A new vision for Turkey Mountain
TULSA, Okla. – Changes are coming to Tulsa’s popular Turkey Mountain urban wilderness area. River Parks Authority unveiled a draft of the Turkey Mountain Master Plan on Nov. 14 as a culmination of an eight-month process creating a communitydriven vision for the future management, preservation and programming of Turkey Mountain. The draft includes four components of recommendations for Tulsa’s Urban Wilderness — restored nature, new access, sustainable trails and exciting programming.
ìfor the past eight months, we’ve gathered input from residents, park-goers and experts in the industry to create a blueprint for the future of Turkey Mountain, a place we know Tulsans love and value,î said River Parks Executive Director Matt Meyer. ìthe feedback we’ve received from the community was an integral part of this process and we thank everyone who took the time to complete our online survey and join our public input meetings. At the core of our efforts, we want to keep Turkey Mountain wild and expand its accessibility and opportunities, and we couldn’t do that without the public’s help.î
Recommendations in the draft Master Plan include solutions to current trail erosion and poor drainage, as well as wetland restoration and burn management strategies to restore the Urban Wilderness to its original landscape. Programming ideas include creating natural spaces for large gatherings, fishing, updated mountain biking trails, stream restoration and more.
ìwhat we've heard time and again is that the Tulsa community wants to keep Turkey Mountain a wild oasis within an urban setting and that is the central focus of the drafted Master Plan," said Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates (MVVA) Principal Matt Urbanski. "By expanding accessibility, implementing preservation and management strategies and diversifying programming opportunities, this Master Plan is designed to help Turkey Mountain continue to be a source of pride for this community for years to come."
By partnering with MVVA, River Parks Authority collected nearly 4,000 surveys online, hosted two public input sessions and met with numerous relevant industry experts to accurately capture input from those who regularly visit Turkey Mountain and can help ensure the Urban Wilderness remains a treasure for years to come.