Spring Creek Prairie

Institutional Affiliation

Spring Creek Prairie is owned by Audubon Nebraska, a state office of the National Audubon Society. It is managed by local staff.

Mission

Our mission is to foster the understanding, appreciation, and conservation of Nebraska's prairie ecosystems by engaging people in Audubon Spring Creek Prairie's natural and cultural resources.

Location

We are located three miles south of Denton, NE. Travel south out of Denton on SW 98th St. At approx. 3 miles south, there is a large S-shaped curve in the road. We are on the left right after the curve.

Overview

We own/manage 626 acres. This includes approx. 500 acres of native tallgrass prairie. It also includes a stream, several ponds, wetland and spring areas, and a bur oak woodland. The topography is hilly. The soils are glacial till with large amts. of sand. Our list of plant species is over 350 and the bird list is over 150. We also have deer, coyotes, badgers, pocket gophers, beaver, snapping turtles, yellow-bellied racers, etc.

Research

Several years of research data have been collected on the flora. It has been published in the latest edition of Transactions of the Nebraska Academy of Science, but I will have to find the citation and send it later. Another research project entailed the use of exclosures to evaluate bird predation on grasshopper populations. Also, we have been used as a comparison site for insect populations of remnant prairie sites of varying sizes.

Education

We are developing an educational nature center here. Classes and tours are available for all ages.

Contact

Marian Langan
PO Box 117
Denton, Nebraska 68339
voice (402) 797-2301
fax 402 797-2304
mlangan@audubon.org

Aerial photograph (to enlarge, click on the aerial photograph)

Land Use (GAP) Classification (to enlarge, click on the GAP image)

Climate Data

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