On one of the first warm,
spring-like days at the end of a long winter, I had the good fortune to visit a
large, beautiful, private piece of land. Located along an undeveloped segment
of the Lower Platte River, the visit was like stepping back in time. The owner
of the property wanted to see his land permanently protected and I was there to
discuss how a conservation easement and The Nebraska Land Trust could help to
achieve his goal.
The landowner pointed with
pride to 50 years of good stewardship and the results were easy to see. As we
followed a rustic trail, turkey and deer tracks led the way through an old
growth of cottonwoods lining the river; ideal perches for the bald eagles that
frequent the valley in winter.
From the woodlands we
proceeded to an open expanse of unplowed tallgrass prairie, where my host fondly
described the wild iris that bloom in the spring. He explained that due to thin
top soil and frequent floods, the bottomlands in this area were never farmed,
resulting in one of the largest remnants of tallgrass prairie left in the
valley.
As I stood gazing out over
an oxbow wetland, I marveled at the pristine view; a long expanse of grassland
outlined by trees, with no sign of significant development. As I listened for
sounds during a break in the conversation, the only noise was a woodpecker
nearby. It was easy to forget that a major metropolitan area was less than ten
minutes away.
At the far end of the
narrow wetland, a handful of ducks floated on glassy water under a cloudless
sky, the vanguard of a migration that would bring thousands more. A wild turkey
appeared on one bank of the old river channel and with a few flaps of its large
wings, the bird took flight and glided to the other shore. While this land was
not a public preserve, it was clearly a haven for wildlife.
If you believe as I do that
it is wise to conserve wildlife habitat and wild places, then we all benefit
greatly from the private stewardship of this landowner and thousands more like
him, especially in Nebraska where 97% of the land is in private hands. The
Nebraska Land Trust is unique in its mission to protect a broad spectrum of
these lands, from wildlife habitat to historic sites and agricultural lands, by
providing information and options to landowners who want to see these resources
protected.
Conservation easements are
one option for protection and within 20 miles of the land described above, we
have already used this tool to protect more than 1,000 acres of wildlife habitat
and open space in the Lower Platte River Corridor. With your support, we will
achieve much more, by:
-
Fostering the use of
conservation easements throughout the state, whether we hold
them ourselves or collaborate with others to build successful
easement programs.
-
Representing Conservation interests
to the Niobrara Council, which works with the National Park
Service to working with many landowners to provide permanent
protection of natural and historical resources on their land.
-
Manage the Niobrara National Scenic
River.
-
Partnering with the National Park
Service, local ranchers, and others to build a conservation
easement program that permanently protects the Niobrara National
Scenic River from unsightly development.
-
Helping to build consensus for
win/win conservation policies that respect the needs of both
wildlife and people, through conservation efforts like the
Nebraska Water Policy Task Force.
With a donation of $100
or more, you will be counted as one of our Friends of The Land. In fact,
you will be a charter member, along with other conservationists who recognize
and respect the importance of private stewardship in Nebraska.
If you would like to support our
mission of conservation of natural and historical resources on
private land, please make your check payable to The Nebraska Land
Trust, and mail it to our office at 233 S. 13th St, Suite 1712 /
Lincoln, NE 68508. If you would like to donate
appreciated stocks, land, a conservation easement, or something else
of value, please call our office at (402) 438-5263.
Sincerely,
Dave Sands
Executive Director