Assistance for Drought Issues

2012 will be a year we all remember due to the drought related hardships for many families, communities, farms and ranches.  And the history of drought in Nebraska as well as the forecasts for the next several months suggests that this drought may not be a single year event.

 UNL Extension has a faculty team assisting Nebraskans with many difficult decisions resulting from drought such as alternative feed supplies, managing higher food costs, and reducing water use in agriculture and urban green space. US Senator Mike Johanns was briefed by representatives of this team on the drought earlier this year. “We had some of the best people in the university system around the table giving me this briefing,” Johanns said. “And I was so pleased by the quality of the people that were there in their understanding of row crop problems, range problems, just the whole gamut of drought issues, and I think whatever we can do to support those people and build that capacity will pay huge, huge dividends for our state in the future.”

http://droughtresources.unl.edu

37 Certify at Hunter Safety Course

Thanks to volunteer Dane Petersen, 37 participants were able to attend and complete the Hunter Safety class held October 1-2 at the ULNRD office in Thedford. Participants came from several communities that included: Brewster, Ogallala, Valentine, Mullen, Dunning,  Whitman, North Platte, Thedford, Crookston, Kilgore, Purdum, Stapleton, Brownlee, Arnold, and McCook. Firearm Safety Education is a program ensuring that safe, respectful and responsible hunters participate in the sport of hunting in Nebraska.  Proof of completion of this course is required for everyone 12 years of age and older, or born on or after January 1,1977 who hunts any game animal or game bird in Nebraska using a firearm or crossbow.

ULNRD Improves Recycling Program with Baling Facility

The ULNRD received a grant from the Nebraska Environmental Trust to improve and increase recycling initiatives for the Upper Loup District. Upon implementing the existing recycling program of collecting recyclable materials of aluminum, plastics, tin, and paper, the ULNRD had been strongly urged to collect cardboard by constituents to help further reduce solid waste that is being sent to the landfill. The overall goal for this project is twofold. One is to meet the expressed desires of the NRD’s residents and two, to establish a means of making the current recycling program sustainable. Funding was used to construct a new building and loading dock. The building is located on District property which will be used to bale cardboard and paper, tin and aluminum. Throughout the last three years the recycling program has seen much success. Recycling trailers have been placed in the communities of Dunning, Halsey, Hyannis, Mullen, Seneca, Thedford, as well as taking over the transportation of Stapleton’s trailer. The program has increased the types of materials it collects, the ULNRD now collect plastics number 1-7, tin, aluminum, paper, and cardboard (limited sites).

Hunter Safety Class Scheduled for September

     Firearm Hunter Education is a program ensuring that safe, respectful and responsible hunters participate in the sport of hunting in Nebraska.  This program is mandated by the Nebraska Legislature, administered by the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission and taught by dedicated volunteer instructors.  Students are taught a set of standards, established by the International Hunter Education Association. By meeting these standards the Nebraska Hunter Education Program is recognized and honored on the entire North American continent.

Everyone born on or after January 1, 1977 who hunts any species of game, game animal or game bird in Nebraska using a firearm or crossbows is required to carry proof of completion on their person while hunting. Anyone under age 12 is not required to carry proof of completion. All hunters must also have a habitat stamp (except for those exempted) on their person while hunting in Nebraska.

     The ULNRD has scheduled a hunter safety class for anyone 11 years old or older. The course will be held in Thedford on September 15th &16th from 1:00 p.m.-6:00 p.m. CT at the Upper Loup NRD office.  If you are interested please register online at www.outdoornebraska.ne.gov

Leafy Spurge – pretty wild flower or pretty costly?

Leafy spurge is an invasive, herbaceous perennial weed that infests more than five million acres of land in 35 states and the prairie provinces of Canada. It causes significant problems by invading grazing lands for cattle and horses, reducing rangeland productivity and cattle carrying capacity by 50-75 percent, decreasing plant diversity, degrading wildlife habitat, displacing sensitive species and drastically reducing land values.

Leafy spurge is an erect plant that grows 1 to 3 feet tall. Leaves are bluish-green with smooth margins, 0.25 inch to 0.5 inch wide, and 1 inch to 4 inches long. Umbel flowers are surrounded by heart-shaped, showy, yellow-green bracts. (An umbel looks like the stays of an umbrella if it is held upside down. Flowers occur in many clusters toward the top of the plant. Seeds are round to oblong, about 1/12 inch long, gray or mottled brown with a dark line on one side. Seeds are dispersed by birds, wildlife, humans, and in rivers and streams. Leafy spurge contains white milky latex in all plant parts. This latex is poisonous to some animals and can cause blistering and irritation on skin. The digestive tract is similarly affected when this plant is eaten by humans and some animals. In cattle it causes scours and weakness; when ingested in larger amounts it can cause death. Cattle usually refuse to eat leafy spurge unless it is given to them in dry, weedy hay or when better forage is not available.

The use of herbicides for leafy spurge control is just one part of long term management that should include good grazing strategies and can include grazing by sheep or goats or biological control by the release of insects. It’s important to continue yearly management as skipping a year can allow leafy spurge to re-infest rapidly. Extension educators and county weed supervisors are very good resources for weed management.

To help with the Leafy Spurge battle the Upper Loup Natural Resources District provides cost share funds for BOTH fall and spring treatment to landowners in the NRD area. Funds are available to cover 45% of the cost of approved chemicals (i.e.: Plateau for fall) up to $400 per landowner. The appropriate chemical herbicide can be applied by a landowner with private pesticide certification or by a certified commercial applicator. Applications for cost share assistance can be obtained by contacting Upper Loup NRD at 308-645-2250 or

downloading an application from our website at

www.upperloupnrd.org. Upper Loup NRD includes all of Grant, Hooker, Thomas, Blaine and Logan Counties and parts of Cherry, Brown and McPherson Counties.