Chris will talk about The Nature Conservancy’s high-diversity prairie restoration efforts in central Nebraska.  The primary objective of their work is to enlarge and reconnect isolated prairie fragments by restoring adjacent lands.  The conservancy has harvested and planted seed mixes of 150-220 plant species and have sites that have sustained high plant diversity for more than 20 years.  More importantly, the Conservancy has seen positive results from animals using those restored areas as habitat, providing evidence that the restoration projects are serving their intended purpose.  Chris will discuss how this kind of restoration work might be most effectively used for strategic conservation purposes at scale and why those efforts provide him with optimism about the future.

Chris Helzer is Director of Science and Stewardship for The Nature Conservancy in Nebraska, where he conducts research and supervises the Conservancy’s preserve stewardship program. He also helps develop and test prairie management and restoration strategies. Chris is also dedicated to raising awareness about the value of prairies through his photography, writing and presentations. He is the author of The Prairie Ecologist blog, and two books: The Ecology and Management of Prairies in the Central United States and Hidden Prairie: Photographing Life in One Square Meter. He is also a frequent contributor to NEBRASKAland magazine and other publications. Chris and his family live in Aurora, Nebraska.

Chris Helzer is the Nebraska Director of Science and Stewardship for The Nature Conservancy. He joined the Conservancy in 1997 as a land steward and has gradually moved more into science and outreach roles. Currently, he conducts research and supervises the Conservancy’s preserve stewardship program. He also helps develop and test prairie management and restoration strategies. In addition, Chris uses his writing and photography to promote prairies and their conservation to a broad audience.