Transcript Outdoor Writer

Pontotoc Ridge is no Cleveland County ranch: at the northern tip of the Arbuckle Mountains, it is hilly, full of limestone ridges exposed to the elements but with fertile fields between, laced with Crosstimbers trees. It all started with a call from The Nature Conservancy: "We're checking out a property that is available for purchase. Can you come and help?" That was nearly 20 years ago, and I was newly retired. I was eager to go.

After the lengthy legal work, the Ridge was transferred to TNC, a manager found, and I began to use it as a field-trip site. The Native Plant Society was happy to have this beautiful place to explore, and I took friends, family members and others as well. Then came another call from TNC: "We need a scientific survey of the plants. Will you organize it?"

A scientific survey is different from a field trip. A friend at the herbarium, Forrest Johnson, offered to talk with his co-workers at his other job with the Oklahoma Biological Survey. The Survey agreed to provide support for the effort, including the use of a four-wheel-drive pickup -- essential on the roadless preserve.

All during the growing season in 1997 we made regular visits, collecting and making notes. I tried to get a macro picture of each species, and did get quite a few. But collecting is just the fun part of making a survey. The scientific part was done at the Bebb Herbarium, in OU's botany department. As I work only one day a week, Forrest did most of the identification and verification. It was nearly another year before all were processed, labeled, and mounted. A final report was sent to TNC, and we could turn to other duties.

Something happened while we worked: we fell in love with the place and its inhabitants. I went back time after time in the following years, leading field trips for the Oklahoma Native Plant Society or for TNC, and sometimes just to get a better picture of some special plant.

Years and other duties intervened. It has been three years since I last visited the 'Ridge. Jim Erwin suffered a disabling accident and has retired. Last week Jona Tucker, the new manager there, called inviting me to come for an introductory tour. Would I? I'd jump at the chance.

Last year's heavier than average rainfall has restored the big spring, which had been dry at my last visit. The pink mayapples have bloomed and already are setting seed, but there are a few white ones still around. Every stop became a memory trip. I would exclaim "oh, here is where Forrest took the forested runoff channel, and I took the rocky ridge, and we worked toward the trail in the middle." This year we found Oklahoma penstemon on almost the first stop, and when we stopped for a white flower, we found blue flax and Valerianella and Xyris hiding in its midst.

Most of the Dodecatheon (shooting-star) plants in Oklahoma bloom white. They're beautiful that way. But in the 'Ridge they are pink. All kinds of pink, from birthday-cake pink to blush pink to fuchsia. And they were all blooming on this May day.

Jona is as excited and interested as I'd hoped she would be, and has studied plant taxonomy in college. She has beautiful pictures of her own, digital and accessible on her computer screen, and pretends to need my help in getting the right names on them. Some young people absolutely make up for the difficulties of getting old, and none more than one who will let you pass along what you have learned. Jona is like that. I think I'll go back, often.

After more than 10 years of rest from the relentless cattle, the 'Ridge is a wild place, with the woods increasing, the streams flowing, deer and wild turkeys at every turn, grass so high it needs a burn, if there is ever a good day for it. A vulture checks us out, decides we're not ripe yet, and goes on. We hopscotch through a shallow travertine stream looking for aquatic life, but the life saw us coming and hid. Sadly, the human race has a bad reputation among the wild places.

Anyone may see Pontotoc Ridge, but as it is not a park, you must contact The Nature Conservancy office in Tulsa for admission. I'm too tired to lead field trips any more, so a guide likely will be necessary. You don't have to go there, though, to appreciate the assurance that here and there in the world, a few of The Last Great Places are being cared for, preserved, loved.