Nominate Your Neighbor

Do you know someone who has done outstanding conservation work to help protect and preserve our natural resources? The Upper Elkhorn NRD would like to reward those individuals or groups for their contribution to conservation! Award categories include: Outstanding Grassland; Outstanding Tree Planter/Wildlife Habitat; Outstanding Community Conservation; Agri-Business; Conservation Educator; and, Honor Farm. Look through the award criteria below and see if there is someone you would like to nominate for a district award.  All nominations should be sent to the Upper Elkhorn NRD, 301 N Harrison Street, O'Neill, NE 68763 Attention Beth.  Please contact the office with any questions at 402-336-3867.

 

Grassland Conservation Tree Planter/Wildlife Habitat Community
Agri-Business Conservation Educator Honor Farm

 

Outstanding Grassland Award

The Outstanding Grassland Award seeks to reward cooperators for their care in preserving, promoting and enhancing our grasslands.   

Criteria:

  1. Individuals and livestock operations are eligible.

  2. Recipient of award must be a livestock producer or operation utilizing rangeland (native) and/or pastureland (introduced) resources.

  3. The basis for selecting the grassland award recipient will be the proper management of grassland (rangeland or pastureland) in a manner prescribed to be proper in accordance with its capabilities and economics.

  4. Nominations must be for land within the Upper Elkhorn NRD

    Click here to download nomination form.

     

Tree Planter/Wildlife Habitat Award

The Tree Planter/Wildlife Habitat Award seeks to recognize farmers or ranchers for tree planting and wildlife habitat improvements on their land. 

Criteria:

1.      Individuals, families, organizations, corporations and agencies are eligible.

2.      Nominee must have set aside a minimum of 5 acres in an effort to enhance and improve existing wildlife habitat

3.      Tree planting(s) must be for conservation purposes, e.g. windbreaks, shelterbelts, wildlife habitat, woodlots, erosion control, etc.

4.      Nominee must be the owner and/or manager of the wildlife habitat/tree planting area.

5.      Wildlife Habitat/Tree planting(s) must be rural or urban in public or private ownership.

6.      Wildlife Habitat/Tree planting(s) must be three years old and exhibit proper care and management.

7.      Other conservation activities and promotional efforts by the nominee will be considered to support the nomination.

      Click here to download nomination form.

 

Community Conservation Award

The Community Conservation Award recognizes clubs, groups, organizations, governmental units, towns or villages which have shown achievement in bettering the environment.  Action counts in this category - cleaning up, planning community and county wide activities, pollution reduction efforts or other works of conservation.

Criteria:

1.      Individuals, families, organizations, corporations and agencies are eligible.

2.      Conservation Activities must be for conservation purposes, e.g. windbreaks, shelterbelts, wildlife habitat, landscaping, woodlots, erosion control, etc.  Ornamental and horticultural plantings may be incorporated in the conservation plan

3.      Nominee must be a stakeholder in the conservation project.

4.      Conservation efforts must be rural or urban in public or private ownership.

5.      A brief summary of the conservation objective, present status and plans for the future should be included.

6.      Conservation activities and promotional efforts by the nominee will be considered.

      Click here to download nomination form.

 

Agri-Business Award

The Agri-Business Award recognizes individuals and organizations from the agri-business community not actively involved with farming or ranching.  Their continued efforts and support of environmental programs. 

Criteria:

  1. Individuals, families, organizations, corporations and agencies are eligible.

  2. Conservation Activities must be for conservation purposes, e.g. crop management, irrigation management, insect management, windbreaks, shelterbelts, wildlife habitat, landscaping, woodlots, erosion control, etc. 

  3. Nominee must be a stakeholder in the conservation efforts.

  4. Conservation efforts must be rural or urban in public or private ownership.

  5. A brief summary of the conservation objective, present status and plans for the future should be included.

  6. Conservation activities and promotional efforts by the nominee will be considered.

    Click here to download nomination form.

     

Educator of the Year Award

The purpose of the Natural Resource Educator of the year contest is to recognize the outstanding Natural Resource education efforts of our state.  Elementary (grades K-6) and secondary (grades 7-12) educators will be recognized in separate categories.  All teachers in public, parochial and private schools in Nebraska may participate.

®        Educators must be teaching full-time in the classroom and be personally responsible for developing a natural resource education program.

®        A candidate’s nomination must be endorsed by their local Natural Resources District in which he or she is teaching.

®        Team teachers are eligible, but awards will only be made to the designated leader.

®        Educators only may qualify for this award once every ten years.

®        Educators whose entry is submitted but does not win the award may resubmit their entries the following year.

Criteria:

1.     Submit a typewritten narrative, which addresses the five items under “Content of Narrative.”

Content of Narrative:  Narratives must be typewritten and double-spaced on one side only of 8 ½”x 11” paper. Type must not be smaller than 12 point. Narratives must address the five items listed in this document. The response for each item must not exceed two pages and should be treated as a separate section. On every page, identify by number in the upper right-hand corner the item to which the response applies.  Supporting materials should be located after each response.

·        Describe your program for involving students in the betterment of natural resources.

·        List and describe the areas of study incorporated in your natural resource education program.

·        Describe any assistance received from community organizations or resource specialists from local, state or federal agencies or organizations.

·        Explain how the program is being extended to other grades, other areas and to people in the community.

·        Document how your students have applied their knowledge of natural resource conservation to individuals, groups, schools and community projects. 

2.     Include the entry form, narrative and all supporting materials.

3.     Do not submit videos and or CD-ROMs.

4.     Do not include more than two letters of recommendation.  

     Click here to download nomination  form.

 

Honor Farm/Ranch Award

The purpose for the Honor Farm/Ranch Award is to promote ongoing conservation activities by a cooperator throughout their entire operation in the Upper Elkhorn NRD

Criteria:

1.      Individuals, families and organizations are eligible.

2.      Conservation Activities must be for conservation purposes, e.g. crop management, irrigation management, insect management, windbreaks, shelterbelts, wildlife habitat, landscaping, woodlots, erosion control, etc. 

3.      Nominee must be an owner and/or manager in the conservation efforts.

4.      Conservation efforts must be rural or urban in public or private ownership.

5.      A brief summary of the conservation objective, present status and plans for the future should be included.

6.      Conservation activities and promotional efforts by the nominee will be considered.

      Click here to download nomination form.