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Nebraska
Niobrara Valley Preserve
Open to the Public
Yes
Things To Do
Plan Your Visit
Email the Preserve at nebraska@tnc.org or call (402) 722-4440. View All
Get Directions
Why You Should Visit
The Nature Conservancy's Niobrara Valley Preserve is one of the largest Conservancy preserves in the U.S., and a model for grassland management using bison, cattle and fire. It encompasses majestic pine-clad canyons, extensive grasslands, and a 25-mile stretch of the Niobrara River. Visitors can enjoy the beauty of the preserve year-round, and of special interest is the bison herd grazing in the vast open prairie.
Location
Brown, Cherry and Keya Paha counties
Size
56,000 acres
Why the Conservancy Selected This Site
To date, 581 plant, 213 bird, 86 lichen, 70 butterfly, 44 mammal, 25 fish, 17 reptile and eight amphibian species have been recorded at the preserve.
What the Conservancy Has Done/Is Doing
First and foremost, the Conservancy's mission in establishing the Niobrara Valley Preserve was to ensure that its conservation value would be protected for the long term. Secondly, it is operated as a working ranch. We lease grasslands for cattle grazing, have a woodland industry, and pay property taxes like any private landowner. Scientific research and education are important at the Niobrara Valley Preserve.
“The Niobrara Valley Preserve is a flagship project for The Nature Conservancy and one of our largest preserves worldwide. The ground-breaking work in grassland management forged at the NVP has helped inform our prairie conservation efforts throughout the Great Plains and as far away as Brazil's Pantanal.”
Steve McCormick, former president/CEO, The Nature Conservancy
Things To Do
What to See: Plants
Big bluestem, little bluestem, buffalograss, indiangrass, junegrass, needleandthread grass, sand bluestem, sand lovegrass, hoary puccoon, leadplant, prickly poppy, shell-leaf penstemon, yucca, yellow lady slipper, wild begonia, paper birch, ponderosa pine, bur oak, American elm, eastern cottonwood.
What to See: Animals
Bison, mule deer, bald eagles, Great Plains toad, ornate box turtle, many lined skink, American bittern, great blue heron, horned lark, belted kingfisher, ovenbird, upland sandpiper, whip-poor-will.
Plan Your Visit
Directions
From Ainsworth, drive west 10 miles on U.S Highway 20, then 16 miles north on the country road towards Norden.
Download a map of the preserve location (PDF, 80 KB).
Discussion
Have you been to this preserve? Are you thinking of visiting? See what others are saying about their experiences and add your comments below.
Add Your Comments
Time for you to join the discussion. Tell us about your experience at this preserve. What plants and animals did you see? When did you go? You can help others plan their visit when you share your thoughts. And thank you for visiting one of our nature preserves!
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