The Nebraska Grassland Alliance invites grassland partners from across the state to gather at the at the Younes Conference Center in Kearney Feb. 12-13, 2026 for our Winter All-Alliance Gathering. We’ll be tucked between the Nebraska Game and Parks All-Partners Meeting and Pheasant’s Forever State Habitat meetings.
This special Nebraska Grassland Alliance event will offer an evening and morning of conversation, learning, and connection, featuring conservation leader, author of Otters Dance, and Executive Director of the Wyoming Wildlife and Natural Resource Trust, Bob Budd.
Together, we’ll reflect on the heart of grassland stewardship – its people – share lessons on leadership from the land, honor the work that has brought us together over the past year, and step into the next phase of Grassland Alliance Collaboration. We’ll begin moving from big-picture vision toward clearer pathways for action, while keeping relationships and shared purpose at the center.
Tentative Agenda:
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 12 —
2:15–3:30 p.m. | Nebraska Game & Parks All-Partners Meeting Breakout Session: Grassland Alliance Book Club Conversation with Bob Budd (TBD), or final Book Club discussion session.
4 p.m. | Break, transition from NGP meeting to Grassland Alliance Arrival
4:30 p.m. | Nebraska Grassland Alliance Welcome
5 p.m. | Keynote Storytelling & Conversation with Bob Budd, sponsored by the World Wildlife Fund.
Conservation leader, rancher and author Bob Budd will share stories and reflections drawn from his book, Otters Dance, exploring the human side of conservation work. Through personal experience and place-based storytelling, Bob will invite participants to consider what it means to lead with humility, listen deeply—to land and to people—and build trust across differences. His presentation will focus on “kitchen-table” conservation: the everyday relationships, shared values, and quiet acts of care that make lasting stewardship possible.
6:00 p.m. | Reflection & Closing with a FUN announcement you don’t want to miss!
6:30 p.m. | Close; dinner offsite + community time
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 13 —
7 a.m | Coffee’s on – Welcome & Pillar Team connections
7:30 a.m. | New Year, Clear Focus. If you’ve been wondering where the Alliance is headed next — or how your energy and experience fit — this is the place you want to be!
9:30 a.m. | Close, move onto break time.
PLEASE NOTE: The Nebraska Game and Parks Partners meeting is an invitation-only event; Pheasants Forever State Habitat Meeting is open to the public. If you are already registered to attend either of these events, you are welcomed to the All-Alliance Gathering! If you’re not registered with either of these events, please RSVP below to just the Grassland Alliance Gathering. Attending the Grassland Alliance Gathering is free, but we ask you RSVP to ensure we can accommodate meeting room space. Thank you!
Special thanks to the World Wildlife Fund’s Sustainable Ranching Initiative for sponsoring keynote speaker Bob Budd’s presentation.
