Spring Creek Prairie Audubon Center: A Prairie Oasis

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At first it appears ordinary. The grass blowing in the breeze is like the rest. But as those places with natural and/or historical relevance often do upon closer examination, the plants and animals on the grounds of the Spring Creek Prairie Audubon Center begin to tell their tale.



When walking down the unpaved slope from the parking area to the visitor’s center, the first thing one appreciates is the waist-high and sometimes shoulder-high grass on either side of the path. There is an immediate sense of unfamiliarity, regardless of how rural or cultured an upbringing someone might possess.



The space inside the visitor center, which is largely constructed of recycled material, is open and pleasantly simple, much like the rest of the property. There are hands-on exhibits inside that include a full size buffalo and a curious but very interesting display of grass that shows the deep and intricate root system that keeps the native prairie grass in place to defend against the myriad of unchecked weather events (e.g. tornadoes, fire, blizzards) the prairie is subject to face.



According to the Spring Creek Prairie Audubon Center website, the mission of the Center is to “conserve and restore natural ecosystems, focusing on birds, other wildlife, and their habitats for the benefit of humanity and the earth’s biological diversity.”



Just outside the visitor center there are many opportunities to explore the progress the Center staff has made in accomplishing their mission. Different species of birds sit, chirp, and in some cases nest and swoop. Native grass and plants on land sway in the breeze atop ancient soil that has never been plowed. According to Kevin Poague, operations manager at the Center, only two percent of the tallgrasses that dominated much of eastern Nebraska remain today.



Trails diverge from the Center across the prairie near a pond over a bridge. The area is great for landscape and nature photography in any season of the year as the seasons’ change brings new opportunity for exploration and education.



For those interested in 19^th century American westward expansion, there are ruts visible from a wagon road that crossed the area from 1860 to 1866. David Murphy, Nebraska State Historical Society, writes in a handout available at the Center that the road was used as a military supply route, a conduit to the larger Oregon-California Trail, and possibly by Mormons migrating west from 1864-66.



The Center is a fine place to relax, recharge, or both. Whether seeking the hidden treasures of nature or manmade history, visitors will be glad they made the trip!



The Spring Creek Prairie Audubon Center is located outside of Denton, Nebraska near Lincoln. Directions and other information can be found on the website http://springcreekprairie.audubon.org/

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Photos

Native Prairie Grass
The ground around the Spring Creek Prairie Audubon Center has never been plowed.

Spring Creek Cottonwoods
Solitary trees rise from the prairie near the edge of the pond.

Nebraska City-Ft. Kearny Trail
A mid-19th Century road crossed the modern-day grounds of the Spring Creek Prairie Audubon Center. Wagon ruts can still be seen on the property.

Wagon Ruts
19th century wagon ruts can be seen in the middle of this photo running front to back and just to the right of the post in the center of the picture.

Wagon Ruts (2)
The mowed path in the photo marks the general route of the mid-19th Century Nebraska City-Ft. Kearny Road.