In the 1990’s a national coalition of nearly 3,000 organizations including hunting,
angling, and conservation groups formed to advocate increased federal funding for
the conservation or rare wildlife and their habitats. This continuing effort is
known as Teaming with Wildlife. In response, Congress established the State Wildlife
Grants Program. To ensure efficient use of State Wildlife Grants, Congress required
each state to develop a comprehensive wildlife conservation strategy for conserving
biodiversity. Initiated in 2003 and approved in August 2005, the Nebraska Natural
Legacy Project was a grassroots effort lead by the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission
and developed with the assistance of a variety of partners that included farm, ranch,
and sportsmen groups, conservation agencies (including Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory)
and the public. The Legacy Project, or Plan, attempts to conserve Nebraska’s full
array of biodiversity by reversing the decline of rare species and ensuring that
common species stay common. Nebraska went the extra mile in their state plan by
including strategies for increasing environmental education and nature-based recreation
in the state. The Plan recognized that knowledgeable citizens are better stewards
of the land and make wise, long-term political decisions regarding conservation.
Encouraging Nebraskans to participate in hunting, fishing, hiking, bird watching
and other nature-related activities will build appreciation for nature and provide
economic diversification. The Legacy Plan identified 40 Biologically Unique Landscapes
(BUL’s) – areas with intact native plant communities, waterways or concentrations
of rare species – on which to focus statewide conservation efforts. If you live
in or near the Nebraska Panhandle, you also live in or very near one of several
biologically unique landscapes (shown below). Conservation of these unique landscapes
is expected to conserve the vast majority of wildlife species in the state.
In response to the Legacy Plan and the identification of several BUL’s in the Nebraska
Panhandle, Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory (RMBO) and the Nebraska Game and Parks
Commission joined forces to form the Nebraska Prairie Partners (NPP). NPP has staff
across the panhandle which delivers on all aspects of RMBO’s mission from Research
and Monitoring to Environmental Education and Outreach to on the ground Stewardship
of resources. The Coordinating Wildlife Biologist is available to assist landowners
with habitat development on private lands. Projects are designed to benefit wildlife,
particularly species of conservation concern, while maintaining a profitable farming
or ranching lifestyle. Prairie habitat conservation and enhancement on public and
private lands is vital for the long-term conservation of the shortgrass ecological
community. Historically, Nebraska’s native vegetation was principally prairie. The
Nebraska Panhandle, with an annual precipitation of around 12 inches, was home to
mixed and shortgrass prairie. Dominant plants in the prairies included needle-and-thread,
blue grama, buffalo grass, blackroot sedge, and numerous wind flowers. Wildlife
was abundant, including large grazers, such as bison and pronghorn and smaller animals
such as swift fox and sharp-tailed grouse. Agricultural development and other land-use
changes have dramatically altered Nebraska’s native landscape. While we are lucky
in the Panhandle to still have large, intact examples of native prairie, over 50%
of the shortgrass/mixedgrass prairie mosaic has been altered. Overgrazing, reckless
use of herbicides, fire suppression and/or invasive species have impacted much of
the region’s remaining prairies. Currently, NPP and partner organizations are implementing
strategies within the Legacy Plan by working with landowners within five main BUL’s
including the Oglala Grasslands, Pine Ridge, Upper Niobrara River, Panhandle Prairies
and Kimball Grasslands on a wide array of projects. NPP will work with interested
landowners to apply on-the-ground habitat improvements. Projects may include, but
are not limited to, fencing to exclude livestock from wetlands or other areas of
interest, prescribed burning to reduce invasive species such as Eastern red cedar
and increase plant species diversity, thinning unnaturally thick stands of ponderosa
pine, and developing water sources for both cattle and wildlife. Since 2001, Nebraska
has been awarded well over $5 million in State Wildlife Grants for the betterment
of wildlife habitat. Besides State Wildlife Grants, funding for Legacy Plan projects
comes from such funding partners as the Landowner Incentives Program and Nebraska
Environmental Trust, as well as from a number of local and national conservation
organizations such as Pheasants Forever, Playa Lakes Joint Venture, National Wild
Turkey Federation, and many others. Up to 75% cost share is available for project
costs and is often accompanied by a 10 year contract developed with the management
and goals of the individual landowner in mind. With this effort, RMBO and its partners
hopes to improve the long-term viability of native habitats and increase public
awareness to the importance of conserving and maintaining habitats to keep common
species common and help reverse the plight of threatened and endangered species.
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Contacts:
Andrew Pierson
Shortgrass Prairie Coordinating Wildlife Biologist
100547 Airport Road
P.O. Box 489
Scottsbluff, NE 69363
Tel: (308) 220-0052
Fax: (308) 220-0053
(308) 220-0052
andrew.pierson@rmbo.org
Travis Runia
Farm Bill Biologist
Imperial NRCS Field Office
PO Box 1079
Imperial, NE 69033
Office 308-882-4263
Cell 308-883-1085
travis.runia@ne.usda.gov
Bart Bly
Nebraska Prairie Partners Coordinator
100547 Airport Road
P.O. Box 489
Scottsbluff, NE 69363
Tel: (308) 220-0052
Fax: (308) 220-0053
Larry Snyder
Nebraska Prairie Partners Assistant
100547 Airport Road
P.O. Box 489
Scottsbluff, NE 69363
Tel: (308) 220-0052
Fax: (308) 220-0053
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