The purpose of the Oklahoma Native Plant Society, organized in 1986, is to encourage the study, protection, propagation, appreciation, and use of Oklahoma's native plants. It sponsors a number of activities including field trips, a spring wildflower workshop, and a wildflower photo contest. The society also publishes a quarterly newsletter, The Gaillardia, which keeps members informed of activities and contains stories and essays about wildflowers. In addition, the society sponsors Color Oklahoma, a project dedicated to the beautification of Oklahoma's highways via the planting of wildflowers and maintenance of naturally occurring wildflower populations in rights-of-way.