Each spring the Nemaha NRD plants and distributes trees for conservation purposes – windbreaks, shelterbelts, wildlife habitat, firewood, and Christmas trees. Orders are accepted beginning November 1 each year. A planting service is also available for orders over 200 (contact the NRD to set up an appointment to prepare a planting plan). You must reside or own property within the Nemaha NRD’s boundaries to be eligible to order.

Deadlines

• NRD planted seedlings – December 31, 2024 (your ground must be fall prepared if it is currently in sod) - You must contact the NRD office to prepare a planting plan and place your order.
• Landowner planted seedlings – March 7, 2025 (order early to ensure species availability)

Pricing

• All seedlings are $1.35 each (subject to change), plus tax; orders must be placed in lots of 25 per species
• NRD Planting - $1.50 per tree, plus tax (minimum order of 200 trees required-contact the NRD office prior to December 31 to prepare a plan and place your order)
• All charges are due and payable in advance.
• Email us through our Contact Us block on our homepage to request an order form (all orders must be on the official order form).
• Quantities may be limited. 

2025 Tree & Shrub Species

This program is a partnership between the Nemaha NRD and the Nebraska Game & Parks Commission to create or improve habitat on private land. Cost-share based activities are categorized as grasslands, woodlands, wetlands, or general. Approved activities vary but could include prescribed burning, disking, or interseeding legumes, for example. Both state and local funds are used to support the program. Contact the NRD office for more details.

Created in 1998 by the Nebraska Legislature, this program encourages landowners to establish grass or riparian buffers along vulnerable surface water resources. Funding comes from a fee assessed on pesticides registered for sale in Nebraska. Eligible Areas – Any cropland (in annual crops or legumes as part of a rotation) adjacent to perennial or seasonal streams, wetlands, permanent water bodies. (Photo credit NE Department of Agriculture)

Payments

Dryland cropland payment rate for land also enrolled in CRP or other government funded programs is 20% of the weighted average soil rental rate per acre. Land not enrolled in another program receives 120% of the rental rate plus $5 per acre, less payments from other sources. In either case the maximum total payment from all sources is limited to $250/acre.

Irrigated cropland enrolled in CRP or other government funded programs shall receive $250/acre minus payments from other sources.
Irrigated land not enrolled in CRP shall receive $225/acre minus payment from other programs.

Payments are made annually on September 30 by the NRD.

General Terms

• Contract length: Five years minimum; 10 years maximum
• Haying & Grazing: Limited (based on NRCS practice requirements)
• Size: Minimum width-20 feet for grass filters and 55 feet for riparian forest buffers; maximum width-120 feet for grass filters and 180 feet for riparian buffers; minimum size per application is 1 acre
• Sign up: Anytime, in person, at your local Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) office

New for the 2025 crop year! Nebraska's Corn, Sugar Beet, and Potato producers are eligible to apply for a program that provides incentive payments for reducing nitrogen inputs by 15% or 40lbs, whichever is less. Applications are available on HERE (Fillable PDF HERE) and will be accepted through January 15, 2025. Incentive payments range from $10/acre to $15/acre and are based on priority areas as follows: 

• Priority Area A: $15/acre for acres within a wellhead protection area or irrigated acres in a Phase II Area.
• Priority Area B: $12/acre for all other irrigated acres.
• Priority Area C: $10/acre for all other areas.

Call 402-335-3325 for more information or visit DNR's website

For individual county Wellhead Protection Area/Phase II maps with sections click HERE

Completed applications may be mailed to the Nemaha NRD office or emailed to arippe@nemahanrd.org