Et cetera : NCCC Cedar 3 assists Nebraska Game & Parks Commission

David Chupp rakes native plant seeds into the ground where a fire destroyed plant life.

By Trent Roberts

AmeriCorps NCCC team Cedar 3 is serving with the Nebraska Game & Parks Commission (NGPC) in Chadron, Nebraska until November 1. The team is assisting NGPC with a reseeding project and clearing firebreaks and service roads.

In just over a day, Cedar 3 completed the reseeding project, which was estimated to take three days. The reseeding project covered 10 acres of burnt-out hillside on the Ponderosa Wildlife Management Area. It helps the area recover more quickly from damage and prevents massive soil erosion that occurs during the spring. The project also fosters native plant species and prevents the spread of invasive species such as the Canada thistle.

The other big project occupying Cedar 3’s time is clearing the firebreaks. In the 2012, there were massive forest fires that burned approximately 170,000 acres of forested land. The fire was able to spread because of poorly managed areas where trees were allowed to grow too close together, and firebreaks that weren’t wide enough, allowing the fire to jump and burn different areas. Cedar 3 has been clearing the potential fuel on these breaks to help make fires more manageable in the future.

The mission of the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission is stewardship of the state's fish, wildlife, park, and outdoor recreation resources in the best long-term interests of the people and those resources.