Tag Archives: Nature

The season for gratitude and reflection is upon us. Thanksgiving week is when we remind our families, friends and close associates how much they mean to us and express our sincere appreciation for what positive things we have been given in life. While you are considering what you are thankful for, don’t forget nature. During the nine days of the recent firearm deer hunting season here in Cornhusker State, I selected a dozen key elements to be extremely grateful for …

LINCOLN, Neb. – Learn about the science behind common sights in nature through a virtual webinar series hosted by the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission this summer. This series, “The Science of …,” will take place at 3 p.m. Thursdays Central time starting July 9. Educators will discuss the science behind six common nature and animal topics. This series is perfect for anyone curious about our natural world. The webinars are free, but each requires a separate registration. A list …

LINCOLN, Neb. — Need an excuse to keep busy and learn something new? Need free resources that can teach children about the natural world? Look no further. The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission offers a wealth of free education activities and lesson plans now curated in one place at OutdoorNebraska.org/onlineeducation. There people can find lesson plans, ask a nature question, find ideas for science activities and crafts, and more — all engaging, scientifically-accurate and age appropriate — with items already …

Forty years is very long time for anything, isn’t it? Forty years is an exceptionally long time for working at the same organization. Think about — four decades. WOW! This year, 2019, marks the beginning of my 40th year at the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. My career spans a few different divisions within the agency – Fisheries, Parks and Information and Education (now Communications). I am currently the public information officer and manager for the Nebraska Game and Parks …

Sometimes nature sends obvious signs about what a person should not touch. Cacti, yucca plants, porcupines and rattlesnakes have signals akin to a flashing billboard. Then there are more devious dangers such rash-inducing urushiol on unassuming poison ivy plants. I am not sure where the subject of the following story fits into that spectrum, but I now know I should have been paying a little closer attention to some signs. “Ohhh, look at the fuzzy caterpillar,” my 10-year-old daughter Kiera …

It is late May, spring has finally sprung, and only the most ardent of homebodies are not excited about getting outdoors. It is no secret — some of the best places to enjoy that time outdoors is at our state parks. From horseback riding to swimming, the parks are putting their activities and amenities into full gear this month. While the parks may be open and enjoyable year-around, the first official day of the busy season is May 26. I …

Here in Nebraska, beauty surrounds us constantly. It tends to announce itself most clearly in uninterrupted moments of quiet: a long morning in a deer blind, a lazy tubing trip down the Niobrara, an evening of calm after an afternoon of hiking. Seeking out that beauty can be its own goal and reward, driving us into the outdoors with the need to capture it forever. Photography is a common method, both accessible and familiar. Less well known, but growing in …

For Holly Green, her peace of mind during finals in college could reliably be found in one place: between the pages of a black composition notebook. The formula was pretty straight-forward: head to one of the bridges at Fort Kearny State Recreation Area, notebook in hand, and just observe: the morning fog over the water, chunks of ice floating down the river, brown bats silhouetted against the moon, the croaking of the bullfrog she dubbed “Romeo” for his incessant singing. …

The air is crisp and cold. Hardwood trees stand motionless and silent — faint brush strokes against the slowly lightening predawn sky. Small sounds begin to carve the creek bottom. A raucous calamity of crows can be heard in the distance. An assertive blue jay appears on a limb. Two fox squirrels squabble amid the leaves on the woodland floor. In the grass beyond the trees, a rooster pheasant cackles; greeting the first full rays of the sun. Suddenly, and …

One of the results of spending a lot of time in the field is capturing interesting wildlife photos. Sometimes, while shooting photos of one species you capture another. Such was the case recently when I was shooting photos of white-tailed deer in Washington County, NE. Did you note what’s in the background? I didn’t see that coyote initially when I was snapping pics of the deer. It goes to show that surprises make time outdoors, time well spent! Oh, and don’t forget your camera!