1. Nebraska’s Natural Legacy Project A blueprint for conserving wildlife and their habitats

2. Nebraska’s Natural Legacy Project Nebraska has a rich legacy of biodiversity 95 Mammal species make their home in Nebraska Elk Pronghorn Antelope Swift Fox Cottontail Flying Squirrel

3. Nebraska’s Natural Legacy Project Tiger Salamander Ornate Box Turtle Copperhead Snake Five-lined Skink 60 Amphibian and Reptiles are in Nebraska

4. Nebraska’s Natural Legacy Project Finescale dace 80 native fish species swim in Nebraska waters Bluegill Paddlefish American Eel

5. Nebraska’s Natural Legacy Project Long-billed Curlew 345 Bird Species fly through the Nebraska sky Peregrine Falcon Indigo Bunting Prothonotary Warbler Black-necked Stilt

6. Nebraska’s Natural Legacy Project Blowout Penstemon Flower Mix 1470 Plant Species color the landscape Deciduous Trees Sideoats Grama Fremont’s clematis

7. Nebraska’s Natural Legacy Project Crayfish Regal Fritillary Tens of Thousands of Invertebrate species wait for discovery Flat Floater American Rubyspot Damselfly

8. Nebraska’s Natural Legacy Project Nebraska’s Ecoregions Tallgrass Prairie Central Mixed-Grass Prairie Shortgrass Prairie Sandhills Tallgrass Prairie Sandhills Shortgrass Prairie Mixed Grass Prairie and the Platte River Forests Cedar Canyon Sandsage Prairie Wetlands Sandhill Lakes

9. Nebraska’s Natural Legacy Project Nebraska is important to North America Sandhill Crane Greater Yellowlegs Mallard

10. Nebraska’s Natural Legacy Project Our natural legacy is important... to everyone

11. Nebraska’s Natural Legacy Project Gerald & Buff Corsi California Academy of Science Last century saw successful conservation of many wildlife species The Pittman-Robertson Act $2 billion since 1937 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.

12. 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

13. Nebraska’s Natural Legacy Project New Funding Opportunity –Funding: State Wildlife Grants –Competitive grant program –Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Plan (Oct. 2005) –Nationwide effort

14. 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

15. 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

16. Nebraska’s Natural Legacy Project Nebraska’s Natural Legacy Project Organization Conservation Strategies Team Core Team Outreach Team Education/ Wildlife Recreation Team Science Team Internal Support Team Partnership Team (Partners)

17. 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

18. Nebraska’s Natural Legacy Project Partnership Team

19. Nebraska’s Natural Legacy Project Hypothetical Product Example: Conservation Strategies Statewide, regional, local Landowner incentives Education Land management Research

20. Nebraska’s Natural Legacy Project Lincoln County Landscape Characteristics Prairie relatively intact Simplified Hypothetical Example: Identification of priority landscapes Dissected Loess Hills Resources Loess mixed-grass prairie American Burying Beetle Elk Threats to area Cedar Tree encroachment Conservation Strategy Voluntary incentives for Tree Removal Education Results Prairie protection Improved range quality

21. 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.

22. Nebraska’s Natural Legacy Project Nebraska’s Natural Legacy Project will benefit... all Nebraskans

23. Nebraska’s Natural Legacy Project Photos Provided by NEBRASKAland