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I~ m 2~V' =:) C>(J? P c::::> 0 ~ 10 ....... <:X:> o --l m ~'~ ::0 C.:t> N .. C!! ~~' :z: -1 N "'Vi -0 -im :0 n:c ::::c 0 ~ Gl n Z ;pc;: C)- -<0 Gl ~ 0 ES' N o 11 0 Q) :s: 0 .- :I> m en ." l1Z en Gl .. :--.... ~ co w n en 0 ::x: fTl Z W ~ X ~ m ~ :t> tXJ C) N m t ::3 r- ;0 ~ Q) 0 r- :b- e....) W (J? E! c..:> "'" e....) s:: ! :b- N ag t 0 ---- ---- -.J c.n OJ <ii e CONSERV A nON EASEMENT ~,-'-' C> This is a CONSERVATION EASEMENT granted this ~ day of April ,2008, by TROY M. and VIRGINIA L. RAINFORTH, husband and wife (the "Grantor"), to The Nature Conservancy, a non-profit corporation of the District of Columbia. \, / c::::) .......... RECITALS: A. PROTECTED PROPERTY. Grantor is the owner in fee simple of approximately 153.25 acres of real property in Hall County, Nebraska, which is legally described in Exhibit A attached hereto and incorporated by reference herein ("Protected Property"). B. CONSERVATION VALUES. The Protected Property, in its present state, has significant natural, aesthetic, scientific and educational values as a "relatively natural habitat of fish, wildlife, or plants or similar ecosystem," as that phrase is used in Section l70(h)(4)(A)(ii) of the Internal Revenue Code, as that section may be amended from time to time, and in the regulations promulgated thereunder (collectively, "Conservation Values"). In particular, the Protected Property is located in the Central Platte River conservation area. The Platte River and its associated riparian lands contains critical migratory bird habitat for over 230 species of migratory birds each spring and falL Migratory waterbirds that pass through the conservation area include ducks, geese and herons. The continent's largest population of sandhill cranes utilizes this portion of the Platte River each spring. The area also provides critical migratory stopover habitat for whooping cranes. The Protected Property, which consists primarily of crop fields adjacent to grasslands and the Platte River channel, is important as buffer that contributes to the ecological viability of core conservation lands adjacent to and in the vicinity of the Protected Property and also as a daytime use area for migratory bird species. Migrating bird species, including migratory sandhill cranes and whooping cranes, use this type of land during the day for activities such as loafing, courting and consumption of waste grains. Thus, the Protected Property is an important part of the ecological system as it and other similar lands provide much needed use and feeding opportunities for wide-ranging species. Maintenance of the Protected Property as undeveloped open space!agriculturalland also helps to protect the functional integrity of river roost areas on adjacent and nearby properties from the types of