|
|
Wetland becomes another family treasureRestored wetland provides habitat for wildlife, enjoyment for farm couple Nebraska When you first pull into Max and Regina Leininger's farm just southwest of Sutton, Neb., you know you've arrived somewhere special. Regina's yard is full of beautiful flowers, plants, bird houses and various "lawn art." When you enter their century-old farm house you feel like you've stepped into a museum. Walls are full of unique items too numerous to count. Each one holds its own individual story and is a special treasure to the Leiningers. Another special treasure located just to the south of their house is a 30-acre wetland. The field south of the Leininger's farm hadn't always functioned as a wetland. For years the Leiningers tried to farm it. Max would plant corn or beans, and he'd raise a so-so crop half the time. The other half of the time the crop would be flooded out. After years of battling Mother Nature he decided to make a change. In 2003 the Leiningers visited with Janet Valasek and Katie Lemke with the Natural Resources Conservation Service in Clay Center, and enrolled the field into the Wetlands Reserve Program. WRP is a voluntary program available through the Natural Resources Conservation Service. WRP works with private landowners to restore and enhance wetlands on their property. Participating landowners can establish permanent or 30-year conservation easements, or can enter into restoration cost-share agreements where no easement is involved. The Leiningers decided to enroll their property into a permanent easement through WRP. Lemke, along with other members of the NRCS wetland team, worked with the Leiningers to restore the 143.2-acre field into a fully functioning wetland. The wetland restoration involved removing sediment from the wetland basin area. Over 23,000 cubic yards of sediment was removed creating about a 30-acre wetland. The remaining 114-acres of upland surrounding the wetland were then seeded to native forbs and grasses. Under the WRP permanent easement the Leiningers will ensure the area continues to function as a wetland. They still own the land and control access to the property. They have simply agreed to keep it as a wetland. That does not mean that the Leiningers can not use the restored area for anything. They may use the land for hunting or other forms of recreation. They can also request to hay or graze the wetland to help control vegetation. All of these actions will require NRCS approval through a Compatible Use Agreement, according to Lemke. "A Compatible Use Agreement means the landowner checks with NRCS before doing anything to the WRP site. If the action is compatible with keeping the area a high functioning wetland, then NRCS agrees and draws up an agreement," Lemke said. The wetland restoration was completed in 2005. Since then the Leiningers have enjoyed seeing several species of migratory waterfowl and shore birds using the wetland. They have also seen many pheasant and deer using the upland acres. "We've really enjoyed seeing the wildlife using the area, plus is beats fighting to keep water off the cropland," Max said. For more information about the Wetlands Reserve Program, or other conservation programs available through NRCS, please visit your local USDA Service Center or www.ne.nrcs.usda.gov/programs for more information. 8/4/08 Date: 7/30/08
Copyright/Privacy
Copyright 1995-2011. High Plains Publishers, Inc. All rights reserved. Any republishing of these pages, including electronic reproduction of the editorial archives or classified advertising, is strictly prohibited. If you have questions or comments you can reach us at High Plains Journal 1500 E. Wyatt Earp Blvd., P.O. Box 760, Dodge City, KS 67801 or call 1-800-452-7171. Email: webmaster@hpj.com |
|
