OutdoorNebraska

6 s a Master Naturalist, I have joined a community of like- minded individuals that share a passion for conserving and learning about nature's incredibly amazing plants and creatures. The passion is contagious and drives me to share what I have learned with others. As a grandmother, it's especially important to share the wonders of nature and importance of protecting our natural resources with my grandchildren. My grandchildren are not only the future of this big, blue ball, they are also my legacy. I imagine that one day my granddaughter will be telling her grandchildren about me, sharing stories about my fascination with trees, plants, grasses, insects, clouds and everything else nature has to offer us. I hope it will inspire them to be curious about nature too. On a cold February day, I took my 9-year-old granddaughter on a 2-hour road trip to help with a prairie restoration at The Nature Conservancy. We bundled up in our warmest winter gear and made our way to the area that was to be seeded with native plants. After listening to the instructions, we filled our buckets with seeds and headed out in a line with the other volunteers across the frozen tundra. We were helping restore prairie and wetlands that were once a former center pivot crop field. We were using a high- diversity seed mix of over 140 plant species to restore about 65 acres. That day, we were joined by over 30 volunteers that helped plant seeds by hand in the wetlands and on adjacent upland areas. It was bitter cold, but my granddaughter didn't seem to mind. She helped with seeding, but stopped to slide across any ice patches we found in the field and observe any curiosities that caught her eye. It was a good reminder for all of us to incorporate a little fun into our work. After a meal of warm soup and a meeting with the other volunteers, we stopped at the Crane Trust Nature Center at Alda. As we walked down a long hallway with artwork on the walls, we stopped at a small painting of a beautiful, golden prairie to admire it. My Granddaughter announced, "Someday my prairie will look like that!" By taking part in the restoration today, she had adopted the prairie we restored as her own, to nurture and protect and admire. She had fallen in love with the prairie! Donations to the Nebraska Wildlife Conservation Fund support the Master Naturalist Program, but the contributions of these volunteers to restoring declining wildlife and wildlife habitat are immeasurable. Are you interested in joining the Master Naturalist Community? Learn more at http://snr.unl.edu/naturalist/ Master Naturalists of the Future By Rachel Liester, Herbalist and Master Naturalist, Red Road Herbs, Stanton, Nebraska Remember to Just Click Since 1984, the Nebraska Wildlife Conservation Fund has been saving wildlife and wild places through habitat restoration, research and education. The Wildlife Conservation Fund is entirely funded through tax-deductible donations. Here are just a couple ways to support the Wildlife Conservation Fund. 1) Support with just a click, simply visit www.NebraskaWildlifeFund.org to make a donation. 2) Remember the Wildlife Conservation Fund when you are doing your taxes. Taxpayers should look for the new peregrine falcon symbol on your tax form to make a contribution. w d s i o e t m we stopped at the Crane Trust Nature l w b G p i t n f C s N ha communi A PHOTOS BY RACHEL LIESTER

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