Lincoln Creek Prairie and Trail

This is a great place to stroll along Aurora's first hike and bike trail, enjoy the plant variety and wildlife of the restored prairie or just find a quiet place to sit. PPRI's land is part of a community greenway connecting with The Leadership Center (Nebraska Vocational Agricultural Foundation), Streeter Park and residential areas.

History

In 1983 Wilma Aalborg donated PPRI's first property, a 6-acre triangle of creek land south of Highway 34. Following this gift, PPRI was able to lease approximately 10 acres adjoining from the City of Aurora. This area became a nucleus for PPRI management and high diversity prairie restoration activities through the 1980s. In the 1990s additional prairie plantings were completed across the highway north on Leadership Center ground.

The trail began to take form in the 90s as well, and included a collaborative project to construct an experimental bridge across the Lincoln Creek on Leadership Center property. With completion of the bridge and additional trail work by the City, the trail now extends from the east edge of town westerly to Streeter Park and the north residential area of Parkview Estates.

Unique Features

Although relatively small in acreage (16 acres), the PPRI Lincoln Creek land is special for a number of reasons. It is very accessible to the community from a residential street and contains both wild prairie and wooded areas as well as maintained park-like areas. The trail makes walking, running or biking easy through the prairie. Also, with its creekbed and meadow terrain next to productive cropland at the town's edge, it offers visitors subtle, beautiful scenery through the four seasons.

This preserve is important to PPRI history because it is where the early attempts to plant high diversity prairies - 100+ species - from harvested seed took place. There are five different plantings on the PPRI land; also four plantings on Leadership Center land north of Highway 34.

Stewardship

Prescribed burning has continued on a regular basis since 1981, primarily to control brome grass and to encourage the growth of native grasses and wildflowers. Future plans for the area are to make the manicured west area into a pocket park and to develop a sculpture garden.

Location

Located at N Street and McCullough Lane in Aurora, Nebraska.

GPS Coordinates

Latitude/Longitude (NAD83): N40 52 11.5;W97 59 20.8
UTM (NAD83): Zone 14N; 585186 (easting), 4524802 northing)

More Information

• See an aerial photo of Lincoln Creek Prairie and Trail
• Read more about Lincoln Creek Prairie and Trail in a 2004 spotlight article featured on page 6 in Volume 2, Number 3 of Prairie Plains Quarterly
• Download a brochure for Lincoln Creek Prairie and Trail
• Check out photos of Lincoln Creek Prairie and Trail and other Preserves in our Scrapbook

Volunteer at Lincoln Creek Prairie and Trail

Regular mowing and tree trimming are always needed, and every year we have a prescribed burn. If you'd like to spend some time working outside in a beautiful setting in Aurora, Nebraska, let us know. We'd appreciate the help! Call 402-694-5535 or email contactppri@hamilton.net.