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Excerpt from Senator Ben Nelson's speech at the Launch of the Lewis and Clark Bicentennial January 15, 2003, Charlottesville, Va. It might be strange for some people who studied Lewis and Clark in elementary school to hear about their journeys through Nebraska and, in fact, to hear that Nebraska was among the new land acquired from the French by Thomas Jefferson, but in 1804 these adventurers and observers first charted for the American government the currents of Nebraska's rivers and the scope of Nebraska's plains. In their search for river passage further west, William Clark observed that the Niobrara River of Nebraska was unnavigable -- it was a bit too intrepid for our intrepid explorers. The Niobrara River posed different challenges for the people of Nebraska just a decade ago. Then it was threatened by overuse and unwise development. It seemed likely that the river that had stopped Lewis and Clark would cease to exist as it had in the memories of generations of Nebraskans. But we could not let the opportunity to protect this river pass us by. As governor, I worked with officials at the state, local and federal level -- including then-Senator Jim Exon -- to designate Niobrara as a Scenic River. By seeking the input of those who live and work alongside the banks of this remarkable river, we were able to enact statutory protections because all parties understood that we had a common goal -- creating a lasting natural legacy for future Nebraskans to enjoy. While the protection of the Niobrara is an on-going process, it is important that we continue to seek out new and innovative ways to keep our American heritage, the land that we love, strong and secure. Much as Lewis and Clark themselves found when they embarked across a continent, there is no one-way to reach a destination; but we always need to be resourceful, flexible, and resilient. I encourage all of you to come to Nebraska and see the Niobrara and the sandhills through which it runs -- you'll be glad you did. When the corps reached the sandhills, you can be sure they were amazed by the sight of the sandhill cranes that nest on the Platte River as we all know. Today many national and international tourists come to central Nebraska to watch the cranes, because this is the only place in the world where, once every year, almost the entire population of this species nests in a 25-mile radius. They come to see hundreds of thousands of sandhill cranes alight at the first light of day in a cloud that darkens the sky, with haunting calls that overpower all other sound. It is a breathtaking sight, and a defining experience ... evoking awe and wonder similar to the chills Lewis and Clark must have felt in exploring America's wilderness and wildlife. This is the story Lewis and Clark wrote two hundred years ago and the story that continues for everyone who is lucky enough to witness it for themselves. Let us keep it safe for our children. |