We exist to protect and maintain the physical, hydrological and biological integrity of the Big Bend area of the Platte River so that it continues to function as a life support system for whooping cranes, sandhill cranes and other migratory bird species. With your help we can make a difference. Learn more and get involved.
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Ideal for business or personal events of up to 120 people, the CTNVC features a catering kitchen, an executive boardroom and auditorium located conveniently just off I-80. It’s the perfect place to meet!
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Fundraisers and events help us raise awareness and generate crucial resources to serve our mission. Join us at our next event and see how you can have some fun and get involved.
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Whether guiding public crane tours, helping out with special events, or providing trail maintenance, you'd be surprised at what a huge difference a little bit of your time can make.
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The Crane Trust Science Team worked with our partners at Hastings College last week to host our collaborative week-long educational program, Crane Trust Academy. We welcomed 12 high school students from Nebraska and Colorado to introduce them to the amazing wildlife in the Platte River Valley and standard field ecology research methods.
Happy World Otter Day! While unregulated harvest and habitat degradation led to the extirpation of river otters (Lontra canadensis) from the state of Nebraska by the early 1900s (Biscof 2006, Olson et al. 2008, Wilson 2012), extensive reintroduction efforts by the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission have resulted in a healthy, reproductively viable, and expanding population of river otters in the state (Panella and Wilson 2018).
To celebrate this year’s Endangered Species Day, we wanted to discuss the stories of some incredible migratory birds that rely on the Platte River. Whether it be just a quick pit stop to refuel on their 2,500-mile-long migration or a longer stay to breed and raise a family, the habitat throughout the Central Platte River Valley and the rest of Nebraska is integral to the life history of the Interior Least Tern, Piping Plover, and Whooping Crane.
