Tucked away in northern Oklahoma, and surprisingly unknown to many people, sits the largest protected piece of tallgrass prairie left on earth.
In 1989, a fledgling chapter of The Nature Conservancy took a gigantic leap of faith and turned a dream to conserve a significant piece of tallgrass prairie into a concrete reality.
“It’s pretty amazing that this happened,” recalls Harvey Payne, Tallgrass Prairie Preserve Community Relations Coordinator. “A lot of people never thought we’d get to see something like this. And now we have a 40,000-acre preserve with nearly 2,500 bison and a restored tallgrass prairie ecosystem.”
The significance and unique landscape of the Joseph H. Williams Tallgrass Prairie Preserve have continued to inspire others. Ten years ago, Delores and Jerry Etter were reintroduced to the magic of the prairie while on a tour with Harvey. Growing up in nearby Shidler, Delores knew the history of the area and small surrounding towns, but it wasn’t until that tour and subsequent visits that it began to hold new meaning.
“I never really appreciated the beauty of the prairie until I went back and spent some time on the preserve,” says Delores. “At first glance, you may not see it, but as you spend time, you begin to see all the uniqueness.”
Growing up in Tulsa, Jerry got to know the prairie through Delores. It’s the only place he’s ever seen that has returned to its original state. Combined with the bison, cultural significance and the natural beauty of the land itself, the preserve is one of a kind. All of this uniqueness makes the Etters passionate about being part of the preserve and ensuring its stewarded for generations to come.
“Delores and Jerry are truly conservation champions of the Tallgrass Prairie Preserve. Their generosity and love of the prairie have enabled us to purchase a critical inholding, make much needed improvements to the Preserve’s infrastructure and much more.”
“We want to be part of the preserve, not only because of our physical connection to the area but also because the cultural story the land tells, you really feel that sense of history—it takes you back in time,” says Jerry.
Since that initial visit, the Etters have shown unwavering dedication to the Joseph H. Williams Tallgrass Prairie Preserve and supported a variety of projects, including fencing upgrades, critical pond cleanup and a new multi-use drone for aerial imagery. They often ask Harvey and Bob Hamilton to send a list of what projects they’d like to see funded. After the annual bison roundup in November 2025, work began on the Etter’s new funding project, which will focus on corral and pen upgrades to ensure more safety for both the cowboys and bison.
Preserving Tallgrass Prairie Research for Future Generations
As one of the world’s most valuable ecosystems, the Tallgrass Prairie Preserve has long been an excellent area for research. With this in mind, and as a former professor, Delores Etter began to think about how to connect their funding work with research projects.
Five years ago, she and her husband established the Delores and Jerry Etter Graduate Research Scholarship Fund to support students seeking master’s and doctoral degrees while working on research related to the preserve. Most recently, they developed a faculty fellowship for long-term tallgrass prairie research. This combination of support for graduate and faculty research ensures future generations will know and love the prairie for decades to come.
“We wanted to provide a faculty member with four years of funding to really help with their research, including a salary stipend and discretionary funds. What can be done in one year is important. But, to see true trends, four years of research is necessary.” —
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