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LINCOLN — The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission approved grant award recommendations for the Land and Water Conservation Fund Stateside Assistance Program and the Recreational Trails Program at its meeting Jan. 23 in Lincoln.
Commissioners approved the following grant awards, totaling more than $2.6 million, for the Land and Water Conservation Fund Stateside Assistance Program: Curtis, $600,000 to replace a swimming pool; La Vista, $340,410 for revitalization at two parks; Stamford, $96,666 for improvements at City Park; Beatrice, $256,665 for development of pickleball courts at Chautauqua Park; Neligh, $210,000 for development at two river parks; Auburn, $600,000 for swimming pool improvements and multi-sport courts revitalization at Auburn Legion Park; and Spalding, $542,255 for remodeling a swimming pool.
Funding from the LWCF comes from the U.S. Department of the Interior and federal oil and gas leases on the Outer Continental Shelf.
Commissioners also approved the recreational trail project recommendations for federal funding through the Recreational Trails Program: Lower Platte South Natural Resources District, $250,000 to build the Prairie Corridor Trail-Spring Creek Phase II, a 10-foot-wide, 8,000-foot-long crushed limestone pedestrian and bicycle trail, access road and trailhead parking lot. It will connect to an existing trail at Spring Creek Prairie Audubon Center; Norfolk, $239,000 to build the Winter Park Trail and Pedestrian Bridge, a 2,500-foot-long trail and 60-fooot-long bridge to connect Winter Park and Fourth Street Park; Fairbury, $250,000 to rehabilitate the Fairbury Trail Bridge, including replacement of top decking, timbers and rail ties, installation of handrails and repairs to concrete piers; and Nebraska State Snowmobile Association, $17,000 to fund educational programs for the 2026 International Snowmobile Congress, set for June 3-6 in Omaha.
Funding for the RTP comes from the Federal Highway Administration and is made possible by a portion of the federal motor fuel excise tax paid by users of off-road recreational vehicles.
Also, the commissioners approved staff recommendations to: adopt the 2026-2028 Focus on the Future Strategic Plan, which includes the strategic directions of conservation, recreation, our team, and the people we serve; increase to the Cash Change Funds to assist with park operations, activities and events; accept a permanent easement request from Dawson Public Power District for installation of an overhead power line at Cozad Wildlife Management Area in Dawson County; and accept a right-of-way easement request from Omaha Public Power District for construction that falls outside the easement established in March 2025 for overhead power lines at Louisville State Recreation Area in Cass County.
Wildlife staff gave a review of the division’s 2025 depredation program, which was contacted by 237 landowners for depredation or safety issues concerning deer, elk and other species. An annual Depredation Landowner Satisfaction Survey revealed that 94% of respondents believed program staff responded well to their immediate needs.
Another Wildlife Division report reviewed chronic wasting disease. It covered the history of the disease and results from surveillance in Nebraska during the November Firearm deer season.
The Communications Division gave a review of agency priority messages for 2026.
