A creek winds across rolling hills, dotted by trees. A blue sky can be seen in the distance. — Sand Creek Skyline Trees dot the landscape of Oklahoma's Sand Creek Ranch, located in the Red Hills. © Chris Hise

Introducing Sand Creek Ranch

The 5,000-acre property joins TNC in Oklahoma’s conservation portfolio.

February 19, 2025

The Nature Conservancy in Oklahoma (TNC) is pleased to announce the acquisition of Sand Creek Ranch, a 5,000-acre property located in the Red Hills of Harper County. A focal landscape within the Southern High Plains, a 71-million-acre region connecting five Great Plains states, Sand Creek Ranch encompasses untilled grasslands, perennial streams and habitat for imperiled species like the federally threatened lesser prairie chicken. With rolling hills, shallow canyons and gypsum outcrops—much like TNC’s Four Canyon Preserve—it provides an important linkage to other protected lands nearby.

The purchase of Sand Creek Ranch represents an opportunity to support our land protection goal of two million acres while securing an intact network of grasslands across the Southern High Plains. The region is rich in biodiversity and home to six endangered species, 10 threatened species and several grassland bird species experiencing population decline. Species observed on the property include Texas horned lizard, black-tailed jackrabbit, northern bobwhite, northern harrier, upland sandpiper and more. We hope to detect the federally threatened lesser prairie chicken this spring via listening surveys. With two nearby lek sites active within the last five years, the prospect is certainly an exciting one.

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When it comes to natural climate solutions, this property represents a major victory for people and nature alike. Sand Creek Ranch has the potential to effectively capture and store tons of carbon underground, thanks to its vast and interconnected system of grasses—some of which have roots reaching to 10 feet underground. The Southern High Plains region is a carbon storage powerhouse, with an estimated sequestration potential of 12.5 million tons.

Thanks to the commitment of conservationists like you, we’re able to take an ambitious, research-backed approach to land protection—all in support of the lands and waters on which all life depends. TNC intends to protect Sand Creek Ranch in perpetuity through a land protection agreement, ensuring that this site remains open and wild forever.