The Rainwater Basin Joint Venture will host its 15^th annual Informational Seminar on Wednesday, February 3, at the Quality Hotel and Convention Center, 2201 Osborne Drive, in Hastings, Nebraska.

The one-day seminar, from 9:00 to 4:00, is an opportunity for landowners, agriculture producers, natural resource professionals, and other interested individuals to share ideas and learn about conservation issues, research, and habitat programs in south-central Nebraska’s Rainwater Basin region.

 An afternoon panel discussion will address a variety of conservation programs for private land, including the Wetlands Reserve Program, the Wetland Initiative Program, and the Working Landscapes initiative. Other sessions include discussions about the role of wetlands in protecting water quality; management of vegetation in Rainwater Basin wetlands; and the benefits of filling unused irrigation pits. In addition, throughout the day Rainwater Basin landowners who have participated in Joint Venture projects and other wetland programs will discuss their experiences.

The seminar is open to the general public. Agenda details are at www.rwbjv.org.

To register, please send an e-mail by January 26, to Shanda Weber at shanda.weber@ne.usda.gov; include name, organization, and mailing address. Or phone 402-463-6771 ext. 112. A $20 registration fee, payable at the door, covers all sessions, snacks, and a buffet lunch. Landowners and agriculture producers in the Rainwater Basin are invited to register free of charge.

 The Informational Seminar is funded in part by a grant from the Nebraska Environmental Trust.

The Rainwater Basin Joint Venture is a public-private partnership created through the North American Waterfowl Management Plan. It is composed of conservation agencies, local government bodies, non-profit organizations, and individuals, each contributing their expertise and resources to the protection and restoration of wetland habitat in south-central Nebraska’s Rainwater Basin region.