Nebraskaland

38 Nebraskaland • October 2026 The Importance of Landowners Many landowners care about conservation. T h a t i s t h e s i m p l e t r u t h . T h e re a l i t y i s, the economic decisions that farmers make to d ay a re mu c h m o re co m p l ex t h a n t h ey o n c e w e r e , s a i d A l i c i a H a r d i n , G a m e and Parks wildlife division administrator. Yet, in a state where more than 97% of land is privately owned, the future of conservation i s t r u l y i n t h e h a n d s o f l a n d o w n e r s . Conservation interests such as Game and Parks, Pheasants Forever, the Rainwater Basin Joint Venture and the Nebraska Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit are focused o n c o n n e c t i n g w i t h l a n d ow n e rs o p e n to collaboration. Often, these landowners hunted pheasants when they were children and want to see the birds make a comeback. Or a landowner has unprofitable acres that they can no longer farm because the land is too wet or the soil is too concentrated with nitrates, and it makes more sense to enroll it with the Conservation Reserve Program. Some have no interest in hunting, but they want to see wildlife and an ecosystem that's working in harmony on their property, O'Connor said. Even ranchers who are looking to slow the encroachment of eastern red cedar to maintain quality rangeland for their cattle may often find alignment with conservation goals. W h e t h e r i t 's wo r k i n g w i t h t h e U.S. D e p a r t m e n t o f Agriculture, a Natural Resources Conservation Service program or one of Game and Parks' programs, biologists try to find ways to help incentivize habitat work. These are landowners who are asking, "What could we do?" Hardin said. "We're listening to their stories and connecting them with ways that they can do conservation work on the ground. ... It often starts just with the ir interest because they have a history on that land." Landowners can also earn income by providing walk-in hunting access by enrolling their lands in Game and Parks' Open Fields and Waters Program. Contracts last one to five years, and landowners receive payment each year for providing this access. Lands located within focus areas of the Berggren Pheasant Plan and/or lands where habitat work is being done may qualify for bonus payments. "When 40% of surveyed pheasant hunters use OFW properties, providing a place to hunt is critical to sustain pheasant hunting in Nebraska," said Adam Kester, Game and Parks' access program manager. In 2025, the OFW P ro g r a m p rov i d e d p u b l i c a c c e s s o n 4 7 1 , 6 4 6 a c re s o f private land, including 91,877 acres of CRP and 30,535 acres of small grain stubble. Whether it is habitat work or providing access, interested landowners can contact the ir nearest Game and Parks office to get connected with a biologist. Marissa Jensen of Omaha hunts with her German shorthaired pointer on Open Fields and Waters land near Crab Orchard. JENNY NGUYEN-WHEATLEY

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