Saline Wetlands

Since first visiting the spring, I have tried to make a point of photographing it every winter. I’ve flown drones over it, stuck GoPros in it, and sat in the cold as I time-lapsed the transition from night to day. More than once, I’ve had to cut my trips short, when an ill-placed step broke through the ice, soaking my feet in the freezing water.

I had probably spent hundreds of hours in this particular wetland by the time I was shown this spring. Needless to say, I was a little disappointed in myself for not stumbling across it earlier. However, I can cut myself a little slack, because the area surrounding the spring is only accessible for a brief window when the weather is cold enough to lock up most of the water surrounding the spring in ice. If there isn’t ice surrounding the spring a deep layer of muck makes approaching the spring next to impossible. I’ve tried to get to the spring several times in milder seasons, but I’m forced to give up as I sink deeper and deeper into the muck. I’ve now conceded that visiting the spring is an activity reserved for winter, and I’m okay with that because I now have something to anticipate in a season I used to dread.

To me, and because of my time spent watching saline wetland restoration happen in a relatively short period of time at Marsh Wren Community Wetland, healthy saline wetlands represent the definition of the word resilience. According to the Oxford Dictionary, “resilience” is a noun defined as “the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties; toughness; elasticity.” The idea of saline wetlands as landscapes that can recover from difficulties inspires me to hold on to hope in a world where healthy wild spaces are dwindling.

As our cities and populations continue to grow, without proper forethought and proper urban and regional planning, existing saline wetlands are easily forgotten about and thus, destroyed. Opportunities for people to explore these unique and accessible outdoor spaces are also destroyed. 

Fortunately, the city of Lincoln and the work being done by members of the Saline Wetlands Conservation Partnership have the forethought, the hope, and have taken action to keep saline wetlands around for future generations to cherish and explore. 

It is possible for more cities like Lincoln to put wetlands to work for them by leveraging the multitude of benefits wetlands provide, such as flood mitigation, habitat for migratory birds, and the beautification of commercial and industrial spaces. Perhaps most importantly, including wetlands in our lives creates wild spaces on the urban fringe where people can easily escape for just a little while and emerge with a more positive outlook on life–similar to the hope I hold onto for a future filled with more wetlands and fewer diamonds that are polished so much so that we become blinded. I hold out hope for a future filled with healthy saline wetlands and wild places all around, which serve as refuges for wildlife and people alike.

Please enjoy the following photo gallery of images captured for this project by me (Brooke Talbott), Ethan Freese, Dakota Altman, Mariah Lundgren, and Grant Reiner.

Below is a list of a few selected public use areas that offer access to Nebraska's eastern Saline Wetlands. The locations listed below are the same ones shown on the map above. Click on the hyperlinks to see the location on Google Maps.

 Arbor Lake    Jack Sinn Wildlife Management Area   Little Salt Fork Marsh Preserve   Frank Shoemaker Marsh   Little Salt Creek Wildlife Management Area   Marsh Wren Community Wetland   Lincoln Saline Wetland Nature Center NRD Area   Whitehead Saline Wetlands NRD Area   Zoetis Saline Wetland