The Niobrara River Valley
The Biological
Crossroads of the Great Plains
Where seven distinct plant communities meet & co-mingle
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Western ponderosa pine forest
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Eastern deciduous forest
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Northern boreal forest (paper birch)
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Sandhills, mixed-grass & tallgrass prairies
Challenges to This Unique Landscape
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Eastern red cedar encroachment
(click
here for cedar-caused forage loss calculator)
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Invasive plant species
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Habitat fragmentation
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Grazing issues
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Altered fire & hydrologic regimes
Ways to Meet the Challenges
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Mechanical cedar removal
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Forest thinning
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Prescribed fire
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Wetland restoration
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Planned grazing, water, and fencing
Regal fritillary photo courtesy of Jim Mason, Great Plains Nature Center, www.gpnc.org
Working Together to Conserve At-Risk Species and Keep Common Species Common
