Brochure 101 Workshops

Twenty five individuals representing organizations,communities, and businesses attended one of two sessions of a Brochure 101 Workshop coordinated by the Loup Basin RC&D Council and the Nebraska Division of Travel and Tourism. Workshops were held in St Paul on November 9 and in Ord on November 10.Todd Kirshenbaum and Twyla Witt of the Nebraska Division of Travel and Tourism spoke to the group about the basics of developing a brochure,what a brochure should contain, and common mistakes made while making brochures. Several examples were shared with the attendees. The attendees were then split into groups and asked to develop their own brochure. The groups gained a lot of knowledge regarding brochure development and produced very creative brochures.

Partners:

• Nebraska Division of Travel and Tourism

• St Paul Chamber of Commerce

• Loup Basin RC&D Tourism Committee

Funding:  (2005) Technical Assistance by Partners $1,000, Fees from participants $ 250, Total $ 1,250.

Nebraska’s Junk Jaunt

On Sept. 28-30, 2007, the Loup Rivers Scenic Byway (Highways 11 and 91) and Sandhills Journey Byway (Highway2) will coordinate the 4th Annual 220-mile flea market called “Nebraska’s Junk Jaunt”. Vendors along the route have included antique dealers, garage sales, salvage yard operators, used car sales, eating establishments, craft stores, businesses and entertainers.

The “Junk Jaunt” involves more than 40 communities in 10 counties of central Nebraska. Attendance for the annual event is widely estimated to be between 15,000 and 20,000 "jaunters."

The purpose of the event originally was to attract people to the area to showcase tourism and promote an economic benefit in each community. The 5th Annual “Nebraska’s Junk Jaunt” is already scheduled to be held Sept., 26–28, 2008. For more information visit http://www.junkjaunt.com.

Loup Basin RC&D Partners:

• Sandhills Journey Scenic Byway

• 40 Communities

• 10 Counties of Blaine, Custer, Garfield, Greeley, Howard, Loup, Sherman, Valley, Wheeler, and Hall

• Loup Basin RC&D Tourism Committee

• County Tourism Promotion Committees

• Nebraska Division of Travel and Tourism

Funding:
(2005) Nebraska Division of Travel & Tourism Grant $ 4,700 Howard, Valley, Garfield, and Custer County Tourism  Promotion Committees $ 1,200 Sandhills Journey Scenic Byway $ 1,000 Loup River Scenic Byway $ 2,500 Total $ 9,400.
 

Cedar River Stabilization Project Erosion Site Installation

The Cedar River Stabilization Project was began in May 2000 to assist landowners along the Cedar River with concerns about the erosion. A committee was formed, which held monthly meetings and produced monthly newsletters. The group secured funding from the Nebraska Dept. of Environmental Quality and the Nebraska Environmental Trust Fund to assist 12 landowners with cost share assistance for erosion control structures and practices.

A preliminary evaluation was completed at each site. Resource personnel from Nebraska Dept. of Environmental Quality, Nebraska Natural Resources Conservation Service, Lower Loup NRD, US Army Corps of Engineers, Nebraska Game & Parks Commission, and Loup Basin RC&D evaluated each site and recommended an erosion control practice. The group recorded factors such as streambank height, streambank length, land use, and structures threatened by erosion. The participating landowners were required to install a minimum 35 foot vegetative buffer. The vegetative buffer must be either seeded or left to grass. Livestock exclusion must be enforced with the installation of fencing, if needed. Landowners chose a contractor to complete the structural practices, and the landowners could match the grant with either cash or in-kind services. Several different practices were installed including Cottonwood Tree/Root Wad Jetties, which includes the utilization of cottonwood trees as jetties; Wooden Jetties, which utilizes used power poles as structure of the jetty with cedar trees secured to the frame; Rock Bendway Weirs and Vanes, which are composed of sized rock/broken concrete, and Stone Toe Protection, which is a mat of sized rock/broken concrete and Root Wad Jetties.In addition to assistance to landowners, education has been provided on water quality, water quantity, and best management practices. The project has coordinated three youth activities: Cedar River Monitoring Teams, National River Cleanup Teams, and Willow Planting Teams. Stream workshops, site tours, and site planning trips have also been utilized to inform landowners, residents, and youth about the project, the benefits, and outcomes of the erosion control practices.

Partners:

• Nebraska Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS)

• Lower Loup Natural Resource District (NRD)

• Nebraska Game and Parks Commission

• US Army Corps of Engineers

• PrairieLand RC&D

• Nebraska Dept. of Environmental Quality

• Nebraska Environmental Trust Fund

• Landowners along the Cedar River

• Wheeler Central, Burwell, Spalding Public Spalding Academy, Cedar Rapids, and Fullerton High Schools.

Funding:

Nebraska Environmental Trust Fund $ 64,000  Nebraska Dept. of Environmental Quality $ 90,000  Cash and In-kind Match by Landowners $ 20,000 In Kind Technical Assistance by Partners $ 60,000 Total $ 234,000
 

The Loup Basin RC&D Ag-Diversity Networking Group

Networking Group brings agricultural producers from across the RC&D area together once a month to discuss and share ideas. The group has grown over its short life. It now has nearly 60 on the mailing list, which receives the monthly meeting agendas and tour itineraries. Approximately 10 to 15 people attend each monthly meeting. Monthly guest speakers discuss their operations and share information regarding ag-diversity, ag-tourism, ecotourism, and agricultural options. Many ideas have been born from this organization. This group intends to continue their monthly meetings. The group has also coordinated ag-diversity tours of area operations. Tours have included visits to a Grass-Fed Beef operation, a farm house turned into a restaurant/flower shop, a vineyard/berry growing farm, a Bison Ranch, a beekeeper and honey extraction business, and a ranch tour operation. A third tour is planned for May 2006. The Loup Basin RC&D Ag-Diversity Networking Group is the only support networking organization in central Nebraska available to ag-diversity producers. Members of this organization have broadened their businesses, farms, and/or ranches by adding a new avenue of income such as bed and breakfasts, restaurants, and ag-related businesses such as vineyards, alternative livestock, and diversified grazing and crop production.

Partners:

• Area Ag. Diversity Producers

• Loup Basin RC&D Economic Development Committee

• Nebraska Division of Travel and Tourism

Funding:

Technical Assistance from Loup Basin RC&D Staff $ 400 Donated time and service of Ag. Diversity Businesses visited $ 1,000 Total $ 1,400

Loup Basin RC&D Projects

 *The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service provides about $127,000 annually for staffing and operating an RC&D office in support of completing projects, goals and objectives of the Council’s Area Plan