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The Unique Niobrara River
Valley Ecosystem |
| At first glance the Niobrara River
Valley is unique because you come upon it unexpectedly — it jumps out
from the wide open expanse of an immense sea of grass. Upon further exploration you find this is where East truly meets West and North meets South. Nature blends through a mix of plants, animals, birds, and geological wonders not to be found anywhere else in the world. The Valley bridges the Plains linking eastern deciduous forests and western pine forests, providing a zone for habitat overlap. Overall, 160 plant and animal species converge at the edge of their distributional ranges in a 30 mile stretch of which the main points run through the Niobrara River Ranch. Six distinctly different ecosystems make the area the “Biological Crossroads of America”. Trees outside of their native range include white paper birches, big tooth aspens, ironwoods, American elms, and Ponderosa pines. Of particular interest is the Eastern woodrat or packrat that has lived in isolation, 400 miles from its nearest relatives, for thousands of years. The harmless rodent likes shiny things. We’ve got the number of the turkey hunters that would love to share their story about finding their car keys outside of “Woody’s” den. Wildflowers add splashes of color throughout the summer and the hillsides are ablaze with sumac, locally know as buck brush, by the first week of October. Nature’s architecture combines the rugged, spectacular, tree-covered ridges, deep hollows, and rocky ledges with rolling meadows, sweeping, timeless grasslands, and see forever horizons. Lose yourself in the hills. Find yourself in the forest. Nourish your sense of wonder in the subtle, unmatched beauty. |
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Ecosystem Sandhills >> |