Connecting People
With Nature
One bird common throughout Wachiska’s counties during the winter is the Horned Lark (Eremophila alpestris). Though some are year-round residents, many migrate south from further north in the United States and Canada. Rarely alone, they may be found in groups by roadsides and in open areas and fields.
Learn more and see pictures.
Nebraska's Environmental Trust:
The Good, the Bad and the Solution
with Dave Sands, Executive Director, Nebraska Land Trust
and Lorrie Benson, Friends of the
Nebraska Environmental Trust
Thursday, January 14, 2021 at 7:00 p.m.
Wachiska Program — Thursday, January 14, 7:00 p.m., via Zoom web conference (registration required)
Link to https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJMtdOmoqDItG9GATlYAe-euFUzAfwN5Tsjp
Dave Sands, executive director of the Nebraska Land Trust and Lorrie Benson from Friends of the Nebraska Environmental Trust (NET) will provide the program for Wachiska Audubon’s monthly meeting on January 14. They will give a two-part presentation highlighting NET-funded land conservation in Nebraska’s cherished Pine Ridge, the NET Board’s recent opposition to such funding, and actions being taken to get the NET back on track.
The mission of the Nebraska Land Trust is to foster the protection of agricultural, historical, and natural resources on land in Nebraska through education, partnering, and permanent conservation. Dave’s presentation will focus on a $900,000 NET block grant to purchase conservation easements in the Pine Ridge that was approved for funding by the NET in 2015. The grant promised public engagement, a 1:1 match, and 5,000 acres of protection, but delivered much more. Recently, the NET board has refused to fund such grants regardless of conservation merit which is one reason the Friends of the Environmental Trust was formed.
Lorrie is a retired lawyer. She spent many years working for environmental organizations, including The Groundwater Foundation and the Water Center, School of Natural Resources at UNL. Lorrie will discuss the above changes in the NET’s direction, the Friends’ effort to assure that NET maintains a fair, transparent grant process based on conservation merit, and additional steps that can be taken to encourage a return to fairness and transparency in the future.
Both Lorrie and Dave will be available for questions following their presentations.
Join Wachiska for our next Zoom program on Thursday, January 14, at 7:00 p.m. This free, public program is available to those who register at https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJMtdOmoqDItG9GATlYAe-euFUzAfwN5Tsjp
Copy and paste this link into your browser or go to Wachiska’s website after January 1 and click on the link directly from the notice to register. You will then receive a confirmation with the meeting number and password. Keep that email and a few minutes before the program is to begin, click on this confirmation and you’ll be invited into the meeting.
January Calendar of Events
January 2 Christmas Bird Count
(contact Jason at SCPAC)
January 11 Conservation Committee, 5:30 p.m.
via Zoom (check with Chairman)
January 14 General Meeting video Zoom 7:00 p.m
(note required registration)
"Nebraska's Environmental Trust "
January 15 Newsletter deadline, Wachiska office,
5:00 p.m.
January 19 Board Meeting via Zoom, 7:00 p.m.
(contact Theresa Pella for meeting
number/password if not a Board member
and want to attend.)
January 28 Legislative Committee via Zoom, 7:00 p.m.
No Education Committee meeting this month.
Spring Birdseed Sale coming next month.
Wachiska Reports
Join Wachiska Today
Become a member of the Wachiska chapter of the National Audubon Society and support environmental conservation, education, and outreach in Southeast Nebraska.
Click HERE for details.
Read recent newsletters
The photos on this website were taken by Wachiska members. Many thanks to Bruce Wendorff,
Linda Brown, Paul Johnsguard, Tim Knott, Stu Luttich, John Carlini and Elizabeth Nelson.