A major conservation and recreation effort in southwest Lincoln is moving forward following the acquisition of nearly 100 acres of land southwest of Pioneers Park.
The Prairie Corridor Link property, located northwest of West Claire Avenue and Southwest 56th Street, was purchased through a partnership between the City of Lincoln, Lower Platte South Natural Resources District and Solidago Conservancy. The acquisition helps advance the Prairie Corridor on Haines Branch, a long-term effort to create a continuous trail and conservation area between Pioneers Park Nature Center and Spring Creek Prairie Audubon Center near Denton.
When complete, the Prairie Corridor on Haines Branch will span approximately 7,400 acres of tallgrass prairie and include a 14.5-mile multi-use trail. Plans also include the restoration of nearly 2,000 acres of prairie and the preservation of about 3,400 acres of native grassland.
LPSNRD General Manager David Potter joined Lincoln Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird, Lincoln Parks and Recreation Director Maggie Stuckey-Ross and Solidago Conservancy Executive Director Nicole Fleck-Tooze at a press conference announcing the acquisition.
Potter said protecting and restoring prairie at this scale is a rare opportunity that will provide lasting benefits for the community and future generations. As the Prairie Corridor continues to grow, future trail connections will allow residents and visitors to experience these landscapes firsthand while strengthening the connection between urban and rural communities.
City officials said the acquisition supports outdoor recreation, natural resource protection, improved water quality and flood resilience. With this purchase, about 70 percent of the Prairie Corridor Trail project is now secured.
For more information about the Prairie Corridor on Haines Branch, visit prairiecorridor.org.
View the entire press conference here.