Saving A Great Plains Lifeline

November 19, 2009

Contact:

Vanessa Vaughan, The Conservation Fund, (703) 908-5809; vvaughan@conservationfund.org

Wynot, NE – As part of a broad effort to enhance the Missouri River and restore critical wildlife habitat, The Conservation Fund announced today the protection of 2,400 acres—and nearly seven miles of river frontage—in Cedar County. The Conservation Fund purchased the property in July and transferred the property to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers earlier this week.

Stretching more than 2,300 miles from Three Forks, Montana, to St. Louis, Missouri, where it joins the Mississippi River, the Missouri River has sustained the people and wildlife of the Great Plains for centuries. Today, the Missouri River supports a wide variety of interests and uses—agriculture, commerce, conservation, energy, natural resources, recreation, residential and urban uses and water supply—all of which are part of a multi-stakeholder preservation effort known as the Missouri River Recovery Program.

“Preservation of this property is a significant step forward for the Missouri River Recovery Program and is critical to bringing back least terns, pallid sturgeon, piping plovers and bald eagles to the area,” said Clint Miller, Upper Midwest field representative for The Conservation Fund. “We appreciate the commitment of conservation-minded landowners who are helping to restore the Missouri River and build a natural legacy that will benefit current and future generations.”

Through the Missouri River Recovery Program, the Corps is working with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, American Indian tribes, state agencies and other agencies and organizations to restore some of the natural characteristics of the Missouri River, thereby allowing the river to support a thriving population of native species while providing for current social and economic values.

“We are excited about the opportunity the acquisition of a property this size presents. Our future efforts to restore habitat and provide new and exciting public recreation opportunities took a major leap forward this week,” said Colonel Robert Ruch, Commander of the Omaha District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. “We are grateful to the landowner and The Conservation Fund for their efforts to provide this extraordinary opportunity.”

Funding for the acquisition was included in the Fiscal Year 2010 Energy & Water Development Appropriations Act, which was recently approved by Congress and provides funding for the Corps’ programs.

“This project will help restore a Nebraska treasure and preserve it for future generations,” said U.S. Sen. Ben Nelson. Members of Nebraska’s congressional delegation have supported efforts to implement the broader purpose of the Missouri River Recovery Plan. “The Missouri River is an important part of Nebraska’s culture and it serves as a lifeline for its people and wildlife. I’m proud to support this effort that brings together diverse partners to advance both environmental and economic priorities.”

“This purchase is a key component in the effort to restore and protect the river for future generations,” U.S. Sen. Mike Johanns said. “The Missouri River will continue to be a critical source for agriculture, economic development, recreation and natural resources preservation in our state.”

“Nebraska’s natural resources are a source of both pride and economic revenue for our state,” said Congressman Adrian Smith. “Safe, secure access to water is necessary for economic growth, is the lifeblood for Nebraska’s agriculture producers and also provides valuable recreational opportunities. By moving forward with economic development efforts while ensuring our natural resources are here for future generations, we are improving Nebraska’s agriculture, energy and tourism industries.”

The property purchased from The Conservation Fund was identified as the highest priority for the Missouri River Recovery Program. Consisting of riparian and cedar forest, grassland and cropland, the property sits between the Missouri River and a steep bluff and may have been host to an Omaha Indian village in the early 1800s. A large chute or side channel of the Missouri River once ran through the property helping to form an island known locally as St. Helena Island.

Meriwether Lewis and William Clark, explorers of the country’s Louisiana Purchase and water passage to the Pacific, camped across the river in August 1804. The Conservation Fund has helped protect nearly 30,000 acres along the ten-state route of Lewis and Clark’s Corps of Discovery expedition, including several sites along the Missouri River.

Photo (top) by: Dmitry Mozzherin/Flickr

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