that cover about 2% of America's landmass," Schiemer said. "But wildlife refuges cover 4%, twice that much, with over 570 refuges. And there are refuges in every single state in the Union, and so Americans have far more access to them, and they need to know about them."
Both visitors from varying generations, Mccauley and Church, said they want these conservation efforts to continue.
"I hope that the funding keeps coming and that we get someone new that will fund it and get rid of the people that don't appreciate our lands," Mccauley said. "...I want my great, great grandkids to have what I had."
This report was produced by the Oklahoma Public Media Exchange, a collaboration of public media organizations. Help support collaborative journalism by donating at the link at the top of this webpage.
