McCurtain County Wilderness Area
Encyclopedia
The McCurtain County Wilderness Area is a 14087 acres (5,700.8 ha) wilderness nature preserve 25 miles north of Broken Bow, Oklahoma
. It has been owned by the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation
since 1918 It was designated a National Natural Landmark
in December 1974 for its excellent example of a xeric upland oak
-pine
forest.
and Bald Eagle
. It was nominated as an Important Bird Area in 2008 by the Audubon Society
There were over 359 species of plants in the area.
34.281971°N 94.696655°W
Broken Bow, Oklahoma
Broken Bow is a city in McCurtain County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 4,230 at the 2000 census. It is named after Broken Bow, Nebraska, the former hometown of the city's founders, the Dierks brothers.-History:...
. It has been owned by the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation
Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation
The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation is an agency of the state of Oklahoma responsible for managing and protecting Oklahoma's wildlife population and their habitats. The Department is under the control of the Wildlife Conservation Commission, an 8-member board appointed by the Governor...
since 1918 It was designated a National Natural Landmark
National Natural Landmark
The National Natural Landmark program recognizes and encourages the conservation of outstanding examples of the natural history of the United States. It is the only natural areas program of national scope that identifies and recognizes the best examples of biological and geological features in...
in December 1974 for its excellent example of a xeric upland oak
Oak
An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus Quercus , of which about 600 species exist. "Oak" may also appear in the names of species in related genera, notably Lithocarpus...
-pine
Pine
Pines are trees in the genus Pinus ,in the family Pinaceae. They make up the monotypic subfamily Pinoideae. There are about 115 species of pine, although different authorities accept between 105 and 125 species.-Etymology:...
forest.
Description
The Area is in the southern section of the Ouachita Uplift and ranged from 575 feet (175.3 m) to 1363 feet (415.4 m) in elevation. It receives 47.5 inches (120.7 cm) of rain annually, the highest amount in the state.Wildlife
There are over 110 bird species have been identified in the area, including the endangered Red-cockaded WoodpeckerRed-cockaded Woodpecker
The Red-cockaded Woodpecker is a woodpecker found in southeastern North America.- Description :About the size of the Northern Cardinal, it is approximately 8.5 in. long, with a wingspan of about 14 in. and a weight of about 1.5 ounces...
and Bald Eagle
Bald Eagle
The Bald Eagle is a bird of prey found in North America. It is the national bird and symbol of the United States of America. This sea eagle has two known sub-species and forms a species pair with the White-tailed Eagle...
. It was nominated as an Important Bird Area in 2008 by the Audubon Society
There were over 359 species of plants in the area.
Visiting
There is a short 1 mile nature trail, but further exploration of the east side of the reservoir requires advance permission.External links
34.281971°N 94.696655°W