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Central Platte Natural Resource
District
Central Plate Natural Resources District strives to protect groundwater and
surface water, reduce flood threats, reduce soil erosion, create and protect
wildlife habitat, and educate children and adults to use natural resources
wisely. The Central Platte is one of 23 NRDs in Nebraska, created by the
Legislature to protect our natural resources (find
your NRD here). The Central Platte NRD boundaries reach from the
Lincoln-Dawson County line near Gothenburg to Highway 81 near Columbus (see
map of the District here).
Central Platte NRD provides three kinds of grants to support environmental
education in the District's territory. Outdoor Classroom grants can
fund up to $1,500 of the cost of plants, seeds, signs or other materials needed
to create or improve an outdoor classroom site on school grounds. The
Community Grants program can provide funds to community or non-profit groups
to fund up to $2,000 of the cost of bringing instructors or materials to
schools. Mini Classroom grants will pay up to $35 per teacher for
materials or other costs of environmental activities and projects in the
classroom. More information here.
The
NRD sponsors the Nebraska Children's Groundwater Festival, which educates
about 1,000 4th and 5th grade students each year on groundwater and its
relationship to natural resources. On Tuesday, May 10, the Festival's 23rd year
will be celebrated when the Festival is held at Central Community College in
Grand Island. The Festival will provide hands-on activities, presentations and
display booths that teach students about the sources of groundwater, permeation
of the soil, the scarcity of groundwater and its vulnerability to pollution.
More information here.
Central Platte Natural Resource District also funds scholarships to
college-bound students considering a natural resources or agriculture career;
publishes a newsletter on environmental education topics; supports the Adventure
Camp about the Environment (a summer camp for 6th-8th graders); operates a
lending library; and is involved in Envirothon, range judging, and land judging
contests. More information here.
Marcia
Lee is the Central Platte Natural Resource District's Information and Education
Specialist. You can reach her at the Central Platte NRD office, 215 Kaufman
Avenue, Grand Island, NE 68803. (308) 385-6282. Visit the
Central Platte NRD here, and find
information about the District's
education programs here.
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Central Platte
Natural Resources District |
Audubon's Rowe Sanctuary |
