Hard to say how many trees are growing within the Lower Loup NRD, the largest Natural Resources District in Nebraska.

What we do know is that since the founding of Natural Resources Districts in Nebraska in 1972, the Lower Loup NRD has planted more than 12 million trees.

Spring may seem far away, but it won’t be long, and our tree crews will be busy planting windbreaks on farms and ranches, and trees and shrubs on acreages across the District. This winter’s repeat snowstorms means ample soil moisture for providing new trees with a healthy head start. The Lower Loup NRD is offering more than three dozen varieties of trees and shrubs for sale in 2023.

Landowners plant trees for a variety of reasons. Trees serve as windbreaks for livestock and to protect farms and ranches. Stands of trees work as living snow fences and provide habitat for wildlife. Trees are also valued for their ability to protect water quality and topsoil by anchoring soil to reduce erosion. Trees purchased through the Lower Loup NRD can be planted by hand, or mechanically by LLNRD staff. With a machine-planting setup, LLNRD crews can plant thousands of young trees per day. Those same workers can also install drip irrigation systems on most new plantings. At the time of planting, the trees are two-year-old bare root seedlings standing 12 to 18 inches tall.

Tree sales are underway now. People interested in purchasing trees should order soon to ensure the best variety. Trees can be ordered at www.llnrd.org. The deadline for machine planting tree orders is April 1, 2023.

Bare root trees and shrubs are $1.10 per seedling plus sales tax. Each species must be ordered in lots of 25. Container trees should be ordered in lots of 20 and are $1.10 for 6 cu in, and $2.75 for 20 cu in. The machine planting charge is $75 per 100 with a $200 minimum charge, plus sales tax. Orders for machine planting must be received by April 1, 2023. Spraying is $45 plus $3 per 100 foot of row.

District Forester Richard Woollen has been talking about retirement for longer than it takes an apple sapling to bear fruit. But with the addition of Conservation Forester Aron Lewis to the LLNRD staff, Rich is counting down the days. All of us here at the Lower Loup NRD appreciate his many decades of service, and his gentle demeanor and immense knowledge of trees will be missed.

But he’s not gone yet, and Rich and all of us are looking forward to filling our energy-efficient tree cooler with high quality trees for our constituents to use to improve the quality of our water, soil, and life, in the Lower Loup NRD.

Senior Center March 1

A meeting will be held at the Callaway Senior Center on March 1 to present information on the Central Nebraska Economic Development District’s (CNEDD) State Digital Equity Planning Grant Program. Carla Kimball with CNEDD, along with a representative from Great Plains Communications and Callaway Economic Development Director Amber Harrison will be present for the meeting.

A potluck dinner will begin at noon, followed by the business meeting at 12:30 p.m. All senior residents of Callaway and the surrounding area are invited and encouraged to attend.

The vision for the Nebraska Digital Equity Plan is to ensure that Nebraskans have access to affordable, quality broadband and the skills to utilize digital technologies.