FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
LINCOLN, Neb. — Nebraskans will have multiple opportunities throughout 2026 to view a traveling educational kiosk highlighting the importance of rangelands and the people who manage them, as part of the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists (IYRP).
The kiosk is part of a Western SARE–funded, arts-based education and outreach project designed to increase public understanding of grasslands, rangelands, and pastoral communities through accessible, visually engaging interpretation. Displays are free and open to the public during regular hours at each location.
Where to View the IYRP Kiosk in Nebraska
- February 9 – 20, 2026 – First-floor rotunda at the Nebraska State Capitol in Lincoln.
- February 13 – May 1, 2026 – Third floor at the University of Nebraska State Museum (Morril Hall on UNL’s campus) during spring semester 2026.
- March 3 – 4, 2026 – IMPACT Conference of UNL’s Department of Agronomy and Horticulture, Innovation Campus.
- March and April 2026 – Lobbies of Hardin Hall and Keim Hall, UNL.
- April 25, 2026 – Michael Forsberg, conservation photographer, will make a presentation on grasslands at the Arts for the Soul program in Lincoln. A member of the NE SRM IYRP committee will provide an introduction on IYRP. Kiosk 1 will be on display at the event.
- May – August 2026 – Ashfall Fossil Beds State Historical Park in northeastern Nebraska and the University of Nebraska State Museum’s Trailside Museum at Fort Robinson in western Nebraska.
- June 1 – 12, 2026 – First-floor rotunda of the Nebraska State Capitol in Lincoln.
- August 4-5 2026 – Nebraska Grazing Conference.
- August 31 – September 14, 2026 – First-floor rotunda of the Nebraska State Capitol in Lincoln.
- September 2026 – Homestead National Historic Park as part of their Tallgrass Prairie celebration.
Nebraska-Led Effort to Build Understanding and Appreciation of Rangelands
The Nebraska Section of the Society for Range Management (NE SRM) is leading Nebraska’s engagement with the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists as an opportunity to celebrate the state’s rangelands and to expand public understanding of their value.
More than half of Nebraska’s land base is rangeland, supporting the state’s beef cattle industry, sustaining wildlife habitat, contributing to recharge of the Ogallala Aquifer, and anchoring one of the world’s largest contiguous grassland ecosystems — the Nebraska Sandhills.
To guide this work, NE SRM formed a volunteer-led IYRP committee that developed a strategic plan focused on education, public engagement, and appreciation of rangeland resources. Planned activities in 2025 and 2026 include educational programs, interpretive displays and art exhibits, presentations and seminars, public service announcements, and community engagement efforts.
Together, these initiatives aim to inspire Nebraskans to appreciate, conserve, and advocate for rangelands — ensuring their sustainable future and strengthening a legacy of stewardship across the state.
About the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists
The International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists (www.iyrp.info) is a worldwide effort to raise awareness of the importance of rangelands and the people who depend on and manage them. In Nebraska, activities are locally led and focused on education, stewardship, and community engagement.
Learn More
To learn more about rangelands and Nebraska’s celebrations of the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists, visit www.nebraskasgrasslands.org/iyrp.
