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Wachiska Prairies
Chapter Plays Major Role in Tallgrass Prairie Preservation in
Southeast Nebraska
Prairie Dedication in July
Fletcher Prairie Dedication
Wednesday,
July 2, 7:00 p.m.
Peg
and Larry Fletcher,
ardent members and generous supporters of Wachiska Audubon,
approached the conservation committee with the request that
they be allowed to donate a conservation easement to Wachiska
over their reconstructed prairie that is immediately adjacent
to and surrounding their personal residence at 1900 South
105th Street, east of Lincoln. Their verbal request was accompanied
with the following document supporting their belief that
their prairie qualified to become a protected property under
Nebraska’s Conservation and Preservation Easement Act.The
conservation committee was in resounding, unequivocal, and
unanimous agreement with respect to the merits of this tallgrass
prairie that was reconstructed with unmitigated love and
care.
Early in 2007, the Fletchers
executed a Conservation and Preservation Agreement that was
accepted unanimously by the Wachiska Audubon Society Board.
Soon afterward, the Lincoln/Lancaster County Planning staff
gave an unqualified recommendation to the Planning Commission,
which unanimously gave its approval. As required by the Nebraska
Statutes, the Lincoln City Council then gave its unanimous
approval at its regular board meeting in April. The agreement
was then filed with the Lancaster County Register of Deeds
office. One of Ernie Rousek’s trademark signs was then planted,
making it the only non-indigenous contributor to an undertaking
truly deserving of the accolade “Mission Accomplished!”
Please
join us on Wednesday, July 2, at 7:00
p.m. for a dedication
ceremony and celebration with the Fletchers. Joining us at
the event will be representatives of the City of Lincoln,
including Mayor Chris Beutler. Refreshments will be served
following the dedication ceremony. Fletcher Prairie is located
at 1900 South 105th Street. To get there, go to the intersection
of 105th and A streets, then turn south on 105th and travel
across the MoPac Trail to the Fletchers house.
Wachiska's On-going Dedication
to Prairie Preservation:
The tallgrass prairie was the landscape that greeted the pioneers, but today less than 2% of the tallgrass prairie remains. Wachiska Audubon Society has
set a goal to preserve an educational prairie in each of
the 17 southeastern Nebraska counties that are in its membership
area.
Do you own or manage a native
prairie pasture in Southeast Nebraska? or a virgin hay meadow?
These remnants of our natural heritage are dwindling due
to attractive commodity prices and the shortage of feed for
livestock. If you would like to make sure your native hay
land or pasture is maintained for future generations, Wachiska
Audubon would like to help you.
As a nonprofit conservation
education organization, Wachiska is dedicated to protecting
native grasslands in Southeast Nebraska. One of the tools
available to landowners is a conservation easement. These
are flexible agreements between Wachiska and an interested
landowner to maintain the grassland in perpetuity. Wachiska maintains easements in 14 counties from Richardson to Fillore
to Saunders. There may be one near you.
An easement does not interfere
with farming operations. It just protects the grassland from
conversion to cropland or development. In select situations,
Wachiska has purchased native grasslands and managed them
for agricultural and habitat production. If you or someone
you know would be interested in protecting native grassland,
contact Arnold Mendenhall at 402-525-4884 or Via Email or
the Wachiska office. If you'd like to see what a conservation
easement looks like in your area, let us know and we will
put you in contact with one of our conservation partners.
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