Overview

The Niobrara Valley Preserve was purchased in 1980 from S.N. "Bud" Wolbach and Theodore McGinley, Sr. The Preserve lies within the western half of the 76-mile long Niobrara National Scenic River area and provides protection for 25 miles of river front on the south side and 8.5 miles of river front on the north side of the Niobrara River. Of a total 61,791 protected acres, 60,000 (fee and title leased lands) are actively managed by the Nature Conservancy.

The middle Niobrara Valley, often described as the "biological crossroads" of the Great Plains, is located at the boundary between the Northern and Southern (Central) Mixed-Grass Prairie Ecoregions. This stretch of the Niobrara River, between the mouths of Minnechaduza Creek and Plum Creek, contains a unique mixture of three woodland types (northern boreal, western coniferous, and eastern deciduous). The Niobrara Valley also contains mixed grass prairie, tallgrass prairie, and sandhills prairie. The diverse plant communities host an equally impressive assemblage of plant and animal species (581 vascular plants, 213 birds, 86 bryophytes [mosses], 86 lichens and 85 butterflies).

The middle Niobrara Valley has been actively shaped by three ecological processes: hydrogeological, fire, and grazing.

Location

The Niobrara Valley Preserve is

• 9.5 miles west of Ainsworth and 16 miles north of Johnstown
• 18 miles west of Springview and 8 miles south of Norden
• 30 miles east of Valentine and 8 miles south of Norden

The Preserve headquarters is located approximately 30 miles east of Valentine on Nebraska Highway 12 then 8 miles south on the county road towards Johnstown, or 10 miles west of Ainsworth on U.S. Highway 20 then 16 miles north on the county road towards Norden.

Research

Research by preserve staff and scientists from cooperating universities has been ongoing since 1981.  Current research includes studies of the possible effects of climate change and genetic bottlenecking on disjunct paper birch trees, comparison of the daily movements of cattle and bison, population and ecology of an endemic subspecies of eastern woodrat, and the effects of recreationalists on stream macroinvertebrates.

The Preserve offers a rare opportunity compare the effects of traditional cattle grazing with free-ranging bison grazing on all aspects of the Sandhills Prairie ecosystem. Two bison pastures (7,500 and 12,000 acres) with adjacent cattle pastures provide for replication. Other active management includes prescribed fire, prescribed cattle grazing for restoration, mechanical tree clearing, and bio-control of purple loosestrife in a variety of wetlands. These activities also provide opportunities to study their ecosystem effects. A USGS weather station on site is available on line http://agebb.missouri.edu/weather/realtime/niobrara.asp and is updated every five minutes for studies requiring weather data.

Climate Data

See historical climate data from the nearest weather station at Springview, Nebraska.