The central region of Oklahoma is underlain by sedimentary deposits of the Permian period, which include shales and related materials. The fine-grained materials weathered from these Permian shales are typically low to moderate plasticity clayey silts, silty clays, and clays. These fine-grained materials exhibit low to moderate shrink-swell potential with some local areas showing high shrink-swell potential. The general climate of the reghion is dry subhumid to semiarid with climatic extremes, as was the case during the summer of 2000, which was one of the driest on record. The influence of climate on the behavior of moderate to high shrink-well potential soils can be more extreme, when the influence of vegetation is added. This paper looks at the occurance of damage caused by shringking and swelling soils and the role that vegetation had in causing the problem to be more severe. Some basic physiological properties of common species of trees in the region as well as local characteristics of the soils are reviewed. Case studies of shrinking and swelling soil damage to streets and residential construction are presented and discussed