Three Coalition Members in Three Days: Beauty, Education, Inspiration

caterpillar

By Sarah Sortum, Switzer Ranch and Nature Reserve / Calamus Outfitters, GPEC Consultant

In just one fantastic week, I was able to partake in experiences offered by three of the Great Plains Ecotourism Coalition members:  The Butterfly Byway, Prairie Plains Resource Institute and The Nature Conservancy (Platte River Prairies).

The Butterfly Byway snagged my attention when local entomologist, Amy Hughes, offered an educational tour of four butterfly gardens around the Burwell, Neb., community. Albeit a slightly damp day, it was great fun seeing the diverse plantings of local gardeners that not only add beauty but provide great pollinator habitat.   We saw several monarch caterpillars, like the one below, taking advantage of the gardens.

I was also so happy to recognize the Butterfly Byway (with their supporting partners The Loup Rivers Scenic Byway and the Loup Basin RC&D) for their wonderful contribution to ecotourism in the Great Plains through this project. The Butterfly Byway is a prime example of promoting education, conservation and appreciation of our native plants and animals while striving to support rural communities.

grassland-restoration-network-workshop2

Grassland Restoration Network Workshop

Next I eagerly traveled to the Gjerloff Prairie, which is part of the Prairie Plains Resource Institute (PPRI) just north of Aurora, Neb. As part of the Grassland Restoration Network Workshop, this tallgrass prairie hosted visitors from Nebraska, Iowa, Missouri, Texas, Illinois and Kansas interested in prairie management. What a joy to walk through a “tunnel” of tallgrass prairie with wonderful people who also appreciate the many benefits of prairie — from the aesthetic to the scientific to the spiritual. Prairie management is a wildly interesting subject and Bill Whitney, founder of PPRI, has provided visitors with a wonderful place to explore the tallgrass prairie as well as learn about its value. I can’t wait to return here with my kids to share this special place with them.

Grassland Restoration Network Workshop

Grassland Restoration Network Workshop

Day two of this workshop visited The Nature Conservancy’s Platte River Prairies south of Wood River, Neb. TNC is doing some really interesting research here utilizing fire and grazing management. We also learned about various studies performed here related to grassland birds, soils and small mammals. The take-home message for me was that we cannot underestimate the importance of prairies. Everything in them matters.

While the events I attended had a very educational theme, I was greeted with beauty and inspiration everywhere I looked. Being on the landscape puts everything in a different perspective and drives home the lovely importance of experiencing these places firsthand. I have returned home to the Sandhills prairie with renewed enthusiasm, better understanding and elevated appreciation of what the Great Plains has to offer.