Nebraska Game and Parks Commission

Administration

• Personnel
• Internal Audit
• In-service Training
• Aircraft Operations
• Word Processing
• Headquarters Maintenance
• Telephone Switchboard
• Staff Assistants, Secretarial and Clerical Personnel in the district offices
• Liaison with the Legislature
• Assistance to the Director's Office

Boating

• Administration: Boat registration data entry and monitoring, new legislation and general oversight of the program budget
• Boating Safety Education: Certification of instructors, distribution of educational materials, certification of students and certification of education classes
• Boating Law Enforcement: Patrols, accident investigation and safety exams

Budget and Fiscal

• Permits: Including issuing boating certificates, operating the Customer Service Center in the Lincoln headquarters, accounts receivable and permit accounting departments.
• Fiscal Accounting: Prepares agency voucher payments and maintains various files and reports connected with all agency expenditures.
• Audits and Cost Center Accounting: Audits all political subdivisions and maintains Area Cost Center Expenditure Accounting.
• Budget Section: Prepares and maintains the agency's budget and financial resources.
• Purchasing & Inventory: Maintains statewide inventory system and coordinates the purchase of goods and services.

• Maintain fiscal records in accord with state and federal laws.
• Maintain area cost accounting on income and expenditures Commission internal control.
• Administer fiscal operation and control of federal programs.
• Administer the fiscal control of issuing State Boating Certificates.
• Issue all hunting and fishing permits to vendor accounts.
• Receive, deposit and maintain records on all the funds received by the Commission.
• Prepare and maintain Commission's fiscal and operating budgets.
• Perform audits of federal programs relating to participating subdivisions.
• Administer an internal program of forms control, including development and use of forms.
• Perform other administrative functions as assigned by the Board of Commissioners, Director and/or Assistant Directors.

Engineering

This division performs functions quite similar to Engineering, Architectural and Surveying firms in the private sector. Engineering plays a supporting role, providing professional, technical and planning assistance for all divisions and administration.

• Develop appropriate design solutions for agency engineering and architectural projects.
• Draw complete plans, write specifications and bid agency construction projects.
• Administer construction contracts, conduct inspections and write reports.
• Select and work with private consulting firms hired to assist the Commission.
• Furnish Cadastral surveys, prepare legal descriptions and provide construction survey layouts for agency projects.
• Produce construction specifications and manage division records.

Fisheries

The division is responsible for maintaining, developing and managing Nebraska's aquatic resources and regulating their use.

• Aquatic habitat rehabilitation and enhancement in lakes and reservoirs
• Aquatic habitat enhancement in rivers and streams
• Assistance with new reservoir and lake construction
• Development of angler and boater access facilities
• Lake mapping
• Fish community renovation
• Fish stocking
• Fish population and angling assessment surveys
• Applied research
• Management assistance for private ponds and streams and city-owned lakes and ponds
• Regulation and oversight of commercial activities dealing with aquatic organisms
• Representation of aquatic resources for activities, projects, programs, policies, regulations and laws developed by and with other water users
• Fish kill investigations
• Aquatic nuisance species monitoring and prevention
• Aquatic education
• Angler recruitment, development and retention
• Outreach

Information and Education

The information and public relations arm of the Commission, I&E provides service to other divisions as well as to the public. I&E publishes NEBRASKAland Magazine, a host of brochures, pamphlets and other printed materials; produces TV and radio information; designs exhibits for Commission areas and State Fair.

• News Program
• NEBRASKAland Magazine
• Publications
• In-House Print Shop
• Art Department/Multi-Media
• Mail & Shipping
• Conservation Education
• Special Projects
• State Fair

Law Enforcement

Enforcing the laws and regulations pertaining to fishing, hunting, boating and the state parks system, is a vital part of management. Effective natural resources law enforcement can be divided into three categories: (1) education demonstrates the purpose and need for existing laws and regulations, (2) selective law enforcement allows officers to concentrate their efforts where specific problems are occurring, and (3) general enforcement concentrates on prevention and control of violations in an offi ndividual patrol area.

Officers are well-trained, mobile and well-equipped. They strive for high visibility, which in itself serves to educate and to deter unlawful conduct to benefit of Nebraskans and the resource.

• Hunter Education
• Bowhunter Education
• Boating Education

Operations and Construction

This division assists other divisions with personnel and equipment for construction, maintenance, transportation and warehouse services. Duties are assigned to two sections:

This unit handles the daily supervision, operation and maintenance of unmanned areas. Responsibilities also include the establishment of tree nurseries and maintaining a tree transplanting program, assisting with regulation enforcement, public contact relating to unmanned areas, and providing and manning an equipment and material supply warehouse for the Parks Division.

Personnel in this section are trained in construction and heavy maintenance skills to supervise and operate heavy equipment and install and maintain utility services. In addition, personnel trained in building trades and crafts supervise and assist with construction, renovation, and repair of agency building facilities.

State Parks

The 87 state park areas across the state offer a variety of outdoor recreation opportunities. Some parks offer modern campgrounds, cabins, swimming pools and trail rides, while at others visitors may enjoy the cultural interpretation of a historic site. Still other opportunities include such things as boating and fishing at Nebraska's many lakes, primitive camping in the Pine Ridge country and backpacking along the Missouri River.

Nebraska's park areas are managed by four categories:

• State Parks: Public use areas of significant scenic, scientific and/or historical values and of sufficient size to allow adequate development without infringing on the primary values.
• State Recreation Areas: Areas that possess resource values primarily associated with active outdoor recreation pursuits, day-use activities and camping. All the state's major water-oriented areas fall in this classification;
• State Historical Parks: Sites that have notable historical significance.
• State Recreation Trails: Linear corridors of statewide or regional significance for non-motorized recreational use; may be equipped with amenities and support facilities appropriate to their intended use.

Park planning is an effort to solve particular park design problems through preparation of graphic designs, descriptive narratives and preliminary cost estimates for various park developments.

The sign shop handled a variety of signs and displays for all Commission areas.

To promote the planting and proper care of trees, shrubs and wildflowers in landscapes of the Nebraska Park System.

Planning and Programming

Major responsibilities include administration of several federal grant programs, state trail development program, comprehensive planning, special studies, local planning review, water resource project monitoring and environmental review of federally assisted developments.

• Land and Water Conservation Fund
• Comprehensive Planning
• Resource Monitoring
• Federal Aid to Fish and Wildlife Restoration
• Library

Realty

One of the most important roles of this division is its service to other divisions in legal record keeping, negotiations, appraisals, leasing and acquisition.

Realty is involved in land acquisitions, appraisals, lease renewals, payments and cancellations, appraisal reviews, negotiations and public hearings.

Wildlife

• Administrative: Coordinates administrative support, including planning, budgeting, federal aid liaison, employee training and computer support.
• Programs: Administers the private lands habitat program and coordinates habitat improvement activities on public lands not owned or controlled by the agency. In addition, this section provides regional coordination of resource issues and habitat evaluation.
• Technical: Manages state wildlife management areas, conducts wildlife field surveys, depredation responses and provides regional recommendations for seasons/bags and regulations. This section also coordinates the administrative regulations for the division.
• Research, Analysis and Inventory: Handles wildlife research and forensics and species programs oversight, including game, nongame, threatened and endangered species and wildlife heritage.