With the closing of the Hamaker Ranch easement in Sioux and Dawes counties, Nebraska Land Trust has now conserved over 50,000 acres across the state.

But what does this achievement really mean for Nebraska? To NLT, it’s much more than a number — it’s an example of the power of partnership, shared vision, and long-term commitment to the land, our rural heritage, and our communities.

We can step back and consider what those acres represent — six generations of names etched into canyon walls near Chimney Rock, the history of the Northern Cheyenne, farmland that helps feed our communities, and native prairie in the Sandhills. We see not just land protected, but Nebraska’s rural heritage and natural beauty conserved for the next generation and beyond.

We are proud to be part of the legacy of land that will remain protected long after our time, giving everyone who lives in or visits our great state the chance to know, enjoy, and value the landscapes that make Nebraska unique. Thank you to all of our friends, partners, donors, board members, and landowners who made this acheivement possible.