Wildlife
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2020 Annual Report 41
W I L D L I F E S T A F F H O N O R E D W I T H
A W A R D S
Ted LaGrange, wetland program manager in the Wildlife Division, won
the National Wetlands Award for Wetlands Program Development from the
Environmental Law Institute in May. He won this award for his lifetime of
achievements and accomplishments in the field of wetland conservation. Working
with public and private land wetland conservation, he has become a national
leader in the field of wetland conservation. Eric Zach, agriculture program
manager in the Wildlife Division, earned the Wildlife Conservationist of the Year
award at the annual Pheasants Forever State Habitat Meeting in February. He
received this award for his many years of influence on the USDA Farm Bill through
his current position and involvement with state and national groups.
S E E I N G T H E G R A S S L A N D T H R O U G H
T H E T R E E S
In recent years, Game and Parks has been shifting more focus to protection of
our abundant and beautiful grasslands. They are disappearing through conversion
to agriculture and are being invaded by eastern red cedar and other trees. In
2020, staff affected more than 53,000 acres of native grasslands across the state
through tree removal (40,000 acres) and prescribed fire (13,000 acres) by providing
incentive payments to landowners; this improved habitat for greater prairie-
chickens, sharp-tailed grouse, mule deer and many other grassland species. Game
and Parks and its many partners are working with researchers and University of
Nebraska-Lincoln students to study the invasion of cedars and are collectively
working toward a statewide cedar management plan. This plan will increase our
efficiency and effectiveness in cedar management efforts.
A red cedar-filled draw erupts into flame during a prescribed burn.
GERRY
STEINAUER,
NEBRASKALAND
MAGAZINE
