OutdoorNebraska

6 A Journey Through the Sandhills By Melissa J. Panella, Wildlife Diversity Program Manager, Nebraska Game and Parks Commission S ometimes it's nice to get away without having to travel too far from home. Road trips have some definite advantages over travel by air — setting your own schedule, playing your favorite tunes, snacking to your belly's content, and choosing your travel companions, or rather, opting for some time alone to unplug and regenerate. With a little bit of planning, you can easily visit glorious, wide- open spaces in Nebraska such as the Sandhills. The Sandhills Journey Scenic Byway, which follows most of Highway 2 from Grand Island to Alliance, offers a chance to experience the nature, history, culture, and recreation opportunities of the gently rolling Sandhills of Nebraska. Four major attractions form the backbone of the scenic byway: the Platte River Valley, Nebraska National Forest at Halsey, Valentine National Wildlife Refuge, and Crescent Lake National Wildlife Refuge. The special designation of the byway was given in 1999 with the mission "to conserve and promote the natural, cultural, historical, recreational, and scenic qualities along the Sandhills Journey Scenic Byway." The Sandhills ecoregion is a unique and magnificent place in Nebraska. It spans more than 19,000 miles in the north-central part of the state. This exceptional landscape includes a system of dunes that make up one of the largest intact grasslands in the world. The largest of the dunes reach up to 400 feet high. Extensive aquifers up to 1,000 feet or more thick exist below the dunes. They hold approximately 700–800 million acre- feet of groundwater. Nearly 2,000 shallow lakes and over a million acres of wetlands have formed in the Sandhills. The Niobrara River is the only river of the Sandhills that originates outside of the ecoregion. The other rivers that flow in the Sandhills are fed primarily by groundwater discharge from the aquifers up to the surface. Seasonal rains support the lush growth of the area's native grasses and wildflowers. These exceptional features contribute to the Sandhills' ability to support ecosystems teeming with plant and animal life. Approximately 700 native plant species grow in the Sandhills, including several at-risk species. More than 300 species of resident and migratory birds, 55 different mammals, 75 types of fish, 27 species of amphibians and reptiles, and countless invertebrates live in the Sandhills during some part of their life. The Wildlife Conservation Fund has contributed to the Sandhills Journey Scenic Byway, a non-profit endeavor to aid in the mission of bringing nature interpretation to all Nebraskans and to visitors in the Sandhills. Whether it be for birding, prairies, native grasses, geology, wetlands, lakes or rivers, an opportunity to nurture an appreciation of this world-class landscape in Nebraska will help in sustaining its stewardship and conservation of the numerous plants and animals that rely on this special place. The Sandhills can continue to be a biological diversity hotspot under the care of dedicated people for many generations to come. You can learn more about fun and interesting things to see and do while visiting the Sandhills at SandhillsJourney.com. Storm clouds loom over the Sandhills at sunset on the Valentine National Wildlife Refuge in Cherry County. PHOTO BY ERIC FOWLER PHOTO BY JON FARRAR The Blanding's turtle is an at-risk species that can be found in the Sandhills of Nebraska. Populations of Blanding's turtles may have more of a stronghold in the Sandhills of Nebraska than in the remainder of their range in the U.S. and Canada.

• Cover