University of Nebraska at Omaha
OP-10: Biodiversity

The Nature Preserve Consortium consists of: - The Glacier Creek Preserve: Owned and managed by UNO's Biology Department, Glacier Creek Preserve is a 172 ha (424 acre) preserve situated northwest of Omaha that encompasses the entire Glacier Creek watershed and includes the 57 ha (140 acre) Allwine Prairie Tract, a 1970 restored tallgrass prairie. - T.L. Davis Preserve: Situated along the Elkhorn River west of Omaha, this 10 ha (25 acre) preserve supports a gradient of remnant native ecosystems grading from Loess Hill Mixed-Grass Prairie and Savanna on hilltops to Eastern Deciduous Forests on lower slopes. - Turkey Creek Preserve: Situated north of Omaha long the hills adjacent to the Missouri River floodplain, supports a diverse mix of restored tallgrass prairie and savanna, woodland, and lake and creek habitats on 241 ha (595 acre). ***Available for University/College research and teaching with written permission from the Turkey Creek Oversight Committee. All three preserves have different degrees of availability and coordination of use but they are connected by the common thread of providing important resources relevant to UNO’s teaching, research, and community outreach objectives. Specifically, these broad objectives are: - to provide opportunities for education and research focused on historic, natural ecosystems. - to maintain wildlife habitats that support the natural interactions of biotic and abiotic components. - to maintain genetic diversity of local ecotypes, thus serving to retain regional genetic diversity.

Glacier Creek Preserve Flora and fauna surveys have been conducted at the preserve. Their website provides links to the species lists that have been created. In addition, their website provides a list of publications and theses of past research conducted at the Preserve. https://www.unomaha.edu/college-of-arts-and-sciences/nature-preserves/preserves/index.php T.L. Davis Preserve Flora surveys have been conducted at the preserve, however, no extensive fauna surveys have been completed. Their website provides links to the species lists that have been developed. In addition, their website provides a list of research being conducted at the Preserve. https://www.unomaha.edu/college-of-arts-and-sciences/nature-preserves/affiliated-preserves/davis.php

Glacier Creek Preserve: Flora: More than 350 species of woody and herbaceous plants, 17 species of bryophytes, and 10 species of lichen have been identified at various locations throughout the Preserve. https://www.unomaha.edu/college-of-arts-and-sciences/nature-preserves/_files/docs/GCP%20flora%2027%20aug%202016.pdf Fauna: Over 170 species of birds, amphibians, reptiles, and mammals have been observed in various locations throughout the Preserve. - Amphibians/Reptiles: https://www.unomaha.edu/college-of-arts-and-sciences/nature-preserves/_files/docs/GCP%20Amphibians-Reptiles%202016.pdf - Avifauna: https://www.unomaha.edu/college-of-arts-and-sciences/nature-preserves/_files/docs/GCP%20Avifauna%20list%202015.pdf - Butterflies: https://www.unomaha.edu/college-of-arts-and-sciences/nature-preserves/_files/docs/GCP%20Butterfly%20list%202015.pdf - Mammales: https://www.unomaha.edu/college-of-arts-and-sciences/nature-preserves/_files/docs/%20GCP%20Mammal%20list%202015.pdf T.L. Davis Preserve: Flora: Preserve supports over 170 species of vascular plants, 10 species of moss, and 2 species of liverworts. https://www.unomaha.edu/college-of-arts-and-sciences/nature-preserves/_files/docs/T.L.%20Davis%20Prairie%20FLORA%202016.pdf Fauna: No extensive fauna surveys have been conducted but a few verified observations have been made. A more complete survey of the fish along the Elkhorn River reported finding 30 species of fish. https://www.unomaha.edu/college-of-arts-and-sciences/nature-preserves/_files/docs/T.L.%20Davis%20Fishes%202014.pdf"

Glacier Creek Preserve: Prescribed burns are conducted to replicate the historic role of fire in maintaining a vigorous tallgrass prairie. Management activities include efforts to increase plant diversity by collecting seeds from local native prairie remanants and scattering them at pre-determined locations across the preserve. Records are retained on where and when seeds were collected and scattered. The Papio Tract is scheduled to be a stream and wetland mitigation bank that will be developed by the Papio-Missouri River Natural Resources District. In this restoration, in addition to reconstructing the Glacier Creek stream channel, swales will be created in the lowland where standing water during the spring will provide habitat for amphibian reproduction. A similar effort will be conducted along the North Creek lowland. Uplands on both the Barbi Hayes Overlook and the Bouteloua Tract are to be restored to tall or mixed-grass prairie with strategically places areas of oak savanna. In the Bouteloua Tract, the historic wetland will be managed to reduce further head cutting to continue to function as active headwaters of Glacier Creek. T.L.Davis Preserve: Preserve management has been developed to establish and maintain a gradient of wildlife habitats to support education, research, and general visits to appreciate native, historic habitats. From prairie and savanna ridgetops and upper slopes to lower slope woodlands, the habitat gradient being developed reflects our approximation of historic conditions using, as our points of reference, both data collected from research and 1941 aerial photos of the site. These sources provide a long-term goal of reestablishing a mix of grassland and savanna over approximately 55% of the preserve with the remaining 45% in woodland. Preserve management involves efforts in both restoration and long-term management.