Property next to Lincoln’s Nine Mile Prairie receives conservation easement

Members of the Natural Resources Conservation Service and the Lower Platte South Natural Resources District met with Bill Oberg on Thursday near Lincoln’s Nine Mile Prairie to celebrate the closing of a 75-acre conservation easement on Oberg’s property.

A conservation easement, according to Lower Platte South NRD resource coordinator Will Inselman, is the right to use land for conservation purposes, like wildlife habitat protection or even flood protection.

In this case, it was for drought tolerant prairie grass protection.

“So even in extreme drought years in the spring, when other things aren't greening up, you'll see native prairies green up quicker, green up sooner, be more lush and they can survive these droughts,” Inselman said. “They've been around for thousands and thousands of years. So they found ways to adapt to whatever the climate throws at them.”

According to NRCS Chief Terry Cosby, the retention of native prairie grass also grants wildlife corridors to travel along.

Oberg knew that the prairie grass on his property was special.

“Bill and I are both Prairie people, grew up in Nebraska,” said Pat Leach, Oberg’s wife. “I would say that I think over the years often tallgrass Prairie wasn't valued like certain other kinds of landforms. And so we are happy to do our part to preserve this.”

Oberg reached out to the Lower Platte South NRD, which connected him with the Natural Resources Conservation Service. With funds from the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program, Bill was able to give his land to the Lower Platte South NRD to protect. The next deadline for Agricultural Conservation Easement Program applications is Dec. 20.