Students are learning the importance of managing Eastern Red Cedar as a driver of grassland loss through Prairie Protector, a video game released in the summer of 2019, which introduces youth to one of Nebraska’s top ecological threats.

Jenny Keshwani, associate professor and science literacy specialist in the Department of Biological Systems Engineer, Dirac Twidwell, associate professor in the Agronomy and Horticulture Department  both at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, and Conner Lunn, a software developer and graduate of Biological Systems Engineering, created Prairie Protector, a new innovative video game to create awareness among Nebraska middle schoolers on Eastern Red Cedar encroachment that has negatively impacted Nebraskans by converting the grasslands that have historically dominated the state.

“Eastern Red Cedar encroachment impacts every Nebraskan citizen, but those that do not live near grasslands may not be aware of the consequences it has in their area,” Twidwell said.

Middle school students were chosen as the primary audience to play this video game because they are old enough to understand the concept of Eastern Red Cedar encroachment, yet young enough to have interest in playing a video game.

Teachers from across the Nebraska panhandle were asked to share the game with students. Once the students play the game for one week, they spent time with Keshwani answering questions about what they learned from the game.

“The video game helps students develop some agency in the types of environmental problems facing Nebraska,” Keshwani said.

Importance of Educating Youth

Eastern Red Cedar encroachment is increasing at a rate of 2 million acres of land per year in the Great Plains, according to Twidwell. It, along with other invading woody species, are responsible for the collapse of North America's grassland biome, and the loss of this much grassland has a profound effect on Nebraska’s rangeland agriculture and other ecosystem services.  

Twidwell said Nebraska lost 420,000 tons of rangeland biomass in 2019 (compared to the amount that would have been produced without increases in woody plants since 1990). 

“Eastern Red Cedar has impacted water quality and quantity, and increased the West Nile virus and tick-borne diseases compared to intact grasslands. It also drives collapses in the biodiversity of grasslands and compromises wildlife conservation efforts,” Twidwell said.

The loss of rangeland biomass in 2019 is important to the beef industry and is equivalent to losing 690,000 round bales that year, he said. Of course, that production is critical in tough years, like this one, and puts additional stressors on consumers facing the consequences of higher beef prices.  

“Grasslands are critically important in the state of Nebraska and unfortunately, they have been taken for granted,” Twidwell said.

Prairie Protector is important for students to play because it teaches them about Eastern Red Cedar encroachment, how it will negatively impact the growth of grassland in the future, the challenges of managing woody encroachment, and consequently affecting other industries that rely on grasslands.

Lessons Learned: Middle School Edition

Data and debriefing sessions with students playing Prairie Protector suggest students develop empathy for landowners by playing the video game. The game is quite interactive! 

To play, students are given a plot of land infested with Eastern Red Cedars. Next, students are provided with treatment options and through trial and error, they learn which treatments work best.

“Students learn to see that trees are not always good, and fire is not always bad,” Keshwani said. “For instance, prescribed fires are one of the main ways to manage Eastern Red Cedar encroachment.”

Some treatments take years to show results and others are more expensive, she added. Through the interaction, students also realize the action a neighbor takes make a big difference in the game's outcome.

“A landowner in Nebraska can burn down trees on their land, but if a neighbor fails to control the Eastern Red Cedar, it will still continue affecting the surrounding land,” Lunn said. 

By playing this game, students learn different land management treatments available to landowners and understand the work that is required to keep the Eastern Red Cedar under control.

Anyone can access this game for free through a web browser at www.prairieprotector.com.

The Future of Educating Students

In the future, Twidwell hopes to see an increase in literacy on the biggest threat to grasslands.

“The public education system needs to build awareness, build literacy, and then create support and solutions to the drivers of grassland loss. And, Eastern Red Cedar encroachment is widely known as one of those top drivers,” Twidwell said.

To help these efforts, teachers can spend time covering the Central Grasslands Roadmap, an external online source to increasing the conservation of North America's central grasslands.

In the next five years, Keshwani plans to provide students with a 2.0 version of the video game that includes more biodiversity and information on the amount to water that is consumed to keep the Eastern Red Cedar alive. Both animals and water are needed to manage the rangeland ecosystem.

“Right now, the video game is one of the few resources that students are exposed to on this issue, but even more resources need to be provided in the future,” Twidwell said.

For more information about Eastern Red Cedar encroachment, please visit cedarliteracy.unl.edu, and to play Prairie Protector visit www.prairieprotector.com/

Key Takeaways

1. Video games are now being used to teach Nebraska students about environmental threats in the state.
2. The video game, Prairie Protector, introduces Eastern Red Cedar encroachment (a top threat in the state) to middle school students.
3. Prairie Protector teaches students decision-making and problem-solving skills are essential, lowering the consequences they would have to face in the future.
4. In the next five years, Keshwani plans to provide students with a new 2.0 version of the video game that includes more biodiversity and information on the amount to water that is consumed to keep the Eastern Red Cedar alive.

For more information about Eastern Red Cedar encroachment, please visit cedarliteracy.unl.edu, and to play Prairie Protector