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Working with Our Neighbors on the Platte River

Platte River copyright Chris Helzer
Platte River
© Chris Helzer/TNC
 

The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission and The Nature Conservancy signed a cooperative agreement in July 2001 to initiate the Platte River Restoration and Habitat Partnership.

The Partnership combines resources from the Game and Parks Commission, the Conservancy and other many other public and private-sector partners to promote conservation, restoration and management of Platte Valley grasslands and wetlands.

This program is available to landowners who are interested in assistance to make improvements on their land for livestock production and wildlife. Public input from the farm community was used to develop a cost-share, incentive-based program to meet the needs of Platte Valley producers. 

The Partnership was developed to build alliances based on public and private participation to achieve a variety of conservation benefits. Together, they: 

  • Partners use prescribed burns to enhance private lands conservation.
    Partners use prescribed burns to enhance
    private lands conservation. © Chris Helzer/TNC
     
    Encourage sound land stewardship concepts and practices
  • Conserve and enhance existing native grasslands
  • Create large, contiguous grassland systems
  • Emphasize long-term sustainability
  • Recognize and conserve rare and vulnerable plant communities

The Partnership has enjoyed incredible results since its inception: 

  • 64 signed agreements on more than 8,419 acres
  • 1,800 acres of tree removal from existing wet meadows and native grasslands
  • More than 1,500 acres of prescribed burning with more than 4,000 acres in agreement to be burned
  • 1,400 acres of seeding
  • Deferred grazing on 850 acres of overgrazed meadows
  • 3.5 miles of fencing to improve grazing management
  • 11 miles of wetland slough restoration

Cedar removal promotes healthy prairie.
Cedar removal promotes healthy prairie.
© Chris Helzer/TNC
 
One example of the Partnership’s results is that of a third-generation Nebraska farmer who grazed his cattle on an island between two channels of the braided Platte River. Before he worked with the Partnership, productivity on his 350 acres was down due to cedar trees, brush and weeds overtaking his pastures.

The Platte River Habitat Partnership approached him with an offer to share the cost to remove the trees and reestablish the mix of native grasses that livestock prefer. Together they forged a plan that included fence replacement, a new watering system and controlled burning.
 

Learn More
The Nature Conservancy and the Platte River Habitat Partnership’s Guide to Native Grassland Management in Nebraska (PDF, 2.18 MB)
 

Platte River Habitat Partnership logo  Visit The Platte River Habitat Partnership Web site.