Natural Resource Ecology and Management

The Wildlife Habitat Education Program is a national program sponsored by the Cooperative Extension Service and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.  The state program is sponsored by OGE Energy Corp. and the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation.

This program is designed to teach youth about the fundamentals of wildlife and habitat management.  Youth will learn to:

• Identify common wildlife foods

• Interpret wildlife habitat from aerial photographs

• Prescribe wildlife management practices

• Develop a rural wildlife management plan

• Develop an urban wildlife management plan

If you have an interest in developing a WHEP team in your area and are not sure where to start, contact Dwayne Elmore by e-mail or by calling 405-744-9636; he will be happy to arrange a training program in your area.

WHEP Manual

The WHEP manual is only available on-line.  It is available for leaders in preparing participants for contests at the district, state, and national levels. 

This manual provides concepts and activities for developing knowledge and skills in the areas stated above for management of various species of birds, mammals, fishes, amphibians, reptiles, and butterflies.  Information and promotional videos on the program are also available.

Contest Dates and Locations for 2012

WHEP events are scheduled throughout the spring and early summer in Oklahoma.  Click here for the RAM form that 4-H members are required to complete and coaches must have with them the day of the event. 

For the state contest you must pre-register your team 2 weeks prior to competing in order to participate. 

For more information on any event, contact Dwayne Elmore by e-mail or by calling 405-744-9636.

Contest Format and Rules

4-H Requirements for Oklahoma Contests:

• Competition will be divided into Junior and Senior divisions.

• Junior division members must be 9-13 years old.

• Senior division members must be 14-19 years old.

• Only Senior division members (members who have passed their 14th birthday before January 1 of the current year) are eligible to compete for the state championship and have the privilege to represent Oklahoma at the national invitational. Junior division members; however, can participate in the state contest.

• Participation in a previous contest (county, eastern, western, etc.) is not a requirement for state competition.

4-H Requirement for National Invitational:

• The first place team (3-4 members) at the State contest earns the right to represent Oklahoma at National.

NOTE: Starting in 2010, FFA teams can compete in WHEP. They will be scored separately from 4-H teams and must follow all FFA guidelines for competition. The national WHEP contest will accept the top 4-H and the top FFA team from each state.

Awards

State Contest:

• High-ranked individuals and teams will receive awards as determined by our sponsors.

• The state championship 4-H and FFA teams will each receive a travel grant of $1000 to attend the national competition.

National Contest:

• Awards are determined annually by the sponsors.

Expenses

• A travel stipend to cover a portion of the travel expenses for the national contest will be awarded to the state championship team.

• Delegates and chaperones should expect to cover a significant portion of their own travel expenses.

Training Tools

• We have the following powerpoints available:

       1) WHEP Basics

       2) Using the WHEP Manual

       3) Description of Wildlife Concepts for WHEP

• To get any of these powerpoint presentations, please email Dwayne Elmore

Sponsors

State Program: