Nebraska Game and Parks Commission
Date of this Version
2007
Document Type
Technical Report
Citation
Steinauer, Robert. 2007. 2007 Plant Community Survey of the Wildcat Hills Banner & Scotts Bluff Counties, Nebraska. Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. 16pp.
Abstract
To facilitate conservation efforts within the BUL, vegetation surveys were conducted from July 5 to August 30, 2007 to provide additional information concerning the distribution and quality of native plant community and rare plant species occurrences within the area.
Approximately 50,000 acres were surveyed representing approximately one third of the Wildcat Hills west of Hubbard’s Gap Road. Landowners were contacted and permission to access their properties granted prior to field surveys. Nebraska Natural Heritage Program (NHHP) Ecological Community Survey Forms were completed to document plant communities, and NHHP Rare Plant Survey Forms were completed to document rare plants (S1 and S2 species). Locations of plant communities and rare plants were documented as ArcView shape files. Completed ecological community and rare plant survey forms and related location information were deposited with NGPC for inclusion in the NHHP database. Community nomenclature follows Steinauer and Rolfsmeier (2003). Casual observations on cropland, big game habitats, fences, water developments, grazing practices, development threats, and prescribed fire needs and concerns were also recorded during surveys. Although general comments on big game habitat and development threats are included in this report, Todd Nordeen of NGPC and Hod Kosman or Bob Smith of Platte River Basin Environments (PRBE) are likely to be much more familiar with these issues within the Wildcat Hills than the author of this report.