Solidago Conservancy is on a mission to preserve our landscape and the stories it holds.
We ally with partners to conserve and connect a resilient landscape for generations to come.
Continue on to learn about our plan for a more interconnected region.
Solidago Conservancy works with public and private partners to expand greenways throughout the urban area, connecting people with nature and open space.
The rich mosaic of open land we enjoy today is built upon decades of collaborative work throughout the region. Solidago will continue this legacy, providing leadership to develop a “greenprint” of resilient landscapes for all people to enjoy today and to pass down to those who inherit this land in the future.
The Prairie Corridor will provide restoration of a continuous passage of tallgrass prairie and trail along the Haines Branch of Salt Creek extending from the Pioneers Park Nature Center to Spring Creek Prairie Audubon Center. Significant portions of the Prairie Corridor have been conserved by the Prairie Corridor Partnership by working with interested landowners.
The Comprehensive Plan includes a greenway and trail connection along the north side of the South Beltway now under construction that will connect the Stevens Creek greenway and Crescent Green and Wilderness Park.
The Stevens Creek greenway traverses the rural landscape to connect with the developing area of Lincoln. It includes floodplain, wooded corridors, open space, cultural resources and a planned future trail. Portions of the Stevens Creek greenway have been conserved as parkland or conservation easements.
Crescent Green runs along Salt Creek through the urban area of Lincoln. It includes the Salt Creek Levee Trail, the large wooded riparian corridor of Wilderness Park and a trail network through the park. This greenway is anticipated to extend southward in the future.
Nebraska’s Eastern Saline Wetlands are unique natural resources found mostly along Little Salt Creek and Rock Creek in Lancaster County. Significant portions of these wetlands have been conserved by the Saline Wetlands Conservation Partnership by working with interested landowners. This includes the Jack Sinn Wildlife Management area, a 1,500-acre complex of saline and freshwater wetlands in the northern portion of the Rock Creek Watershed.
Nebraska’s Eastern Saline Wetlands are unique natural resources found mostly along Little Salt Creek and Rock Creek in Lancaster County. Public access is offered at nine different wildlife management and conservation areas in the Little Salt Creek watershed for the enhancement of wildlife habitat. These sites offer many activities, including hiking, bird watching, and nature study, with some sites available for hunting and fishing.
The ground we stand on is rich with memories, some our own, and some that precede us. For all of us though, there comes a time when we consider what happens with the land when we move on. This takes planning and foresight, but can be a beautiful way to preserve a legacy for generations to come.
Tim and Judy Stiefel have had a connection to this land for more than 50 years. Born and raised here in the region, they sought out an opportunity to donate land for a trailhead and tallgrass prairie conservation to restore the natural habitat and ensure that the community can experience its enduring beauty.
Follow the journey of Judy and Tim Stiefel as they talk about realizing this lasting legacy.
It’s just home.
And it always will be.
- Judy Stiefel
Read on to learn about Solidago and land conservation.
If you took farm land and let it go, it would come up as prairie grass without even planting a seed. Nature can find its way back. And it can find its own equilibrium.
Salt Valley was once a vast prairie wilderness with a unique saline wetland landscape. The path to conservation is guided by a master plan that provides a “greenprint” for protecting jewels of the natural world: saline and freshwater wetlands, rare tallgrass prairie remnants, and meandering waterways. The plan ensures an increase in habitat diversity and focuses on corridor connectivity to support a resilient natural landscape. Land preservation is accomplished through a voluntary, incentive-based approach with interested landowners.
When we take care of the earth,
it takes care of us.
- Sändra Washington
Read on to learn how you can experience the joy of nature today.
Having a meaningful connection with the land is intrinsically tied to accessibility. And there are a wide range of people working together to ensure that everyone in our community has greater access to the many trails, greenways and wildlife throughout Salt Valley Greenway and its connecting corridors.
Anna Wishart has a life-long relationship with the parks and nature corridors that surround Lincoln. From long walks, to long distance running, to horseback riding, there is a certain wonder in maintaining our connection with nature everyday.
Watch as Anna Wishart and others talk about how they are working together to ensure that the land is accessible to all.
What is the legacy we’re going to leave for future generations?
There’s something in the soil that roots us here.
- Ann Ringlein
Learn more about how Solidago Conservancy is working with a range of partners to bring vision to life.
The vision for Solidago Conservancy is just that: to conserve a thriving and interconnected landscape for all in the region to experience.
Solidago works with landowners and other partners to conserve natural areas, protect green spaces and to connect people with the open land.
Solidago is affiliated with the Lincoln Parks Foundation, which works in partnership with the City of Lincoln’s Parks and Recreation Department to inspire and nurture a philanthropic legacy for parks and recreation in the Lincoln community.
Nicole Fleck-Tooze, Executive Director
Travis Jensen, Community Conservation Coordinator
Bailey Wood, Development Director
Brad Brandt (Chair) | Liz Lange |
Glynnis Collins (Vice-Chair) | Cathy Rustermier |
Jeff Jewell (Secretary-Treasurer) | Mike Sousek |
David Cary | Ray Stevens |
Lynn Johnson | Renee Yost |
The land belongs to the future
- Willa Cather