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Nebraska Wildlife
Federation
and
Nebraska Game & Parks
Commission
Present the Poster
Contest
Theme: Conserve
Nebraska’s Natural Legacy
M E N U
I. What is Nebraska’s
Natural Legacy?
Summary of the Nebraska
Natural Legacy Project
The Nebraska Natural Legacy Project
is part of a national plan to conserve our country’s wildlife. Nebraska has
a rich diversity of birds, mammals, fish, reptiles and insects. However,
unless their habitats are preserved, their future is uncertain.
In 2003, Nebraska’s conservation community began to develop a wildlife
action plan for conserving wildlife. Hundreds of people, including science
specialists, farmers, ranchers, teachers and other citizens, worked together
under the leadership of the Nebraska Game & Parks Commission, to
create the plan.
This plan identifies over 500 species of animals and plants considered
at-risk for extinction. Also described are 40 areas called
“biologically unique landscapes” that must be conserved as habitats for
these at-risk species. Since 97% of Nebraska’s land is privately owned, the
plan emphasizes voluntary, incentive-based actions that private landowners
can take to conserve all wildlife.
In order to preserve special habitats, “flagship initiatives” have
been started in six biologically unique landscapes throughout the state. The
initiatives are designed to help landowners conserve wildlife on their land,
improve management on public lands, implement monitoring and research to
advance wildlife education, and promote the Nebraska Natural legacy Plan.
Teachers are invited to help spread
the word about the Nebraska Natural Legacy Plan by inspiring their students to create posters
and enter them in the Poster Contest.
To learn more about the Nebraska
Natural Legacy Plan, visit one of the following websites:
Nebraska Natural Legacy Plan,
on the Game & Parks web site
Teaming With
Wildlife web site
A.
Map of Nebraska
Showing Biologically Unique Landscapes
B. Maps of
Nebraska’s Four Ecoregions
1.
Tall
Grass Prairie (TG)
2.
Mixed Grass Prairie (MG)
3.
Sand
Hills (SH)
4.
Short Grass Prairie (SG)
C. List of some At-Risk Animals and the Ecoregions where they can be
found:
All Ecoregions:
Regal Fritillary,
River Otter,
Bald Eagle,
Burrowing Owl,
Greater Prairie
Chicken
Only Tall Grass:
Flying Squirrel,
Timber Rattlesnake,
Pallid Sturgeon,
Salt Creek Tiger
Beetle
Only Mixed Grass:
Sand Hill Crane,
King Rail
Only Sand Hills:
Trumpeter Swan
Only Short Grass:
Big Horn Sheep,
Townsend Big-eared Bat,
Lewis’s Woodpecker
TG, MG, SH:
Piping Plover,
Blandings Turtle,
Interior Least Tern
MG, SH, SG:
Whooping Crane,
Long Billed Curlew
SH, SG:
Swift Fox
MG, SH:
American Burying Beetle
MG, SG:
Ferruginous Hawk
D.
Activity for Indoor
Classroom: “At-Risk Reactions!”
Is your first reaction
to stomp on a spider, or wish death for a snake? Read on. This activity will
provoke thoughtful discussion in your classroom.
E.
Activity for Outdoors:
“Migration Mayhem”
Nebraska is in the
Central Flyway, thus is a passageway for most birds migrating north to
breeding grounds and south for winter. This activity will acquaint students
with information about migration, its perils and the importance of
appropriate habitat for the migrating birds.
II.
POSTER CONTEST INFORMATION
Attention, Teachers or
Sponsors! When
you send in your group’s entries to the Poster Contest, your name will be
added to a drawing for a $200 voucher. If your name is drawn, you and your
family can use the voucher toward a two-night stay at a Nebraska state park
of your choice (such as Mahoney, Platte River, Ft. Robinson, etc)
Teacher should discuss
with students the following questions:
1. Which ecoregion do we
live in? (Tall Grass, Mixed Grass, Sand Hills, Short Grass) Look at the
poster map.
2. What at-risk animals
live in our region? What do they need in their habitat? What other animals
might share that habitat?
3. How might humans
affect their habitat in a good way or bad way?
Follow these directions
for Making Posters:
1. Draw or paint a
poster, using pencil, crayons, ink, markers, chalk or colored papers.
Print the words of the theme on the poster.
Conserve Nebraska’s
Natural Legacy!
2. The poster should be
created on 12” x 18” paper.
3. On the back of each
student’s poster must be:
Student’s Name
Student’s Address
Grade Level
Teacher or
Sponsor’s Name
School or
Organization’s Name
Note:
We use the student addresses to contact winning entrants, but they may be
left off if your school does not allow you to give out student addresses.
4. Please send only the
posters that best typify the theme.
5. Include one copy
of the entry form below for each set of entries you send.
6. Mail entries to :
Wildlife Week Poster Contest
PO Box 81437
Lincoln, NE 68501-1437
7. Entries must be
postmarked by Friday, April 28, 2007.
8. Posters will be judged
by a team, on artistic merit and how well they display the theme. The
poster must have the words of the theme printed on it.
9. Posters will be
judged by grade level (6th, 5th, 4th), with
four winners chosen for each grade level.
10. Students with winning
entries will receive framed wildlife art prints and a Nebraska State Park
sticker for 2007, allowing a family vehicle free access to any Nebraska
State Park throughout 2007.
11. Winners will be
notified by mail in early May, and will be honored at the Federation’s
Annual Meeting on Saturday, June 2, 2007, at Omaha’s Heron Haven Nature
Center.
**************************************************
Teacher/Sponsor
Name____________________________
School/Organization
______________________________
Grad Level of Entries:_______________
Address__________________________________________
City_____________________ Zip Code
________________
Phone (_____) ______________________
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