This month we are joined by Dr. Larkin Powell, Director of the School of Natural Resources at University of Nebraska-Lincoln. With years of research experience in the Great Plains and beyond, Dr. Powell narrates the story of how our agricultural landscapes have changed over time and the opportunities and challenges that come along with these changes. We also discuss Dr. Powell's upcoming book, "The Best of Intentions: A story of landscape change in the Great Plains." 

Resources: 

• The Best of Intentions: a history of landscape change in the heart of the Great Plains by Dr. Larkin Powell 

• USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service 

Dr. Larkin Powell [website, academic profile, LinkedIn, @larkinpowell] 

Dr. Andrew Little [academic profile, @awesmlabdoc] 

Nathan Pflueger [website] 

AWESM Lab [website, @awesmlab] 

Nebraska Pheasants Forever [website, @pheasants_quailforever_of_ne] 

Watch these podcasts on YouTube 

If you enjoy this podcast, leave a rating and review so others can find us! 

We are dedicated to bringing important information and new ideas to listeners just like you. Help us keep WildAg going by donating to the podcast: https://nufoundation.org/fund/01155570/ 

Or, learn more about how your organization can sponsor episodes: https://awesmlab.unl.edu/wildag-sponsorship/ 

Music by Humans Win 

Produced and edited by Iris McFarlin 

Joining us this month on the podcast are Gabriella Scolio and Jacob Penner from The Nature Conservancy to talk about carbon markets and what it means for farmers in the Midwest. We learn about what a carbon credit is, why companies are interested in carbon credits and how they are measuring their emissions, and how and why farmers might want to get involved.  

Resources: 

• Natural Climate Solutions: How nature can fight climate change (TNC) 

• Carbon Markets (TNC) 

• Carbon Markets Resource Center (TNC) 

The Nature Conservancy [website, NE chapter website] 

Dr. Andrew Little [academic profile, @awesmlabdoc] 

Nathan Pflueger [website] 

AWESM Lab [website, @awesmlab] 

Nebraska Pheasants Forever [website, @pheasants_quailforever_of_ne] 

Watch these podcasts on YouTube 

If you enjoy this podcast, leave a rating and review so others can find us! 

We are dedicated to bringing important information and new ideas to listeners just like you. Help us keep WildAg going by donating to the podcast: https://nufoundation.org/fund/01155570/ 

Or, learn more about how your organization can sponsor episodes: https://awesmlab.unl.edu/wildag-sponsorship/ 

Music by Humans Win 

Produced and edited by Iris McFarlin 

Joining us this month on the podcast is a local Nebraska landowner, Merlyn Nielsen, to talk about his experiences implementing conservation practices on his farmland. From creating habitat to hunt pheasants and improve sustainability to a tip for reduced land taxes, Merlyn shares the joys and benefits of his conservation projects as well as some of the barriers encountered along the way. 

Resources: 

• Natural Resources Conservation Service | USDA 

• Farm Service Agency | USDA 

• Seward County (NE) Pheasants Forever 

Dr. Andrew Little [academic profile, @awesmlabdoc] 

Nathan Pflueger [website] 

AWESM Lab [website, @awesmlab] 

Nebraska Pheasants Forever [website, @pheasants_quailforever_of_ne] 

Watch these podcasts on YouTube 

If you enjoy this podcast, leave a rating and review so others can find us! 

We are dedicated to bringing important information and new ideas to listeners just like you. Help us keep WildAg going by donating to the podcast: https://nufoundation.org/fund/01155570/ 

Music by Humans Win 

Produced and edited by Iris McFarlin 

Have you ever struggled to find areas to hunt? Especially in Nebraska, where over 97% of the state is privately owned land, access to hunting can be difficult to come by. We know from previous research that a lack of access is also a top reason why people stop hunting or don't start at all. But public access programs like Open Fields and Waters and the Nebraska Community Access Partnership are tackling this issue head-on. For any hunter interested, these programs provide access to quality private lands to hunt; for landowners, it's another way to bring in a little extra income. This month we are joined by Adam Kester, Access Program Manager at the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, and Addie Piernicky, NCAP Coordinating Wildlife Biologist at Pheasants Forever, to learn all about how these programs are transforming hunting access in Nebraska and beyond. 

Resources: 

• Nebraska Community Access Partnership 

• Open Fields & Waters (website) 

• Open Fields and Waters: Expanding Hunter Opportunity (via YouTube) 

• Nebraska Game and Parks Commission Offices: Alliance: 308-763-2940, Bassett: 402-684-2921, Kearney: 308-865-5310, Lincoln: 402-471-5561, Norfolk: 402-370-3374, North Platte: 308-535-8025 

Addie Piernicky [website] 

Adam Kester [website] 

Dr. Andrew Little [academic profile, @awesmlabdoc] 

Nathan Pflueger [website] 

AWESM Lab [website, @awesmlab] 

Nebraska Pheasants Forever [website, @pheasants_quailforever_of_ne] 

Watch these podcasts on YouTube 

If you enjoy this podcast, leave a rating and review so others can find us! 

Music by Humans Win 

Produced and edited by Iris McFarlin 

This month we are joined by Crystal Powers, Research and Extension Communication Specialist at the Nebraska Water Center, to talk all about nitrates in our water systems. We talk about what nitrates actually are, best practices for keeping them out of our water supply, and how to mitigate them once they are there. 

Resources: 

• UNL Extension | Water 

• Nebraska Water Center (Twitter, Facebook) 

• Water testing in Nebraska 

Crystal Powers [website] 

Dr. Andrew Little [academic profile, @awesmlabdoc] 

Nathan Pflueger [website] 

AWESM Lab [website, @awesmlab] 

Nebraska Pheasants Forever [website, @pheasants_quailforever_of_ne] 

Watch these podcasts on YouTube 

If you enjoy this podcast, leave a rating and review so others can find us! 

Music by Humans Win 

Produced and edited by Iris McFarlin 

This month we are joined by Chris Helzer, Director of Science and Stewardship at The Nature Conservancy in Nebraska, to talk about the importance of habitat diversity. Whether you have a small urban yard or 10,000 acres with cattle, Chris walks us through why messy, shifting habitat is ideal and how to create it. 

Resources: 

• The Prairie Ecologist 

• The Nature Conservancy in Nebraska [@nature_ne] 

• Ranch Management for Wildlife | The Prairie Ecologist 

Chris Helzer [website, @prairieecologist] 

Dr. Andrew Little [academic profile, @awesmlabdoc] 

Nathan Pflueger [website] 

AWESM Lab [website, @awesmlab] 

Nebraska Pheasants Forever [website, @pheasants_quailforever_of_ne] 

Watch these podcasts on YouTube 

If you enjoy this podcast, leave a rating and review so others can find us! 

Music by Humans Win 

Produced and edited by Iris McFarlin 

This month we are joined by Dr. Mike Chamberlain, National Wild Turkey Federation Distinguished Professor at the University of Georgia to talk about the state of the wild turkey across the country and what the future looks like for this iconic bird. 

Resources: 

• Wild Turkey Lab 

• Ongoing research: Wild Turkey Ecology in Western Nebraska 

Dr. Mike Chamberlain [website, @wildturkeydoc] 

Dr. Andrew Little [academic profile, @awesmlabdoc] 

Nathan Pflueger [website] 

AWESM Lab [website, @awesmlab] 

Nebraska Pheasants Forever [website, @pheasants_quailforever_of_ne] 

Watch these podcasts on YouTube 

If you enjoy this podcast, leave a rating and review so others can find us! 

Music by Humans Win 

Produced and edited by Iris McFarlin 

This month we are joined by Luke Meduna, Big Game Program Manager at the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission to talk about all things deer-related, from hunting and disease to the inside scoop on management. 

Resources: 

• Big Game Guide 

• 2024 Big Game Recommendations 

• River Anterless Nebraska Unit Map 

• Nebraska Game and Parks Commission 

Luke Meduna [website] 

Dr. Andrew Little [academic profile, @awesmlabdoc] 

Nathan Pflueger [website] 

AWESM Lab [website, @awesmlab] 

Nebraska Pheasants Forever [website, @pheasants_quailforever_of_ne] 

Watch these podcasts on YouTube 

If you enjoy this podcast, leave a rating and review so others can find us! 

Music by Humans Win 

Produced and edited by Iris McFarlin 

This month we are joined by Dr. Mitch Stephenson, Range Management Specialist at University of Nebraska, and Kaitlyn Dozler, Virtual Fence Program Manager at University of Missouri, to talk about Kaitlyn’s research with virtual fencing and how it can be safely used for conservation on ranchlands. 

Resources: 

• Influence of virtual fence on heart rate response in beef cattle 

• Precision Livestock Management on Extensive Rangelands 

• University of Missouri Center for Regenerative Agriculture 

Dr. Mitchell Stephenson [academic profile] 

Kaitlyn Dozler [website] 

Dr. Andrew Little [academic profile, @awesmlabdoc] 

Nathan Pflueger [website] 

AWESM Lab [website, @awesmlab] 

Nebraska Pheasants Forever [website, @pheasants_quailforever_of_ne] 

Watch these podcasts on YouTube 

If you enjoy this podcast, leave a rating and review so others can find us! 

Music by Humans Win 

Produced and edited by Iris McFarlin 

This month we are joined by Mr. Bob Bettger, a fifth-generation Nebraska landowner and producer, to tell his story – both the benefits and challenges – of integrating conservation practices into his operation. 

Resources: 

• Federal Conservation Programs (Farm Service Agency) 

Dr. Andrew Little [academic profile, @awesmlabdoc] 

Nathan Pflueger [website] 

AWESM Lab [website, @awesmlab] 

Nebraska Pheasants Forever [website, @pheasants_quailforever_of_ne] 

Watch these podcasts on YouTube 

If you enjoy this podcast, leave a rating and review so others can find us! 

Music by Humans Win 

Produced and edited by Iris McFarlin