Our Conservation Work
Science & Research
Crane Trust undertakes rigorous scientific research projects to inform land and water management, conservation policies, and land preservation efforts.
Whooping Crane
Sandhill Crane
Other Species
Research Publications
Publications include research projects led by Crane Trust staff, with acknowledged Crane Trust support, or conducted on Crane Trust properties.
Land Management
American Bison
Platte River
Prairie
Education
Crane Trust is part of a worldwide movement to prove that outdoor experiences are fundamental to our humanity, and we must reconnect with the natural world. Crane Trust education activities bring people together through shared outdoor experiences that connect us to place, nature, and each other. Participants learn through experiential field trips, special events, family programs, service-learning opportunities, presentations, virtual programs, and outreach events. Please explore our calendar or contact us to learn more!
Blog
Crane Count Week 10 – 4/17/2024
Hey all! On Wednesday the 17th we saw 0 sandhill cranes between Overton and Chapman, NE. This is a 100% decrease from last week with our 57,000 on the 8th. However, I have gotten reports of a few stragglers still in the area (it is much easier to spot 1000s of cranes...
Crane Count Week 9 – 4/8/2024
Hey all, Well, a lot has changed since the last time you’ve heard from me. On Monday we estimated 57,000 +/- 4,200 Sandhill Cranes between Overton and Chapman NE. This is a whopping (or should I say whooping) 85% decrease from last Wednesday. As those in the area...
Crane Count Week 8 – 4/3/2024
Hey all, This week on April 3rd, we saw 392,000 +/- 55,000 Sandhill Cranes between Overton, NE, and Chapman, NE. This is around a 24% decrease from what we saw last week. However, we saw a substantial increase in the western segments, specifically between Kearney and...
Crane Count Week 7 – 3/28/2024
On March 28th, we estimated 486,000 +/- 78,000 Sandhill Cranes between Chapman and Overton along with at least 91 Whooping Cranes reported between our partners! This is the 3rd week in a row with numbers above 400,000, which has only been recorded a few times in...
Crane Count Week 6 – 3/21/2024
The morning of the 21st of March we estimated 471,000 +/- 118,000 Sandhill Cranes and 9 Whooping Cranes in the Central Platte River Valley. This is a slight increase from last week. Despite normal trends for this time of year, increases were actually seen in...
Crane Count Week 5 – 3/15/2024
We reached halfway! Week 5 of crane season! On March 15th we estimated there are at least 429,000 +/- 81,000 Sandhill Cranes within the Central Platte River Valley (CPRV) between Chapman and Overton, NE. This is about a 25% increase from the numbers we saw last week....