NOTE: TOUR CANCELLED
In celebration and recognition of National Pollinator’s Week a one-day educational tour called a Pollinator Picnics Tour is being hosted on June 20th, 2017 by the Northeast Nebraska Resource Conservation & Development (RC&D) Council.  The goal of the event is to educate citizens about the plight of pollinators, their importance to the food system, and what each person can do to create needed pollinator habitat. 
 
Pollinators are on the decline around the world.  Loss of habitat, improper use of pesticides, pollution, disease, invasive species and even climate change are all threats to pollinators.  Agriculture is heavily dependent on the successful pollination of all plants.  In the United States over 150 crops need pollination to make seeds and fruits.  Bees alone are responsible for every 3rd bite of food!
 
An experienced beekeeper will be on hand to speak about the specifics of caring for bees, various roles each type of bee plays in the hive, and issues facing their existence.  A well-known and respected Nebraska Game & Parks Commission botanist will be with the group all day sharing information on plant identification and habitat needs.  And knowledgeable staff from the Nebraska Statewide Arboretum will provide suggestions on sustainable landscapes that work for pollinators. 
 
So, get your BUZZ on the bus and share in the fun of learning about pollinators, experience native wildflowers and prairies of the area, and develop an appreciation for the wide variety of plants that are found in good pollinator habitat.  The cost is $40 per person and includes transportation and lunch. Pre-registration is required by June 16th.
 
This event is sponsored by the Northeast Nebraska RC&D Council.  Casey’s General Stores is also a sponsor of the event.

COME CELEBRATE NEBRASKA'S 150th – VISIT THESE MUSEUMS BETWEEN MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND AND LABOR DAY, 2017:
Antelope County Historical Museum, Ashfall State Historical Park, Cedar County Historical Museum, Creighton Historical Center, Dixon County Museum, Graves Library Museum &Depot Railroad Museum, Mars Ghost Town Tours, Pierce Historical Society Museum, Plainview’s 1880 Railroad Depot Museum, Plainview Klown Doll Museum, and Verdigre Heritage Museum.

When you visit each museum, the museum staff will place a sticker over their listing.  If you visit all 11 of the museums, you will be entered in a drawing for a cash prize of $300.  If you visit 9 or more museums, you will be entered in a drawing for a cash prize of $150.  If you visit 5 or more museums you will be entered in a drawing for a cash prize of $75.

Completed passports must be sent to the RC&D Office at 702 E. Park Ave., Plainview, NE  68769 postmarked by September 15, 2016.  The drawing will be held on September 20th.

Sponsored by:  The Post Cafe, Plainview, Boyd's Electrical Service, Clearwater; Gragerts Grocery Store, Creighton; Northern Nebraska United Mutual Insurance Company, Plainview; Dusty's, Orchard; Town & Country Agency, Plainview; Hidden in the Trunk Antiques, Plainview; Pinnacle Bank, Verdigre; Royal One Stop, Royal; Brockhaus Funeral Homes, Creighton; Pizza Hut, Hartington; Wanek Pharmacy, Neligh.

Passports can be picked up at participating museums or you can view and print the passport here!

The prairie chickens were in fine form for the Prairie Chickens & Prairie Stream Tour on Friday, April 14th.  Forty people traveled to the site before sunrise so that they were settled into the blinds before the birds began the annual mating ritual.  
 
The lek, a small area where the males gather to “strut their stuff” for the females, is typically located on land that is covered with short grasses and is slightly raised so that the birds have a good view of the surrounding landscape.  The Greater Prairie Chicken returns to these same sites every mating season and most of the females nest within two miles of the breeding grounds. 
 
There were about twenty prairie chickens out and about that morning.  The male prairie chickens puffed out their orange air sacs, raised the feathers on their heads, stomped their feet as fast as they could, and made a continuous booming cry to attract the attention of the females who were certainly playing hard-to-get.   It was a great show and one that participants were happy to see.  Most of the breeding is done by just one dominate male, but that doesn’t mean the other males aren’t making their presence known.
 
Participants learned that there’s more to a prairie stream than meets the eye.  Game & Parks staff used an electro-shock device to stun some of the creatures found living in the stream.  There were top minnows, a little sunfish, water scorpion, a leach, and more that were caught - just for viewing - before they were returned to the stream.  The ones that were seen are examples of those that can live in somewhat impaired waters.  This stream is rich in nutrients and falls within the boundary of the Bazile Creek Watershed Initiative.
 
This event was sponsored by Nebraska Game & Parks, Pheasants Forever/Quail Forever, Northern Prairie Lands Trust, Nebraska Environmental Trust, Nebraska Natural Legacy Project, and the Northeast Nebraska Resource Conservation & Development (RC&D) Council. 
 
To get on the RC&D’s tours and events list, contact the office at 402-582-4866 or via email at northeastrcd@plvwtelco.net.  The Council wants to continue providing environmental and educational projects that citizens learn from and enjoy.