Tag Archives: Nature

Forty-four years is very long time for anything, isn’t it? Forty-four years is an exceptionally long time for working at the same organization. Think about — nearly four-and-a-half decades. WOW! This year, 2023, marks the beginning of my 44th 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 will be 61 years of age this year and I started working at …

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 about Nebraska’s outdoor scene. During the nine days of the recent firearm deer hunting season here in Cornhusker State, I selected a dozen key elements to be …

By Greg Wagner and Brian Peterson. Brian Peterson is a biologist at the University of Nebraska at Kearney and coordinates the M.S Biology Online Program. His research focus is white-tailed deer antler metrics.  He is also an avid hunter and outdoorsman. Maybe you’re a hunter. Maybe you’re not. But, there’s a unique form of hunting you will enjoy. It is a challenging and rewarding pastime that makes for an excellent family outdoor activity this time of year. It is deer shed …

LINCOLN, Neb. – The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission will host a seven-week virtual webinar series entitled “The Science of …” starting May 13. Every Thursday at 3 p.m. Central time, Game and Parks educators will discuss some of the science behind common things regarding nature and animals. The topic on May 13 will be butterflies and moths. The webinars are free, but separate registration is required for each. See the calendar event entries at calendar.outdoornebraska.gov for registration links. The webinar schedule …

LINCOLN, Neb. – Find resources, ideas and inspiration on how to use nature as your classroom by joining the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission for a virtual Growing Up WILD educator workshop April 13. This workshop will focus on engaging young children in nature through discovery and science. Growing Up WILD is a high-quality, easy-to-use guide for all educators, after-school program leaders and in-home daycare providers working with children 3 through 7 years of age. Participants will receive the Growing …

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 …

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 …