Grantee Stories
Rain Garden Water Quality, City of Lincoln
The City of Lincoln Rain Garden project began in 2008, with great help from the Nebraska Environmental Trust. The goal of this project is to create awareness about the simple things homeowners can do to improve water quality. The grant provides homeowners and schools with the opportunity to install a rain garden, with 80% of the cost covered by grant funds from the Nebraska Environmental Trust, City of Lincoln, Lower Platte South Natural Resources District, and the Department of Environmental Quality. The remaining 20% is paid through a partnership with each homeowner. Thanks to recent survey results conducted in Fall 2009, over 90% of homeowners are satisfied with their rain gardens. With these five partnerships we have had to opportunity to install 82 rain gardens to date and educate over 500 residents individually through site evaluations and presentations, and an unknown, but much greater number of residents through publicity efforts.
Take It Back Nebraska, WasteCap Nebraska
The Another Bright Idea “Take it Back” Program, funded by the Nebraska Environmental Trust, began with a pilot project conducted in late fall of 2008. Its primary purpose was to test a program for collecting spent Compact Fluorescent Lamps, commonly known as CFLs, from households. Five hardware stores in Lincoln and eleven Omaha Public Library locations opened their doors to collect. The pilot program was designed to collect data on consumer response to various forms of advertising and education, to compare participation based on charging a small fee versus free recycling, and to test the best type of venue. The aim of the Take it Back Program is to create a permanent network across the state to ensure that Nebraskans will have access to safe, convenient, and responsible disposal of mercury-containing products and other Universal Waste. The Advisory Group has been connecting with other statewide agencies to weave the fabric of this network together. The launch of the marketing campaign will begin in late 2009. Once established, up to 50 collection sites will be added in other Nebraska cities by the middle of 2010.
Educational Green Cabins, Nebraska Game and Parks Commission at Ponca State Park
Nebraska Game and Parks Commission and Nebraska Environmental Trust working partnerships have been the means to the success of the green cabin development at Ponca State Park. The project brought together three state agencies, a federal agency, a public corporation, and two charitable foundations. The green cabins were developed as an educational model to provide guests with a sustainable living experience while offering information on practical alternatives they can utilize to lessen their impact on the natural environment. Environmentally friendly building and living practices are highlighted throughout the cabins with interpretive signage to show how individual actions can have a cumulative effect on conserving our natural resources. Since completion in June 2009, the cabins have seen high occupancy rates. Based upon visitor testimonial, the green cabin project is achieving its goal by educating users about resource stewardship while showcasing options for environmentally friendly development.
Bird Conservation in Western Nebraska, Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory
Nebraska Prairie Partners (NPP), a partnership between the Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory and the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, biologists found that increasing numbers of Ferruginous Hawks were nesting in trees rather than on the ground. Biologists observed a need for more secure nesting sites and were concerned about the potential impact wind farms might have on available sites. Thus, NPP developed a plan to provide nesting platforms in the panhandle.
Western Nebraska is predominately privately owned and supports the majority of Nebraska’s Ferruginous Hawk nesting sites. Landowners quickly became interested in helping conserve one of Nebraska’s species of highest conservation concern. They helped choose optimal sites for platforms on their land, and often accompanied biologists to help with the installation. In the last year, 25 nesting platforms have been erected. Landowners will monitor platforms for signs of activity and report back to NPP.
Continous No Till, PrairieLand RC & D
The Nebraska Continuous No-till (CNT) project’s state-wide effort to increase the adoption and sustainable use of CNT by 1 million acres through education has been achieved! The project continues to create a broad partnership of currently recognized leaders in CNT working together to show how the practice of CNT works across the entire state of Nebraska to reduce soil erosion, improve soil quality, and reduce irrigation and fuel requirements. NET funds are used for state-wide/regional/local CNT events, a UNL Extension No-till Specialist, a Western Nebraska No-till Educator, a project administrator and to develop and distribute educational materials. This project has given over 1,300 residents 14,000 hours of education and allowed our western no-till educator to conduct a series of seminars in the Panhandle region. A bus tour attendee remarked “The tour was great! This has to be one of the most impacting agricultural educational experiences available.”
Big Muddy Creek Watershed Project, Nemaha NRD
A total of 5 partners comprised of the Nebraska Environmental Trust, Nemaha Natural Resources District, Big Muddy Creek Landowners, Nemaha County and USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service worked together to construct 14 structures to control streambed and streambank erosion. Ultimately these structures will enhance the quality of life of local, rural residents by protecting public infrastructure and utilities, improving water quality, improving ecological diversity and preventing the further loss of agricultural land.
During the early planning stages for this watershed project, NRD board member and chairman of the Big Muddy Creek Watershed Task Force, Mike Speece, stated that uncontrolled flows of Big Muddy Creek are a clear and present danger to the quality of life of the rural residents of Johnson, Nebraska, and all efforts to control the erosive nature of this creek is a must.
Rural residents of Johnson, Nebraska, recognize the significance that the Big Muddy Creek Watershed Project plays in protecting their lives, property and future.
Prescribed Burn Training Schools, Prescribed Burn Task Force
In 2008 the Nebraska Environmental Trust approved a grant application submitted by the Prescribed Burn Taskforce. The grant project has been instrumental in increasing the capacity of the Taskforce when it comes to education and prescribed burning. So far the grant has enabled the purchase of firefigghting equipment including handtools, communications equipment and truck mounted firefighting equipment.
The Trust grant has helped the Taskforce to conduct four landowner prescribed burn training sessions in nebraska to the benefir of over 100 producers this year.
Woodwaste/Saw Log Utilization and Red Cedar Management Project, Lower Loup NRD
The Woodwaste/Saw Log Utilization and Red cedar Management Project has been a cooperative effort that included the Lower Loup Natural Resources District and its partners, Nebraska Forest Service, Natural Resources Conservation Service and private landowners. This team offered potential solutions to problems Nebraska landowners are having with the state's growing red cedar tree population. Utilizing Environmental Trust fund grant monies, the NRD was able to purchase equipment (a saw mill, wood chipper and shredder) for demonstration at a series of workshops across the District.
