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N ebraska’s N atural L egacy P roject A blueprint for conserving wildlife and their habitats. Pronghorn Antelope. 95 Mammal species make their home in Nebraska. Swift Fox. Flying Squirrel. Cottontail. Elk. Nebraska has a rich legacy of biodiversity. Tiger Salamander. Ornate Box
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Nebraska’s Natural Legacy Project A blueprint for conserving wildlife and their habitats Nebraska’s Natural Legacy Project
Pronghorn Antelope 95 Mammal species make their home in Nebraska Swift Fox Flying Squirrel Cottontail Elk Nebraska has a rich legacy of biodiversity Nebraska’s Natural Legacy Project
Tiger Salamander Ornate Box Turtle Copperhead Snake Five-lined Skink 60 Amphibian and Reptiles are in Nebraska Nebraska’s Natural Legacy Project
Finescale dace Paddlefish American Eel Bluegill 80 native fish species swim in Nebraska waters Nebraska’s Natural Legacy Project
Prothonotary Warbler Long-billed Curlew Black-necked Stilt Peregrine Falcon Indigo Bunting 345 Bird Species fly through the Nebraska sky Nebraska’s Natural Legacy Project
Blowout Penstemon Flower Mix Fremont’s clematis Sideoats Grama Deciduous Trees 1470 Plant Species color the landscape Nebraska’s Natural Legacy Project
Tens of Thousands of Invertebrate species wait for discovery Regal Fritillary Flat Floater American Rubyspot Damselfly Crayfish Nebraska’s Natural Legacy Project
Shortgrass Prairie Mixed Grass Prairie and the Platte River Sandhills Tallgrass Prairie Shortgrass Prairie Sandhills Sandhill Lakes Cedar Canyon Tallgrass Prairie Forests Central Mixed-Grass Prairie Wetlands Sandsage Prairie Nebraska’s Ecoregions Nebraska’s Natural Legacy Project
Mallard Greater Yellowlegs Sandhill Crane Nebraska is important to North America Nebraska’s Natural Legacy Project
Our natural legacy is important... to everyone Nebraska’s Natural Legacy Project
Last century saw successful conservation of many wildlife species The Pittman-Robertson Act $2 billion since 1937 Gerald & Buff Corsi California Academy of Science Wild Turkey was gone from Nebraska in 1915 Today they are found near most rivers across the state In 1901 there was about 100 pronghorn in Nebraska Today there are 7,000 pronghorn. Nebraska’s Natural Legacy Project
Why a new project? Many native species are declining • Limited efforts targeted at non-game species • Past has been opportunistic and inefficient • Reactive approach Nebraska’s Natural Legacy Project
New Funding Opportunity • Funding: State Wildlife Grants • Competitive grant program • Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Plan (Oct. 2005) • Nationwide effort Nebraska’s Natural Legacy Project
How will this project work? • Create an effective blueprint for conservation in Nebraska • Habitat Based Approach • Used by many • Conserve our natural heritage • All species: game and nongame • Join many planning efforts across the state • Opportunity to convey wildlife needs for future funding decisions Nebraska’s Natural Legacy Project
8 Required Elements • Species distribution and abundance • Location and condition of habitats • Threats/stresses and priority research • Conservation actions: Voluntary, incentive based • Monitoring plans • Procedure to review • Coordinate with other agencies and tribes • Public participation Nebraska’s Natural Legacy Project
Nebraska’s Natural Legacy Project Organization Partnership Internal Team Support Team (Partners) Conservation Science Team Core Team Strategies Team Education/ Outreach Wildlife Recreation Team Team Nebraska’s Natural Legacy Project
Ducks Unlimited Farmers Union Natural Resource Conservation Service Nebraska Alliance for Conservation and Environment Education Nebraska Audubon Nebraska Cattlemen Nebraska Department of Agriculture Nebraska Farm Bureau Nebraska Forest Service Nebraska Partnership for All-Bird Conservation Nebraska Wildlife Federation Pheasants Forever, Inc. Ponca Tribe of Nebraska Rainwater Basin Joint Venture of Nebraska The Conservation Alliance of the Great Plains The Nature Conservancy University of Nebraska US Fish and Wildlife Service US Forest Service Partnership Team Representatives Nebraska’s Natural Legacy Project
Partnership Team Nebraska’s Natural Legacy Project
Hypothetical Product Example:Conservation Strategies Statewide, regional, local Landowner incentives Education Land management Research Nebraska’s Natural Legacy Project
Simplified Hypothetical Example:Identification of priority landscapes • Landscape Characteristics • Prairie relatively intact Dissected Loess Hills • Resources • Loess mixed-grass prairie • American Burying Beetle • Elk Lincoln County • Threats to area • Cedar Tree encroachment • Conservation Strategy • Voluntary incentives for • Tree Removal • Education • Results • Prairie protection • Improved range quality Nebraska’s Natural Legacy Project
Nebraska’s Natural Legacy Project A blueprint for conserving wildlife and their habitats The mission of Nebraska’s Natural Legacy Project is to develop and implement a blueprint for conserving Nebraska’s flora, fauna and natural habitats through the proactive, voluntary conservation actions of partners, communities and individuals. Nebraska’s Natural Legacy Project
Nebraska’s Natural Legacy Project will benefit... all Nebraskans Nebraska’s Natural Legacy Project
Nebraska’s Natural Legacy Project Photos Provided by NEBRASKAland