
The Common and the Rare:
Diverse Faces of Native Plant Conservation
by Katharine F. E. Hogan, Ph.D.
Director of Conservation, Lauritzen Gardens, Omaha
Wachiska Program and General Meeting - Thursday, February 13, 7:00 p.m., Unitarian Church, 6300 A Street,
and also via YouTube link:
https://youtube.com/live/6IBLpsw22O8?feature=share
The plant communities of our Great Plains and Midwest prairies contain a host of characters—some are common and familiar faces, and many are uncommon to extremely rare. Sometimes our research finds that the common characters, like the iconic tall grasses and sunflowers, are key players in stories of how prairies change over time, drive ecological function (like plant productivity), and stabilize communities through stresses like drought. This is critical information for those of us working hard to restore and manage resilient, diverse prairies. On the other hand, other research suggests that rare plants also have similar roles to play in these stories—but how can we learn what that is when we often don’t know where or in what numbers these rare species exist? This talk will be a tour through applied and fundamental research questions about conserving our prairies and an overview of upcoming conservation work on Great Plains rare plants at Lauritzen Gardens.
Dr. Katharine Hogan recently joined Lauritzen Gardens in Omaha as the director of a growing plant conservation program. Since 2009, she has worked in native plant and habitat conservation and restoration, from New England wetlands to the Chihuahuan Desert to the open expanses of the Nebraska Sandhills. Most recently, she did a post-doctoral research fellowship in prairie ecosystem ecology at Northern Illinois University after receiving her doctorate in natural resources science from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. In her free time, Dr. Hogan enjoys going on long walks (in the prairie, of course!) with her dog and partner, watercolor painting, drawing, and never following recipes while she cooks.
Join Wachiska on Thursday, February 13, at 7:00 p.m. at Lincoln’s Unitarian Church, 6300 A Street, for this free, public, in-person talk which will also be live-streamed on YouTube at
https://youtube.com/live/6IBLpsw22O8?feature=share
No registration is needed. This program can also be viewed at a later time. Check Wachiska’s website for links to past programs.
Spring Creek Prairie Audubon Center
February Program
Great Backyard Bird Count Bird Outings
Friday, February 14, 1:00-3:00 p.m.
Saturday, February 15, 1:00-3:00 p.m.
Join an experienced birder and fellow birders for outings along the trails, counting species and numbers of birds seen for the GBBC. All are welcome, from beginning birders to experts. Free admission, registration preferred.
Details on all events at https://springcreek.audubon.org/events; 402-797-2301.
Note: The visitor center is open Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m. to
4:30 p.m. Weekend winter hours (November through February) are Saturday-Sunday 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. Trails are open sunrise to sunset 7 days a week. Free admission!
Bird EnCOUNTer Coming this Month
Bird EnCOUNTer is taking place on Saturday, February 15, from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at Loren Eiseley Library, 1530 Superior Street, in northwest Lincoln. We would like to encourage everyone—especially those with children in their lives—to participate in our annual bird celebration during the Great Backyard Bird Count. Live raptors, bird-themed games and crafts, including a fun bird-banding game brought to you by Jason and Brady with Spring Creek Prairie Audubon Center, await you. The event is free. Mark your calendars and plan on joining us!
Nebraska Statewide Arboretum’s
Free Plant Talk Webinars
The Nebraska Statewide Arboretum is currently offering free Plant Talk webinars open to the public. Registration is required and can be done online. Each session is being recorded and will be emailed to registrants following the real-time Zoom event. All webinars occur at 12:00 noon on Zoom.
The Great Plants of 2025
Feb. 6 - The arboretum's long-standing grant programs support a variety of community landscape projects. Arboretum Sustainable Landscape Specialists Sarah Buckley and Brad Kindler work with communities, nonprofits, businesses, and homeowners to plan and plant sustainable landscapes. Learn the ways the arboretum can assist with landscape projects.
The Importance of Greenspaces in Healthcare Facilities — A Panel Discussion with Nebraska Experts
Feb. 13 - Hear from healthcare experts at Syracuse Area Health and Florence Home Healthcare/Royale Oaks Assisted Living in Omaha about the benefits of integrating greenspaces into healthcare facilities. The administrators behind these green infrastructure projects will also offer insights into why and how they supported these green infrastructure projects.
Conversation with Nebraska Native Plant Photographer Drew Granville
Feb. 27 - Drew Granville, photographer for the Nebraska Native Plant Society, will use photos to discuss some of the interesting plants he's come across in his field work and what he's learning about native plants from his up-close encounters with them.
Planting Around Trees
March 6 - Plant communities under trees provide a living mulch that protects trees from mower damage and over-mulching and benefits wildlife. Sarah Buckley will discuss how to transition fading turf grass to plantings that will thrive. We'll also offer tips for how to successfully plant in existing mulch beds around mature trees and how to establish plantings that can grow with newly planted trees.
Oaks, Willows, and Prunus
March 13 - Oak, willow, and cherry trees are keystone species that support native insects. NSA staff Justin Evertson, Bob Henrickson, and Brad Kindler will discuss examples of each and what planting them could look like in your landscape.
More information on the Plant Talks and registration details are available online: https://plantnebraska.org/. Click on “Event Calendar,” then “Plant Talks” to register.
