WILD Nebraska

Grasslands | Wetlands | Woodlands | Transition Payments | How To Apply

In partnership with the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, the Middle Republican NRD participates in a wildlife habitat program providing more opportunities to meet the needs of area wildlife. WILD Nebraska, like the old WHIP, will offer landowners cost share payments for setting aside a portion of land for wildlife habitat. The main change in the program is the cost share rates.

Payment rates were set at a fixed rate per acre statewide in the WHIP program. WILD will offer variable payment rates based on the average county rental rates. For most folks this will mean an increase in payments.

Payment schedules are dependant on the type of practice to be installed. Most previous WHIP habitat practices will carry over to WILD. Existing WHIP contacts will remain unchanged for the remainder of their contract period. The Middle Republican NRD is now accepting new WILD Nebraska signups. For more information on the new WILD Nebraska program contact the MRNRD or your county NRCS office.

GRASSLANDS

Grassland communities dominated the Nebraska landscape for thousands of years prior to the arrival of European immigrants. Today, about 70% of Nebraska's original grasslands have been destroyed or degraded. The decline in grasslands is a primary limiting factor affecting abundance of most wildlife species. All grassland communities regardless of status, size, or location are important to wildlife.

Goals

• Promote good land stewardship,
• Conserve existing native grasslands,
• Conserve large or aggregated grassland systems,
• Emphasize long-term sustainability,
• Conserve rare and vulnerable plant communities.
  

Activities

• Grass/forb establishment,
• Planned grazing,
• Legume/forb interseeding,
• Prescribed burning,
• Disking,
• Prescribed haying/shredding,
• Prescribed herbicide treatment.

WETLANDS

Nebraska's remaining wetlands are highly productive and an essential component of the landscape. They serve a wide array of functions from providing critical wildlife habitat to improving water quality. Wetlands provide an important habitat for 50% of Nebraska's bird species, 36% of mammal species, 35% of reptile species, 100% of amphibian species, and 50% of plant species.

Goals

• Restore altered wetlands,
• Conserve existing wetlands,
• Encourage sound wetland stewardship and long-term sustainability,
• Conserve wetland dependent plant and animal communities.

Activities

• Drain closure,
• Irrigating re-use pit closure,
• Quick-cycle tailwater recovery system installation,
• Water control structure installation,
• Stream weir installation,
• Silt and fill removal,
• Vegetation.

WOODLANDS

Woodlands in Nebraska range from the forests that have evolved over centuries to the woodlands that have expanded recently due to suppression of fire and major flooding events. Other woodlands include man-made plantings such as farmstead shelterbelts, field windbreaks, woodlots, and small plantations. Finally, even in prairie areas, woodlands exist in the form of small wooded draws and thickets.

Goals

• Manage habitat in natural forest communities,
• Remove unwanted woody vegetation to restore grassland and wetland habitats,
• Provide opportunities to develop woody cover to enhance habitat,
• Foster an appreciation of woodland communities.
  

Activities

• Native woodland enhancement,
• Riparian forest buffers,
• Wildlife shelterbelts,
• Native shrub plantings,
• Woody vegetation management.

Transition Payments

For those landowners interested in creating wildlife habitat, you may be eligible to receive:

• Up to 100% cost-share on habitat development materials,
• Transition payments on cropland conversion for 3-5 years of a 5 or 10 year contract,
• Technical assistance,
• Cost-share for all activities is based on a percentage of the established county average cost.

For more information or to apply for the WILD Nebraska program, contact the Middle Republican NRD Office.