OutdoorNebraska

24 24 24 24 24 24 24 24 24 24 24 24 24 24 24 24 24 24 24 24 24 24 24 24 GUIDE TO NEBRASKA'S WETLANDS These wetlands provide breeding habitat for a variety of wetland-dependent birds that nest in Nebraska, especially during years with abundant water. Rainwater Basins also provide important habitat for insect pollinators (Begosh et al. 2020) and for amphibians (Beas and Smith 2014, Smeenk 2019). The Rainwater Basin is considered a Biologically Unique Landscape (see page 65) in the Nebraska Natural Legacy Project's State Wildlife Action Plan (Schneider et al. 2011). Rainwater Basin wetlands provide benefi ts in the form of groundwater recharge (Wilson 2010), fl ood storage, reduction of water pollutants (Foster 2010), and sediment trapping (LaGrange et al. 2011). Nitrate levels in the groundwater under the Rainwater Basin region are high in many locations (clearinghouse. nebraska.gov), and the wetlands can play an important role in helping to reduce nitrate pollution. Groundwater recharge through playa wetlands is signifi cant, and happens through cracks that form in the clay layer during dry times. As water fl ows into a wetland with cracks, a large volume of it fl ows downward toward the aquifer (Gurdak and Roe 2009, Wilson 2010). Rainwater Basin playas also provide services of carbon storage and greenhouse gas emission reduction (Daniel et al. 2019). Nearly all Rainwater Basin wetlands provide opportunities for recreation, particularly hunting and wildlife observation. Waterfowl hunting remains very popular throughout the region (Fontaine et al. 2019), but opportunities tend to vary by location and time due to the dynamic nature of playa wetlands. Consequently, public land managers often pump groundwater into select wetlands to enhance wildlife habitat and waterfowl hunting opportunities, especially during dry years. The diverse plant communities associated with Rainwater Basin wetlands also provide habitat for many resident wildlife species, including ring- necked pheasants. Pheasant populations thrived in the Rainwater Basins during the 1950s and 1960s, attracting resident and nonresident hunters to the region each fall (Baxter and Wolfe 1973). Over time, agricultural land use intensifi ed, which greatly reduced the availability of suitable cover for pheasants throughout the region. Although today's pheasant populations (and associated hunting opportunities) are much more isolated, pheasant hunting remains very popular. The region's network of publicly accessible lands continues to provide an important resource for upland bird hunters, especially those living in Nebraska's urban population centers (Fontaine et al. 2019). Conservation Success Stories Although the Rainwater Basin landscape is highly A waterfowl hunter enjoys a morning on the Bluebill Wildlife Management Area in Fillmore County. This restored wetland is one of many conservation successes that were the result of the work of many partners using many diff erent funding sources, including the money that hunters pay to support wildlife conservation. ETHAN FREESE, PLATTE BASIN TIMELAPSE

• Cover