News

Fort Robinson State Park is ushering in what is sure to be among its most popular summertime attractions. The park introduced its new state-of-the-art aquatic facility with a “soft open.” It had been expected to be a busy place during Crawford’s annual Fourth of July celebration.

Perhaps it was the unusually warm weather in March - 90-plus degrees, but some of the eastern bluebirds using the nest boxes on Fort Niobrara NWR were off to an early start in their nesting efforts this year. On April 4, the first time the boxes were checked, four of 15 were already in use by bluebirds, two of which held full clutches of eggs; five in one case and four in the other. That means these two nests were initiated (the first egg laid) before the end of March. Since some bluebirds winter in the area, ap p a re n t ly they just awaited sufficiently warm weather to initiate nesting. Of the other two nests, one had two eggs, and the other held nesting material (fine grass). All of these nests were very probably ultimately successful, fledging 18 young. Since boxes are checked once a week, the moment of fledging is seldom observed, and there exists the possibility that a snake predated the nest just a day or so before fledging. But usually a few droppings inside the nest indicate success since the parents remove them from the nest right up to the time of fledging.

Larry Johnson, from Hope Valley, RI, is the seasonal maintenance volunteer for the Valentine National Wildlife Refuge for the summer of 2026. Larry loves the outdoors and loves volunteering for the national wildlife refuge system. He has volunteered at refuges, national fish hatcheries and other conservation lands around the country since 2020. He comes with a wealth of knowledge, and everyone who visits will notice newly painted signs, and beautifully landscaped parking lots and other structures. Larry has been assisting refuge staff with various other biological, repair and improvement projects around the Refuge as well as the Yellowthroat WMA. In May, the refuge was also able to have Larry attend Heavy Equipment training at the Rainwater Basin Wetland District Headquarters in Funk, NE so that he can assist with road maintenance and more complex projects as well. Larry has been a welcome addition to the refuge team and we’re lucky to have him until the beginning of October. Thanks, Larry!

VALENTINE, NE — The Sandhills Prairie Refuge Association (SPRA) invites outdoor enthusiasts, families, and nature lovers to the August Fire Tower Trail Hike and Plant Tour on Saturday, August 8, 2026. This guided event offers a unique opportunity to explore the ecology of the Sandhills and the rich history of the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) at the Valentine National Wildlife Refuge.

Welcome to new board member Kurt Johnson! Kurt retired in December 2023 after a 26+ year career with U.S. Fish and Wildlife (Headquarters).

Summer is a time for making memories, whether you’re heading to the lake, planning a camping trip, taking a family vacation, or gathering with friends for a backyard barbecue. While good food is often the centerpiece of these occasions, warm weather also creates ideal conditions for bacteria that can cause foodborne illness. Fortunately, a few simple food safety practices can help keep everyone healthy and enjoying the season.

Refuge staff has been making strides to cleanup the refuge and open it to habitat management activities and wildlife recreational opportunities. Since last fall several habitat management practices have taken place. All cedar trees have been removed from the refuge, cooperative haying took place last fall, and currently the refuge is grazing nearly 600 cow calf pairs from two different cooperators. One cooperator won a bid that was held earlier this spring. The other cooperator was impacted by early spring fires. Refuge staff is also looking into building removal, interior fence removal, and boundary fence replacement.

Wow my first four weeks into this IFYE experience has been eye opening! We - the two young IFYE adults and I from the United States - spent several days in Washington D.C. communicating with our Senators and Congressmen about targeting some funding in the new Farm Bill for IFYE USA. This will help these next generation of farmers and ranchers learn more about the nations abroad, and the youth to share these experiences and new ideas with our parents and communities to maybe invoke change in future perceptions and developnewconceptstoournormal agriculture practices.

Washington, D.C., July 2, 2026 – U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins announced a new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Small Business Administration (SBA) to combat weaponized regulatory and enforcement actions against America’s producers, ranchers, and small businesses. This partnership advances Pillar 4 of the Farmer and Rancher Freedom Framework by building a government-wide shield against lawfare.

LINCOLN, NE — Selecting the right free-choice mineral program is an important part of cowcalf management, but knowing whether a program truly meets cattle needs can be challenging. A two-part webinar series, Making the Most of Your Free-Choice Mineral Program, will help producers better understand mineral supplementation and provide practical tools for evaluating and improving their mineral programs.