Sustainability in Practice 

Horticulture

• Park designers preserved 300 trees original to the area and planted an additional 6,000 trees.

• Sixteen acres of prairie attract various insect, butterfly, and bird species and don’t require frequent mowing.

• Integrated Pest Management systems incorporate beneficial insects, living biological amendments, and safe, organic pesticides.

• Woody and herbaceous debris is composted.

• The Park has over 400 species of plants, many native to Oklahoma and many sourced locally.

• Perennial plants (which return every year) mitigate the consumption involved with annual plantings.

Buildings, Construction, and Materials

• Williams Lodge, ONEOK Boathouse, and the maintenance building are heated and cooled via geothermal wells, using the Earth’s natural processes to regulate indoor temperatures.

• Buildings meet LEED requirements.

• The Park’s maintenance facility is located underground for natural insulation and to reduce AC and heat demand.

• An extensive green roof on the maintenance building provides insulation and cools its surrounding area.

• Stone in the Park was regionally sourced.

• The Picnic Grove tables and upside-down trees were constructed locally from repurposed trees.

• The bench slates, decking, and light poles were made from thermally modified ash and pine.

• Two land bridges over heavily trafficked Riverside Parkway allow animal species full range of their habitat.

• The installation of check dams and plantings improved the natural wetland along the Arkansas River.

Stormwater and Irrigation

• Two underground infiltration basins in the parking lots filter out pollutants from stormwater.

• Water from Peggy’s Pond is naturally filtered in Wetland Garden before cycling into a plant watering system.

• Solar and wind powered weather system accounts for sun, temperature, and rain and adjusts water use.

Operations and Maintenance

• Recycling bins are utilized throughout the Park and in office spaces.

• LED lights, which are 85% more efficient, are used throughout the Park on a programmable Creston dimming system.

• Buildings are cleaned with ecofriendly supplies.

•  Utility cars and leaf blowers are electric.

• Shipping pallets are recycled locally and turned into engineered wood fibers on the Adventure Chapman Playground

Culinary

• Redbud Café composts coffee grounds.

• The employee break room composts food scraps.

• Redbud Café has recyclable cups, bags, and containers.

Additional Initiatives

• Electric car charging stations are available for visitors with electric vehicles.

• Shuttles to the Park are available from downtown Tulsa.

• Offices recycle batteries, ink cartridges, and electronic waste.

• A sustainability committee formed in May 2019 to increase sustainable practices in the Park and office spaces.

• VIEW SUSTAINABILITY MAP & FACT SHEET