NEBRASKAland Magazine is dedicated to outstanding photography and informative writing with an engaging mix of articles and photos highlighting Nebraska’s outdoor activities, parklands, wildlife, history and people.
Issue link: http://mag.outdoornebraska.gov/i/831879
A Celebration of Conservation 2017 marks the 150th anniversary of Nebraska becoming a state. For most of that period, the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission has worked to conserve the state's natural resources, continuing the work that some started even before statehood. L ong before Nebraska became a state in 1867, the people who lived here had an innate appreciation for the state's fish, wildlife and other natural resources. For Native Americans, fur traders and early settlers, this abundant fish and game provided sustenance in a land that was sometimes harsh. Some speculate settlers would not have survived without it. The utilitarian nature of those first settlers nearly wiped out many wildlife species. The plow played its part, too, converting wildlife habitat to cropland. Elsewhere in the U.S., logging was destroying forests. It is in these events in American history that the conservation movement was born in the 19th century, and where the roots of the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission can be found. As Nebraska was settled and man no longer relied so heavily on game and fish to survive, his appreciation of the state's natural resources shifted from one of utility and sustenance to enjoyment and appreciation. In their free time, Nebraska hunted and fished for fun and relaxation as much as they did for food. They swam and boated in the lakes and rivers in the summers. And they sought out wild and scenic places to do these things, to camp, or to simply visit for a Sunday picnic. They wanted to ensure there would always be wild things, including game to hunt and fish to catch, and that wild places were preserved that all could enjoy. From its beginnings with the formation of the Fish Commission in 1879, the Game and Parks Commission's involvement in the conservation of these resources grew to what it is today. The agency's mission is simple: Stewardship of the state's fish, wildlife, park, and outdoor recreation resources in the best long-term interests of the people and those resources. The methods the Commission uses has changed drastically since its early days. Fisheries management has shifted from purely stocking to scientific sampling and monitoring of fish populations and improving fish habitat in Nebraska waters, both new and old. Wildlife management that once only used hunting seasons and limits to manage wildlife now uses science to study it, surveys to monitor it and set seasons, and focuses on habitat work to maintain or expand populations, with work focusing more on non- game species than ever before. In the parks, where once simply providing a place to go was sufficient, the Commission is now expanding amenities and activities to enhance visitors' experiences. Decades ago, the duties of conservation officers began to shift from purely law enforcement to education and public relations. Educating Nebraskans on the importance and value of the natural resources, and teaching them how to enjoy them, is a growing component of completing the mission. In a land with such a diversity of landscapes, fish, wildlife and plant species, it is a noble and worthy mission, one that the people of the Commission are proud to uphold. What follows is the history of resource management in Nebraska. By Jon Farrar and Eric Fowler 36 NEBRASKAland • JUNE 2017 The Romaine and Decker fish hatchery was already in operation when the Nebraska Fish Commission was created in 1879. The Commission purchased the hatchery, complete with canyon ponds, in 1881 and renamed it the Gretna Fish Hatchery. It is now part of Schramm Park State Recreation Area. NGPC LIBRARY ARCHIVES