RC&D COUNCIL NEWS

Northeast Nebraska Resource Conservation & Development (RC&D) Council held their recent meeting in Plainview and were very pleased to accept a $20,705 grant from the Nebraska Environmental Trust for the “Proper Recycling of Household Hazardous Waste and Electronic Waste” project.  This is the second year of funding with the potential for a 3rd year.  Funding comes from the Nebraska Lottery and since 1992 the Trust has provided over $250 million in grants to more than 1900 projects across the state.  

Citizens continually request these two types of recycling programs so the RC&D is glad to be able to offer them again.  The project will properly dispose of or recycle approximately 22,500 pounds of household hazardous waste and another 45,000 pounds of obsolete electronic equipment over a three-year period.  There will be at least three collections of each household hazardous waste and electronic waste in 2016.  Locations and dates have not yet been decided.  

The Prairie Chickens & Pasque Flowers Tour was well attended.  The prairie chickens danced and danced, topnotch speakers shared information on wildlife habitat, and there were hundreds of Pasque flowers blooming on the hillside east of Wynot.  Rebekah Jessen, No. Prairie Lands Trust, and Cassidy Gerdes, Pheasants Forever, led the event.   

At the Nature & Birding Walkabout Ponca Tribal member Larry Wright Sr. shared interesting information about the behavior of their bison herd and then the group got to see them firsthand.  Ponca Environmental Director Julia Sage invited participants back to “come again” to enjoy the pristine wetland and the oak woodlands.  The wind was so strong that day that there weren’t many birds for Mark Brogie, expert birder, to identify, but he told how more unique birds are being seen in the region due to changes in the environment.  And Rebekah Jessen, No. Prairie Lands Trust pointed out newly-emerging wildflowers and told of wildlife habitat needs.  

The RC&D Council will again seek Circle of Diamonds status from the National RC&D Association.  They agreed to assist Bloomfield in a recycling grant project and will be working with the Heritage Museum Network on a Passport Program for the travel season.  The upcoming August Cemetery Tour will focus on Native Americans and their churches and cemeteries in Cedar and Knox counties.   

On Monday, May 23rd the group will have their meeting in Laurel and tour the recycling center.