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Dave Heineman, GovernorBoard of TrusteesDistrict I |
As we move into winter we look back on a successful fall. We have awarded the 4th Quarter Public Information and Education (PIE) MiniGrants. The deadline for the 1st Quarter PIE grants will be December 12, 2008, and they will be awarded February 5, 2009. Our 3rd Quarter Board Meeting was held at Mahoney State Park on November 13th. The view of the Platte River from the Riverview Lodge was spectacular. A doe and her fawn decided to check out our meeting and appeared just a few feet outside the windows and were around for most of the day. The economy continues to concern everyone and many of us stand helplessly by as our retirement accounts dwindle. With insurance companies and bank bailouts moving forward, the auto industry and several major cities are now looking for help. Historically Nebraska has had a bit of insulation from large economic swings. We don’t see the highest upswings, but fortunately we don’t see the largest downturns. Let us hope this recession does not turn into a depression and commodities gain back some of the losses we have witnessed recently as our producers continue to market their grains and cattle. Thanksgiving is upon us and we all have a reason to be thankful. As Warren Buffet mentions frequently, by being born in the United States or living here, we have already won the lottery of life. Incredible opportunities are before all of us that are just not possible for a majority of the world’s population. I wish all of you and your families a Happy Thanksgiving! Mark A. Brohman
The Nebraska Environmental Trust awarded a total of $12,380 to five Public Information and Education (PIE) MiniGrants at its Board Meeting that took place on November 13, 2008. Ten MiniGrant applications were received for the 2008 – 4th Quarter PIE MiniGrants requesting a total of $24,387. The five projects were the first round of awards since the revised rating scale was introduced in February this year. The next PIE MiniGrants deadline will be on December 12, 2008 for the second round of awards in February of 2009. The following projects were awarded MiniGrants:
The PIE grants are limited to $2,500 and are awarded quarterly. They were created as a MiniGrant program for public information and education projects. They support the presentation and dissemination of information and perspectives that stimulate enhanced environmental stewardship in any category eligible for Trust funding. This grant program seeks to expand dialogue on important current conservation topics and to provide information on emerging or highly useful conservation methods. For a listing of the final PIE Minigrants, visit: www. environmentaltrust.org
(This article is submmited by Mr Dave Sands, Executive Director of Nebraska Land Trust)
The Walz Confluence As people drive down into the Platte Valley on Highway 31 toward Schramm State Park in Sarpy County, they behold a pastoral landscape of farmland and woodlands lining the Platte River. Thanks to John and William Walz, whose family has owned the land for more than 100 years, this scenic vista, wildlife habitat, and natural Platte River frontage will be preserved forever through a conservation easement with the Nebraska Land Trust. This 90-acre property has been protected thanks to funding and technical assistance made available in a partnership with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Nebraska Game & Parks Commission, the Papio-Missouri Natural Resources District, the Nebraska Land Trust, the Nebraska Department of Roads and Hawkins Construction Company. The Nebraska Environmental Trust, Cooper Foundation, and J.A. Woollam Foundation also provided funding while the landowners donated a significant portion of the easement’s value. Initially, this land preservation effort began with an offer by Hawkins Construction Company to provide funding to the land trust for a conservation easement that protected natural riverbanks along the Platte. The offer resulted from environmental mitigation for construction of the new six-lane Interstate 80 Bridge across the river. By some estimates, more than 50% of the riverbanks have been stabilized by concrete and other materials downstream from the I-80 Bridge. Since natural riverbanks are essential to river processes and hydrology, preservation of the remaining natural banks is important. The Walz Easement will protect nearly one-half mile of natural riverbanks adjacent to protected riverfront at Schramm State Park and the last half-mile of an unnamed tributary that flows out of the Schramm Bluffs into the river.
The Ferguson House, located at 700 South 16th Date: December 7, 2008 (Free Admission) Time: 1:00pm - 5:00pm Built between 1909 and 1911, the Ferguson House is a treasure of Nebraska's past and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It was built by William Henry Ferguson in downtown Lincoln, across from the Nebraska State Capitol. The house was built and decorated in Georgian Revival style-very elegant with clean lines in contrast to the heavily decorated Victorian syle. The State of Nebraska became the owner of the house in the early 1960s, though Mrs Ferguson resided there until her death in 1972 at the age of 103. Today, the Ferguson House contains the offices of the Nebraska Environmental Trust and can be rented for meetings and events.
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